UPDATE: The Australian Classification Board has now given Fallout 3 a rating of 'MA 15+', meaning that the game will be allowed to go on sale Down Under.
Reports are spreading that Fallout 3 has been allowed release in Australia. Alas, none of them actually come from the Australian body that classifies games for release.
This scuttlebutt started with Australian website, Gamerchip. It reports that the Australian arms of both EB Games and GAME have confirmed that Fallout 3 will be released over there, with both retailers now taking pre-orders. The site claims that representatives from both retailers have said that modified version of the game - minus the drug-use that got it refused classification - will be out later this year.
A quick glance at the Australian Classification Board's website, however, shows the game as still carrying the letters 'RC' 'Refused Classification'. Do retailers get to veto decisions by the government now? Sadly, SPOnG suspects not.
Furthermore, Fallout 3 appears to be absent from EB Games Australia's website, not available on pre-order as Gamerchip claimed. The good news is that you can indeed send your money off to GAME in Australia for a game that may not get released over there so that they can hold onto it for an indefinite period of time.
It also seems that having "the drug use removed that saw the game banned in the first place" (Gamerchip's words) would be a tad over-enthusiastic on Bethesda's part. As SPOnG pointed out, the reason the game was refused classification in the first place was not that it simply contained drugs, but the fact that their representation is too realistic. As such, removing them altogether should be unnecessary, Bethesda should just be able to make the drug use a bit more wholesome. Maybe have them as suppositories?
Basically, everyone should take a moment, have a sit down and a nice cup of tea and wait for official word from either the Australian Classification Review Board or Bethesda.
On a happier Fallout 3 note, SPOnG brought you some new screens from the game earlier. You can see them here.
This whole Fallout 3 fiasco, of course, stems from the fact that Australia doesn't have an 18 rating for games, although it does for film. Other games such as darkSector and GTA IV have been adversely affected by this in the past.
You can see some Aussie politicians having a squawk about the whole thing here.
Source: Gamerchip
Reports are spreading that Fallout 3 has been allowed release in Australia. Alas, none of them actually come from the Australian body that classifies games for release.
This scuttlebutt started with Australian website, Gamerchip. It reports that the Australian arms of both EB Games and GAME have confirmed that Fallout 3 will be released over there, with both retailers now taking pre-orders. The site claims that representatives from both retailers have said that modified version of the game - minus the drug-use that got it refused classification - will be out later this year.
A quick glance at the Australian Classification Board's website, however, shows the game as still carrying the letters 'RC' 'Refused Classification'. Do retailers get to veto decisions by the government now? Sadly, SPOnG suspects not.
Furthermore, Fallout 3 appears to be absent from EB Games Australia's website, not available on pre-order as Gamerchip claimed. The good news is that you can indeed send your money off to GAME in Australia for a game that may not get released over there so that they can hold onto it for an indefinite period of time.
It also seems that having "the drug use removed that saw the game banned in the first place" (Gamerchip's words) would be a tad over-enthusiastic on Bethesda's part. As SPOnG pointed out, the reason the game was refused classification in the first place was not that it simply contained drugs, but the fact that their representation is too realistic. As such, removing them altogether should be unnecessary, Bethesda should just be able to make the drug use a bit more wholesome. Maybe have them as suppositories?
Basically, everyone should take a moment, have a sit down and a nice cup of tea and wait for official word from either the Australian Classification Review Board or Bethesda.
On a happier Fallout 3 note, SPOnG brought you some new screens from the game earlier. You can see them here.
This whole Fallout 3 fiasco, of course, stems from the fact that Australia doesn't have an 18 rating for games, although it does for film. Other games such as darkSector and GTA IV have been adversely affected by this in the past.
You can see some Aussie politicians having a squawk about the whole thing here.
Source: Gamerchip
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Comments
Joji 6 Aug 2008 23:08
1/3
Aussies getting cockblocked games again. Too realistic?? WTF??
I'm still amused and amazed by this kind of bs, and I still say that rating boards shouldn't take such things out of context, and use them as a noose to hang a game unfairly.
Just makes me wonder how many aussie gamers will just import this time, in the eternal protest against aussie game ratings.
I'm still amused and amazed by this kind of bs, and I still say that rating boards shouldn't take such things out of context, and use them as a noose to hang a game unfairly.
Just makes me wonder how many aussie gamers will just import this time, in the eternal protest against aussie game ratings.
chris 10 Aug 2008 03:10
2/3
I am going to do what everyone else is goig to do and just import the game, what a bunch of idiots
Me from Oz 3 Oct 2008 12:37
3/3
Hey there. As a mature Aussie gamer I can confirm that this does indeed suck the big ones. However, it's not necessarily the rating boards fault. They have to operate within their powers, their powers just don't include an 'R' rating - which is ridiculous. Hopefully sooner rather than later they'll realise that a video game is not so different to film etc, just another medium.
My 2 cents!
My 2 cents!