Lilith
12-22-2002, 10:53 AM
December 21, 2002
AUSTRALIA'S incoherent censorship ratings system will be exposed in coming months with the release of a number of controversial videogames.
The Playstation 2 game BMX XXX will be released on January 16 with an MA rating minus its major selling point - a topless female BMX rider.
Yet the violent game Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance, in which players can pull skeletons from bodies, will be released with the same MA15+ rating.
According to the Office of Film and Literature Classification, a computer-generated nipple is viewed as more offensive than the sight of violent death or excessive blood.
Unlike films, videogames must be cut or altered to fall within the bounds of the MA rating.
There is no R classification for videogames in Australia, despite the majority of gamers being aged over 18.
"The industry standpoint is there should be an R classification because the violence you can get away with in a video game is out of kilter with the nudity you can, or can't show," Greg Arthurton from Acclaim, the distributor of BMX XXX, said. "We'd all like to to bring it in line with what you can see on the film or TV screen."
The demand for "adult" videogames was confirmed this week with the release of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the sequel to GTA3 which initially was banned in Australia.
Vice City, in which the player is an amoral 1980s Miami gangster, became the fastest-selling game so far in Australia on any platform. It sold 30,000 copies (at $99) in its first three days.
The Australian version omits a number of scenes with prostitutes. Yet in another anomaly, New Zealand has allowed an unaltered version of Vice City onto the market.
It has been available there for a month, with some NZ retailers touting the "uncensored" version to Australian consumers. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is now the "hottest" game in the world, with global revenues rivalling cinema blockbusters. Its popularity is due more to its ground-breaking features and gameplay rather than its controversial nature.
Conversely, BMX XXX is expected to be a "niche" title.
The Australian censor asked for all nipples to be covered and any full frontal nudity (of computer figures) to be removed from the game.
Yet Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance was allowed an MA15+ rating without any alterations.
"Strangely, sex is a lot harder to get through than violence," one distributor said.
"When you consider it's reality versus animation, it is hard to get your head around."
Mr Arthurton agreed. "There are elements of Mortal Kombat that have maybe excessive violence or blood," he said.
"But retailers are very wary of who they sell to. I think they do realise there are consequences."
AUSTRALIA'S incoherent censorship ratings system will be exposed in coming months with the release of a number of controversial videogames.
The Playstation 2 game BMX XXX will be released on January 16 with an MA rating minus its major selling point - a topless female BMX rider.
Yet the violent game Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance, in which players can pull skeletons from bodies, will be released with the same MA15+ rating.
According to the Office of Film and Literature Classification, a computer-generated nipple is viewed as more offensive than the sight of violent death or excessive blood.
Unlike films, videogames must be cut or altered to fall within the bounds of the MA rating.
There is no R classification for videogames in Australia, despite the majority of gamers being aged over 18.
"The industry standpoint is there should be an R classification because the violence you can get away with in a video game is out of kilter with the nudity you can, or can't show," Greg Arthurton from Acclaim, the distributor of BMX XXX, said. "We'd all like to to bring it in line with what you can see on the film or TV screen."
The demand for "adult" videogames was confirmed this week with the release of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the sequel to GTA3 which initially was banned in Australia.
Vice City, in which the player is an amoral 1980s Miami gangster, became the fastest-selling game so far in Australia on any platform. It sold 30,000 copies (at $99) in its first three days.
The Australian version omits a number of scenes with prostitutes. Yet in another anomaly, New Zealand has allowed an unaltered version of Vice City onto the market.
It has been available there for a month, with some NZ retailers touting the "uncensored" version to Australian consumers. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is now the "hottest" game in the world, with global revenues rivalling cinema blockbusters. Its popularity is due more to its ground-breaking features and gameplay rather than its controversial nature.
Conversely, BMX XXX is expected to be a "niche" title.
The Australian censor asked for all nipples to be covered and any full frontal nudity (of computer figures) to be removed from the game.
Yet Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance was allowed an MA15+ rating without any alterations.
"Strangely, sex is a lot harder to get through than violence," one distributor said.
"When you consider it's reality versus animation, it is hard to get your head around."
Mr Arthurton agreed. "There are elements of Mortal Kombat that have maybe excessive violence or blood," he said.
"But retailers are very wary of who they sell to. I think they do realise there are consequences."