Bad newsfor koala bears with a war fetish —Soldier of Fortune: Paybackhas become one in a long line of videogames refused a rating by Australia’s Office of Film & Literature Classification, resulting in a practical ban. The first person shooter is one of many games banned Down Under, making Australia one of the most rubbish places in the developed world for a gamer to live in.
The OFCL hadthis to sayin justification:
“(The decision was based on) the different ways a player could maim and injure (other characters),” the spokeswoman said.
“The violence is seen to exceed the MA classification.”
The Classification Board Report explains that “the limbs may be shot off, resulting in large amounts of blood spray and the depiction of torn flesh and protruding bone from the dismembered limb”.
And what a lame justification that is, no? War’s ugly, boys and girls — it’s time that certain wannabe societal babysitters learned to accept that.
GamePoliticscites the lack of an R-18+ rating as the root of Australia’s problem. Currently, anything with content too graphic for an MA15+ rating gets refused sale. We know Australia is too busy mourning Steve Irwinlike he was a national heroand avenging his death bymurdering stingraysto grow up, but come on. Let us evolve a little, no?
