Is R 18+ Rating for Gaming Required in Australia?

It seems to me over the last few months that more and more games are being denied by the classification office of Australia. After the expected banning of Manhunt 2 I was pretty steamed, but with the denial of the newest addition to the Soldier of Fortune franchise I have become more than just slightly annoyed by the “powers” held by the classification office

 Does Australia require an R18+ rating for gaming? In my opinion yes. Why should adult gamers be denied adult story lines, and adult gameplay? Gaming has moved from the stereo-typical teenager in his bedroom or hanging out in the arcade. The teenagers from the launch of videogames are still gamers, and as they have matured, so have their taste in games.

Sure, Manhunt 2 involved murder, brutality and the whole deal, but what difference is between us playing it than watching the latest Saw movie or Hostel. R 18 ratings are given on movies, another form of media that is just as influential, if not more so than games. If the classification laws wish to outlaw some games, then why don’t they outlaw movies that are classified for Adults Only.

Many will argue that games are easier for people under the age of 18 to obtain. What about pornography. The sale of pornography to underage kids doesn’t happen that often in this country, yet I bet 80% of all underage males have items of pornography downloaded on their computers. The R18 law is quite easily bypassed, but at least it puts barriers in place that stops a lot of underage people accessing what is considered to be “inappropriate content”

I’m not sure how many Australian’s will read this, and I’m not entirely sure how many Australian gamers will read this and they will understand that an R 18+ rating in Australia will only pushing the industry into a positive field. More adult games for adult gamers, and less content that is kept off the shelves, and less games that we miss out on due to Classification Laws