Atkinson: Games give you points for raping mothers

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12:00 PM on 11.09.2009, Jim Sterling

61 comments

Atkinson: Games give you points for raping mothers photo

#Australia #Politics #WHAAAAAAT?

South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson is the single man responsible for Australia's backwards rating system in which videogames deemed unsuitable for fifteen-year-olds is banned or censored. He alone is resisting any attempt to update the ratings, but it seems like he's finally going to have to defend himself -- he's up against a game developer in the 2010 state elections.

Atkinson gladly welcomes the challenge, and believes that this debate will decide whether or not the people want violent videogames or not. In doing so, Atkinson makes some shockingly awful statements about videogames, claiming that a vote against him is a vote for games in which people score points for rape.

"The voters of Croydon will now be asked directly whether they want interactive games in which gamers score points by raping a mother and daughter, blowing themselves up, torturing human figures . . . killing people and taking drugs to improve their sporting prowess," states Atkinson.

News.com asked Australians whether there should be an R18+ rating in the country, and it would appear that Australians would! 83% of the 2200+ voters said "Yes" to the question. So, let's hope that Atkinson indeed turns the next election into a debate about ratings. It would appear that, if he does, his days are numbered.

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next 50 comments

61 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Tarvu

Australia has some real sick, evil video games. We don't even have games that bad. It's what I would expect from the home Country of Hitler and Josef Fritzl.

vApathyv

There's (Non-Rapelay) games that give you points for raping mothers? Well, the more ya know.

RenagadePanda

Seriously? How do you defend against that?

"A vote against me, is a vote for RAPE"

VGFreak1225

@voters against Atkinson:
GET RID OF THIS SICK FILTH!

TheToiletDuck

What unit is rape scored in?

gamadaya

Holy shit! Australia has elections for this office? I thought this guy was king for life or something. But yeah, down with him and such.

Tino

Toiletduck: The Couric.

payne6

I don't undestand Australi'a rating system its so flawed and biased its sickening

father33

What games has HE been playing?

brainderailment

Oh my god, this guy is a scum bag. His question is closed ended and very slanted. Basically he is asking, "do you or do you not support rape and murder?".

MasterBalls

And all this from a country where all the White people are descended from convicts.

RenagadePanda

@father33

Rape Hero?

reindall

He's funnier than Rowan at times.

Electrium

What games has HE been playing?

Seconded.

Threaded

"claiming that a vote against him is a vote for games in which people score points for rape."

Wow. Did he get molested by pong or something? Or does he just randomly hate video games with a passion?

TripleZer0

@Tarvu - That's Austria not Australia.

Still I really want to know what game is he talking about where you get points for raping a mother and injecting steroids to be better at sports?

Noqturne

I was really hoping that you meant "Rowan Atkinson" in the header.

"raping a mother and daughter" - I mean seriously...why do I have the feeling that he played only japanese games? RapeLay much?

Gilgamesh1317

This guy really needs to get booted out of office, seriously. "Points for raping mothers"? What the hell has he been playing? RapeLay?

Qraze

his days are numbered. unless he decides democracy is unfit for the people. i wish all government policies were voted on by the people. but that would mean we would have actually freedom.

PwnanObrien

Dear Australia,

We're very disappointed in you. Not mad. Just....disappointed.

-America

bluemeep

'Roid Raper: Abu Ghraib edition.

dronkmunk

@Tarvu

Hope that was sarcasm, bro.

Jon B

"score points by raping a mother and daughter, blowing themselves up, torturing human figures . . . killing people and taking drugs to improve their sporting prowess"

Put all that in a game, and I'll buy 50 copies of it.

reindall

@Jon B - isn't that in, like, every Japanese game ever made?

somnambulist

@Jim

Really though, "believes that this debate will decide whether or not the people want violent videogames or not." has an extra 'or not' in it. I usually don't even bother putting one after whether anyway. It just seems too showy. Anyway, do you think that this one contention between Atkinson and the voters would be enough to discredit him in a considerable enough fashion? I read this Doe guy has opted to include some non-game related issues into his campaign in part, at least, to get enough signatures to get his party established. And that could help. I just wonder how imminent the danger is of him getting the boot.

CloneTrooper

The great thing is that he thinks he's protecting childrena and 'adults at risk' by opposing this rating.

Games that have been given an MA15+ rating

- Gears of War 1 and 2
- Fallout 3
- Saints Row 1 and 2
- Grand Theft Auto
- Left 4 Dead

Now how many of those are suitible for children? Really, Chainsawing people in half and having the blood cover the screen, Exploding Bodies and dismemberment etc...its not suitible for younger people....the issue is that these games are being shoe-horned into an inappropriate rating that makes it EASIER for the children to get their hands on.

If a kid took up an MA15+ Rated Fallout 3 to an ignorant parent and asked them to get it for him, most likely the parent would because MA15+ carries less of a stigma than R18+ and only the most retarded of parents would go and buy something that has an R18+ sticker on it for kids.

Sure there are alot of Gamers under 18 that would bitch and moan about their right to play games or whatever, fact is regardless of the rating they'll get it one way or the other regardless of rating....buy instituting a Higher Rating, you may just prevent all but the hardcore gamer kids from getting their hands on unsuitable games.

But no, AG Atkinson believes that Censorship and Bans work better, because you know....people had the right idea when they burnt all the questionable books in Berlin, and who knows..we may start seeing exhibitions of Video Games as "Degenerative Art" in the near future.

What a wonderful country I live in.

Holyetheline

83% eh? That's not bad at all.

Where do we find these rape a mother games? wtf.

Davedude

15 year olds can play GTA legally in Australia? Holy sh-

Anastu

What games has HE been playing?

Thirded.

Sharpless

He's referring to that one puzzle in Portal. Spoilers, by the way.

father33

@renegadepanda

I'd hate to see the perpheral device for that game let alone the control layout...

GoldenGamerXero

What games has HE been playing?

Forthed.

Cowboy TTop

I think his days are numbered, and I'm glad someone has seen sense to run against him.

Australia is left out in the dark ages, all because of one ignorant old man. If ever there is need for aussie gamers to go out and vote, it is right now. Only you can get this fool out of office, and get the games you deserve.

Xzyliac

That sounds like the greatest mother fucking game of all time.

Anyways this seems most interesting Jim and I really hope you keep us posted on every nitty gritty detail.

matty125

I want Mr. Bean as president.

Kaspar

I can see why we've never heard of these games in the US or Europe, or in fact, in any halfway decent country...

Fiat Mediocrity

Word to the opposition candidate.

Kaspar

Btw, can we import these?
And what platform are they on? The Wii?

faultymoose

The worst thing is, for anyone who doesn't know the system: Only voters in South Australia can vote this guy out of office. The other 90% of Australia's population continue to challenge him, receiving responses such as "I answer to my constituents in South Australia, not you" which is the adult version of sticking your thumbs in your ears, wiggling your fingers, and yelling "NYA NA NA NAAAAA NAAAA". It's a horribly broken political system where ONE guy, believing that his personal (ignorant) sense of morality trumps civil liberties, has the power to enforce that belief.

I find it hard to swallow that he is honestly under the impression that a lack of an R18+ rating - resulting in games only suitable for adults being forced into the MA15+ bracket - is at all morally responsible.

This idiot's political campaigns have been nothing other than "WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!"

In every non-anarchist country in the world, 'freedom' is merely a fluid ratio of legal versus illegal. I'm fine with that. I'm not fine however with one man enforcing a system to which the vast majority are opposed. At that point, the politician believes he is a ruler instead of a civil servant.

Dexter345

I want to play the games he's playing.

matrixdude171

.... This guy is guilty of the "guilt by association" fallacy. Atkinson, you are one retarded person. Unless the guy's a visual novel (rape genre) creater, there is no grounds for the "score points by raping a mother and daughter" claim. "Blowing themselves up" is another groundless claim since as far as I know, there aren't games where you win by blowing yourself up. "Torturing human figures" is groundless because you shoot to kill, not torture. "Killing people"...... that has grounds... "taking drugs to improve their sporting prowess" so taking aspirin (a painkiller) is illegal now?

Tye The Czar

Who's cock is he sucking, Glenn Beck's?

crusnchill

@Tarvu: I hope your jk. lol. Cus if your not, then I feel very sorry for your IQ number. If you are, then congrats. You just stole a funny joke. lol. Oh well. I'll give you credit for remembering it. ;-p

@no one in general: Cool, The guy in charge makes himself look like a raving lunatic... The future of adult gaming in good ol' Aussie look's good for a change. Now all they have to do is turn there TV's the right way up... Which is down... har har har. lol. That was terrible I know.

Shadowiii

"Blowing yourself up"?
But how can ANYBODY hate on 'Splosion Man?! He's just so hilarious!

deadline

I guess Activision will have to cancel its new Rape Hero game.

The-Excel

Do you have an estimate of how many games will be updated and re-released if these policies are finally overturned?

SH0RYUK3N

KapitanFiggs

Dammit, this game sounds awesome! I was just discussing yesterday how awesome a game about taking drugs to increase my sporting prowess would be! Then I could be like all my heroes in major league baseball! Good thing the news never reports that stuff, otherwise our kids might find out about bad things in a medium besides videgames...and that would cause mass hysteria!

Birdman the Friendly

I was actually at a dinner a few weeks ago and Atkinson was sitting a few tables away. I wanted so much to go over and start an argument with him, but knew it wouldn't get anywhere. Someone needs to tell him the facts- instead he just makes up his own.

whateverthismeanstoyou

@ Tarvu at 11/09/2009 12:04
Australia has some real sick, evil video games. We don't even have games that bad. It's what I would expect from the home Country of Hitler and Josef Fritzl.

DuDE!!!!! AUSTRALIA. not AUSTRIA. You completely lost me there for a bit.

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