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Shock of the week: Australia bans Dark Sector photo

Every time I think that Europe has it bad when it comes to videogames, along comes Australia to display the might of its indescribable stupidity. Australia's ratings board has no adult rating for its entertainment, and swiftly bans any game that is unsuitable for those under the age of fifteen. Dark Sector, with its "high impact violence," is the latest victim of this repression.

Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification has defended its refusal to rate the game by discussing finishing moves that include "decapitation, dismemberment of limbs accompanied by large blood spurts, neck breaking spurts, neck breaking twists and exploded bodies with post-action twitching body parts." Sounds like fun to me, but then I'm not a total moron.

"Obviously we're disappointed in it [the decision]," stated  Adam Zweck, sales and product manager for local distributor AFA Interactive. "We feel there is justification for an appeal. However, we're exploring several avenues at the moment to see what we can do to get the game on Australian shelves."

For now, it sucks to be an Aussie, so my condolences to them. I can only hope your ratings board one day grows both a set and a brain and actually dares to have a reasonable, more mature rating system.


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57 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Silverhertz's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:24
Silverhertz
Needs moar Podcastle
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:25
Jim Sterling
Podcastle is coming. There was some pretty bad technical problems but we're salvaging it.
DrNutt's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:28
DrNutt
But are the women in Australia still bronzed and beautiful? Because really that's all I care about.
Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:32
Oni
My God, if they're banning Dark Sector for this, what will happen to No More Heroes when it finally comes out there? If you're not cutting their heads off, you're splitting them down the fucking middle in that game (it's great, btw).

Methinks that more Aussies should start investing in either modchips, or consoles from countries that don't suck ass so they can import.
Snaileb 's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:34
Snaileb
:( Does this mean it'll be good now?

I've been waiting on Dark Sector for years dammit.
blehman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:36
blehman
Neck breaking spurts? F'n sold.
TheTurk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:40
TheTurk
The ban did everybody a favour. From what I've seen on trailers and a whole half hour episode reviewing the game, talking to developers, gameplay footage - The game Sucks like a Black Hole!! The gameplay, character and story are so 70's. What I mean is that the origins / character and abilities are really lame, the gore/violence is a poor mans version of 70's Sam (bloody Sam)Peckenpah movie. Nothing about the game grabs you in any original way, it's a bad rehash of themes taken from crappy comics, Straight to video PBS movies and chronically unimaginative games.
The game is 100% utter crap that the glaive won't save!
moonkid's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:41
moonkid
How come it's always the minor releases that seem to get banned? Games like this and Manhunt 2. It will be interesting to see what happens with a game as big as GTA IV, will the censors dare to take on such a big title?
Silverhertz's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:41
Silverhertz
is "technical problems" slang for "we up' an gangraped Dan Gale and trashed the body in a ditch"?If so I cant wait! :-D
big filth's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:47
big filth
they ban Dark Sector but fully stand behind the SMUT fest known as Crocodile Dundy 2??

sickening.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:54
Holyetheline
Glad I live in USA where we still have some freedom of choice.
Chocobo Knight's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 09:58
Chocobo Knight
So long as freedom of choice is devoid of any sexual content.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:04
Cowboy TTop
I wasn't aware Aus has no adult rating for their games. That's pretty sad for aussie gamers, especially when gamers are ageing and still playing/buying. They need to correct that. Looks like many aussie gamers will be shopping at Play Asia.

Turk, I disagree. Dark Sector had its problems during previous shows and development, but much if not all of them have been ironed out, since its been held back from release (bravo to D3 on that). Its looking much better for it and I can't wait to play it at the end of March.
PsychoWorm's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:12
PsychoWorm
Its all good fellow aussies!

Ruddy's in power now, he's already ratified Kyoto, set a date for withdrawing all our troops from Iraq (and told Bush to STFU), apoligised to the stolen generation, scrapped all of howards multi-billion dollar ID card programs and scrapped funding to dozen's of other equally crappy programs.

I'm sure adding a 18+ rating to games will be coming soon, afterall he's had more important stuff to deal with since he took office. Until then, continue to pirate every game that gets banned, or more ethically, just order them from New Zealand, the 15% exchange rate bonus pays for the shipping :-).
Yashoki's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:13
Yashoki
Government HURRAY!
blehman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:15
blehman
lol @ chocobo knight. Zing!
Yashoki's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:24
Yashoki
DESTRUCTOID IS NOW SERIAL BLOG, NO MORE PICTURES IN FRONT OF POTSTS.

What happened to my pretty picture? :(
Y0j1mb0's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:27
Y0j1mb0
I second Jim's sentiment: sucks to be an Aussie,
Noah's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:28
Noah
Someone must have put something into congress' Vegemite sandwiches.

Did you know that the Aussie term for the sprinkles you put on ice cream is "hundreds and thousands"? Blows my mind.
BS3 Owner's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:30
BS3 Owner
I'm with Snaileb... * Crosses Fingers too *
Projectexodus's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:31
Projectexodus
@Chocobo Knight
So true. I'm sure the US is the reason that there's barely any sexual content in games anyway. Game developers simply dont want to risk having their game banned in such a big market.
PandaBear's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:38
PandaBear
Even if we had an R18+ rating (which in Australia would be on par with AO in the US) there's a good chance Dark Sector would be censored anyway. I don't think many retailers would stock it, which means it would be a commercial failure. Besides, who says Sony or Microsoft would allow R18+ games on their system? They don't allow AO games. Can't win either way.

(In spite of this I do support the notion that we should have an R18+ rating)
Barcode's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:39
Barcode
Wha? No adult rating system? They probably still think that video games are still for kids, or better yet, pre-adulthood.
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:43
king3vbo
LAYME.

Censorship is epic fail
PandaBear's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:44
PandaBear
@Psycho Worm

I'm still a big skeptic on Keven 07 and his team. Don't get me wrong I f**king hated the Howard government, but Rudd is a slippery as the rest of them.

(for what it's worth, I'm glad a PM finally said sorry)
Hitogoroshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:46
Hitogoroshi
Damn that sucks.
NightDehumidifier's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:55
NightDehumidifier
Oh no, Australia is not getting a somewhat mediocre generic post-apocalyptic action game on a next-gen system. Surely the fifty-thousand other somewhat mediocre generic post-apocalyptic action game on a next-gen system games will make up for it.
ZeroTolo's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:55
ZeroTolo
Now it's a must-buy in my book. That same thing happened to Manhunt and I was thoroughly entertained. This one doesn't look like it'll disappoint either.
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 10:59
Necros
Makes me happy to live in the US, for now, at least.
wilbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:07
wilbo
lack of game ratings = lack of epic games

poor aussies
manasteel88's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:07
manasteel88
whats an Australia?
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:08
Professor Pew
It might inspire glaive-terrorists!
RaiRed's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:13
RaiRed
The PS3 version will be region free so screw the ratings system!
vp360's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:24
vp360
game sucks anyways
moocow21's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:46
moocow21
Wow, I thought the US had it bad with developers unable to create a game for the 18+ audience....
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 11:57
B-Radicate
What the hell? this doesn't even look that good, let alone violent or scary.
brainderailment's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 12:13
brainderailment
IMPORT region free gaming ftw.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 12:26
Sharpless
What does Nicole Kidman think?!



Oh, right.
casualweaponry's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 13:05
casualweaponry
I recommend a protest. Every Australian make a paper glaive cutout, descend on this office of fun-banning, and let 'em rip!

Papercut them to hell!
cainball's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 14:29
cainball
Sucks to be anything but an Australian. Kiss my left nut, Yojimbo.
Remz's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 15:02
Remz
Ah well, happens all the time over here.

It'll be interesting to se how they treat NMH. We'll probably get the censored version so fuck it, whatever.
Capn Birdseye's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 15:31
Capn Birdseye
As the other aussies said, we are pretty used to getting games banned over here ;)

Its worse than the UK ffs.

I couldn't care less about Dark Sector, it looks pretty shit tbh, but I have a problem with the government telling me what I can and can't watch or play, especially when I am in my late 20s
winojesus's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 15:31
winojesus
those convicts over there sho are preachy folk.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 15:54
Cowboy TTop
This will just get an 18 in the U.K. I bloody hope so anyway.
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 15:56
mistic
damn censorship... so utterly rediculous...

allthough, if gameshops would learn to NOT SELL TO MINORS, the problem would not nearly be as bad I think...

they just ban these games because they know that if its available in the stores, youngsters ARE gonna buy them...
Capn Birdseye's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 16:11
Capn Birdseye
I just sent a complaint to the OFLC. I urge all australian citizens to do the same. We need an R rating. All this banning is starting to get pretty fucking Orwellian, if you ask me...
FishBulb's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 16:33
FishBulb
That's not true, we don't have adult rating for *video games*, not entertainment in general.

We've had games modified before (pretty much all the GTA series) but the only games actually banned that I can think of are Manhunt (about 8 months after it had been on sale), Manhunt 2 (natch) and Reservoir Dogs because "people under 18 can't see the movie, so they shouldn't be able to play the game, either."
Crumpet Lips's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 20:32
Crumpet Lips
Yeah thats fucking bullshit. Fuck you Australian classification laws. Next up on their list will be Ninja Gaiden 2 and GTA IV. They already banned us from being able to download Ninja Gaiden Black on the Xbox Live market place too
Elrando's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 21:04
Elrando
Looks like I'm importing Ninja Gaiden 2 then.
bern00b's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/14/2008 21:10
bern00b
To the ppl mentioning No More Heroes, unless there's been a major change i wasn't aware of, we're getting the censored version(AFAIK all PAL regions are). What makes matters worse is that the NTSC version won't work on modded PAL wiis, so importing is a no go too. :(

As for Dark Sector, i can't say i was awaiting it with baited breath, but outright bannination is a joke. Seems kind of ridiculous to me , as from what I've seen of the game, it doesn't appear to be any more violent than say, Gears of War.

I really hope the OFLC pulls their collective heads out of their collective arse and realise an R (restricted to 18+ for our international friends) rating for games is needed. Not only do we have crap like this happening, but there's also the occasional game that slips through with an MA (15+) rating when it probably should have been rated R.( The original Manhunt springs to mind.)

Without wishing to get on the soapbox, I urge everyone in Australia who's bothered by this to write a letter (not email) to the OFLC.

Office of Film and Literature Classification
Locked Bag 3
HAYMARKET NSW 1240

Keep it civil, concise and respectful.

Consider that the game development community in Australia is thriving at the moment and IIRC has been pushing for the introduction of a R rating for a while now. If enough pressure is applied by both the developers and consumers, it will be enough to facilitate change.

You might not care about not being able to play Dark Sector, but what about Ninja Gaiden 2 ? Silent Hill V ? GTA 4 ? If we keep acquiescing to censorship, shit like this is going to continue unabated.
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