Pretty much all games that don't have singleplaye banned in Australia.

2009-02-04 23:38:45

#1

dtacs: say that 2 my face fucker not online; +126|6273|Australia

Australia, February 3, 2009 - In a shocking move this morning, the Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Australian retailers will no longer be allowed to sell any online game that has not been classified by the Australian Classification Board.

This move directly affects games such as World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online, Age of Conan and Pirates of the Burning Seas – titles that don't contain a single-player experience, and therefore did not apply for classification. The previous understanding was that online games, by their nature, fell outside of traditional national classifications – a loophole that the Classifications Board want stitched up.

According to the report, a spokesperson for NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos said the NSW Classification Enforcement Act prohibited publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games. The spokesperson also encouraged individuals to report any retailer or individual found operating outside of the Classification Act of 1995.

"The NSW legislation covers computer games bought online as well as those bought in stores, and treats single, multi-player and online games the same way," he said.

Australian police will be responsible for enforcing the penalties, which range from $1100 to $11,000 for individuals and/or 12 months' imprisonment, and approximately double those figures for corporations.

We've contacted Activision Blizzard for further comment. Please check back shortly as this story continues to develop.

http://au.games.ign.com/articles/950/950795p1.html

Thanks to gene_pool for the story.

I don't know what to feel at the moment.

2009-02-04 23:42:23

#2

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|7093

Australia seems more Communist than Russia or China tbh.

2009-02-04 23:46:42

#3

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6592|what

Hopefully this will mean that legislation is changed because I'm sure eventfully a politician will wake the fuck up.

2009-02-05 00:08:05

#4

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|7120|Disaster Free Zone

mtb0minime wrote:
Australia seems more Communist than Russia or China tbh.

Why?
Does America sell unclassified games?

Is it that unreasonable to restrict the sale of games before they are classified?

2009-02-05 00:09:01

#5

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,072|7210|PNW

I always think about this whenever an Aussie boasts about the superiority of his country to mine. The only thing I've been hit with is MKvsDC censorship, but I think that was more of an internal affair than anything else.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2009-02-05 00:09:21)

2009-02-05 00:31:55

#6

Nappy: Apprentice; +151|6668|NSW, Australia

fuck.

oh well its only wow and stuff so i dont mind that much

2009-02-05 00:33:35

#7

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7040|132 and Bush

My condolences.

That's just what the economy needs.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2009-02-05 00:34:55

#8

Reciprocity: Member; +721|7019|the dank(super) side of Oregon

Australia used to be so cool.

now it's not.

2009-02-05 00:37:00

#9

~FuzZz~: .yag era uoy fi siht deaR; +422|6761|Orrstrayleea

Oh...so its only WoW...SWEET!

2009-02-05 00:37:02

#10

baggs: Member; +732|6643

nvm - i understand what its about now.

Last edited by baggs (2009-02-05 04:00:27)

2009-02-05 00:42:25

#11

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7040|132 and Bush

Pea....Tear.....Griffen wrote:
Oh...so its only WoW...SWEET!

Yea, not too many ppl play that game do they?

lol

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2009-02-05 00:43:23

#12

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|7120|Disaster Free Zone

Did anyone bother to read the article or just take the sensationalist title as gospel?

Let me break it down nice and slow....
1. ATM Australia doesn't classify these games, but through a loop hole they are still able to be sold.
2. The classification board wants to close said loop hole
3. They now have to classify these games.
4. The games are sold just now classified with something.

Fuck sack.

2009-02-05 00:47:43

#13

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7040|132 and Bush

Yes I did here http://www.neoseeker.com/news/9791-aust … ling-mmos/

You guys have been dealing with this stuff (video game issues) for awhile haven't you?

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2009-02-05 00:56:01

#14

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|7120|Disaster Free Zone

Kmarion wrote:
Yes I did here http://www.neoseeker.com/news/9791-aust … ling-mmos/

You guys have been dealing with this stuff (video game issues) for awhile haven't you?

The only 'issue' we have is there is no 'R' or 18+ rating for game titles. So anything which would normally get such a rating is restricted or censored. Unfortunate, and definitely needs changing but no where near the sensationalism portrayed in the media. As for this 'issue' it's complete bullshit.

2009-02-05 01:02:33

#15

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7040|132 and Bush

Tis why I asked someone who would know.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2009-02-05 01:06:26

#16

Cheez: Herman is a warmaphrodite; +1,027|6878|King Of The Islands

DrunkFace wrote:
Kmarion wrote:
Yes I did here http://www.neoseeker.com/news/9791-aust … ling-mmos/

You guys have been dealing with this stuff (video game issues) for awhile haven't you?
The only 'issue' we have is there is no 'R' or 18+ rating for game titles. So anything which would normally get such a rating is restricted or censored. Unfortunate, and definitely needs changing but no where near the sensationalism portrayed in the media. As for this 'issue' it's complete bullshit.

So you're saying they aren't banning WoWfags anymore?

My state was founded by Batman. Your opinion is invalid.

2009-02-05 01:13:30

#17

Little BaBy JESUS: m8; +394|6588|'straya

DrunkFace wrote:
Did anyone bother to read the article or just take the sensationalist title as gospel?

Let me break it down nice and slow....
1. ATM Australia doesn't classify these games, but through a loop hole they are still able to be sold.
2. The classification board wants to close said loop hole
3. They now have to classify these games.
4. The games are sold just now classified with something.

Fuck sack.

If thats the case i dont see a problem with it.... (too lazy to read article )

however its only a matter of time before the one attorney general blocking the creation of a R 18+ rating dies or loses his position.

2009-02-05 01:24:40

#18

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|7113|Canberra, AUS

I cbf rewriting my response to this, so I'll post some from my clan forum.

I wrote:
Matt and others, I get your point, but you've taken this somewhat out of context.

Quote:
A new law has come into effect essentially banning all MMO games who did not apply for classification from sale in Australia.

Incorrect. No new laws have been enacted to that effect. What has happened is that one state has decided to actually enforce an existing. law - it was never legal, in the strictest sense, to sell without classification. There is no distinction in Australian law - state or federal - between games with or without a single player component (which is where the trouble lies), and this has been so for at least a decade (probably more). Now, the thing is, the industry disagrees - they say 'no SP, exempt classification'. It's just that no one's bothered to enforce this or even publicize it (until now).

As for the article itself, I have the actual source here if anyone wants a read.

I (again) wrote:
Basically I see three things here, but protests aren't exactly warranted (and probably wouldn't help tbh)

1. There is a good reason online games aren't classified. Swearing, violence, sexual references that usually are 'classified' in non-online-only games can't be so in online-only games as these are mainly outside the developer's control (certainly at the box stage). Perhaps a simplified version of the classification system purely for such games should be implemented, but this is most likely 'too hard'. Which brings me to my next point...
2. ...Incompetence. A law is enacted in 1995, and it takes until 2009 for even PART of the country to implement it at least in word? Um, hello? What other laws are taking 14 years to implement? The world changes fast, people...
3. As a change of good news, it seems that common sense is still common at this implementation level. The article I posted says that police are basically ignoring this loophole-fix, at least for now.

Someone else wrote:
Now all of a sudden, the light begins to dawn on me.

Maybe the enforcement of such a law is not really meant for the likes of WoW etc, although it certainly appears that it will remain fixed in the Government sights.

I decided to do a little digging on MMO's and came up with this wonderful new browser based MMO.

http://www.drugrunners.net/?Source=Adwo ... awodgXju2g

Now I realise that people's attitudes vary regarding drugs, but I can say that as a parent; if I caught my kids playing this game, not only would they not have computers for a month, (hard to play without CPU and RAM), I would be hunting down the people responsible for this game.

Yes the world is full of different views and cultures, but promoting an 'industry', where people die and suffer to bring their product to market, and then people die and suffer whilst consuming said product. (Arguments about different drugs and side-effects aside).

Now I begin to see logic in why they have suddenly blown the dust off a law that until recently had sat forgotten on a shelf somewhere.

Regrettably however, the next question has to be "How far will they go with this, and will it result in a Witch-Hunt?"

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2009-02-05 01:30:01

#19

Benzin: Member; +576|6437

mtb0minime wrote:
Australia seems more Communist than Russia or China tbh.

2009-02-05 01:52:01

#20

_raab: Member; +28|6672|Western Aust.

I don't see the problem with banning multiplayer games. We hardly have the infustructure for it anyway.

lol, ausfailia

2009-02-05 02:37:12

#21

~FuzZz~: .yag era uoy fi siht deaR; +422|6761|Orrstrayleea

_raab wrote:
I don't see the problem with banning multiplayer games. We hardly have the infustructure for it anyway.

lol, ausfailia

blast from the past

2009-02-05 03:18:54

#22

TimmmmaaaaH: Damn, I... had something for this; +725|6878|Brisbane, Australia

Spark wrote:
Someone else wrote:
Now all of a sudden, the light begins to dawn on me.

Maybe the enforcement of such a law is not really meant for the likes of WoW etc, although it certainly appears that it will remain fixed in the Government sights.

I decided to do a little digging on MMO's and came up with this wonderful new browser based MMO.

http://www.drugrunners.net/?Source=Adwo ... awodgXju2g

Now I realise that people's attitudes vary regarding drugs, but I can say that as a parent; if I caught my kids playing this game, not only would they not have computers for a month, (hard to play without CPU and RAM), I would be hunting down the people responsible for this game.

Yes the world is full of different views and cultures, but promoting an 'industry', where people die and suffer to bring their product to market, and then people die and suffer whilst consuming said product. (Arguments about different drugs and side-effects aside).

Now I begin to see logic in why they have suddenly blown the dust off a law that until recently had sat forgotten on a shelf somewhere.

Regrettably however, the next question has to be "How far will they go with this, and will it result in a Witch-Hunt?"

What the fuck, is that guy serious?

https://bf3s.com/sigs/5e6a35c97adb20771c7b713312c0307c23a7a36a.png

2009-02-05 03:26:52

#23

Jestar: Shifty's Home Number: 02 9662 8432; +373|7180

About as serious as a skype call.

2009-02-05 03:35:37

#24

Burwhale: Save the BlobFish!; +136|6661|Brisneyland

The main prob in Australia is that the govt veiw is that video games are for kids. Therefore any game that is a bit racy, is deemed a problem , as it could corrupt kids. Despit the fact that the average age of gamers is 29. Although lets face it, we get pretty much all games here anyway. When the Attourney general in South Australia leaves this should become easier to change.

2009-02-05 03:38:37

#25

Ty: Mass Media Casualty; +2,398|7213|Noizyland

Australia and classification have always had a serious problem. I don't quite understand how it got this bad.

The main problem is that the rules governing it are so damn old It hasn't evolved with the evolution of different media. They're still trying to fit decade old laws with "new" technology, they have no idea that if it doesn't fit then well maybe they're going to have to try something different.

If you read Hansard, (and if you don't wish to be bored out of your skull I advise that you don't,) you'll see that when debating classification the Aussie parliament sticks almost exclusively to films. Static media, media that remains unchanged. A film is made, it doesn't change. Games of course, particularly multiplayer games are not static. When it comes down to new media like games or the internet they are clueless because it's not static and how to classify such things isn't written in law. They are, of course, doing the best they can but they're doing it wrong.

Did you know Australia doesn't even have an 18+ rating for games? If you ever wondered why Australia keeps on banning games it's because any game deemed to be to extreme for the pitiful MA15+ rating it's banned outright. They haven't seemed to realise that people who first got into games with things like the Atari 2600 have grown up now and still enjoy gaming. For some reason they haven't realised that gaming is not just a children's past time. This is just one of many problems.

Their methods are aged and completely and utterly obsolete, they need to actually change their rules and methods of classification to reflect the modern world.

[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon

BF2S Forums Pretty much all games that don't have singleplaye banned in Australia.

mtb0minime wrote:

Pea....Tear.....Griffen wrote:

Kmarion wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

Kmarion wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

I wrote:

I (again) wrote:

Someone else wrote:

mtb0minime wrote:

_raab wrote:

Spark wrote:

Someone else wrote:

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