As State and Territory Attorney’s-General meet in Canberra for SCAG, GameSpot has confirmed that the upcoming PC game Necrovision has been refused classification for excessive violence. This is the first game of 2009 that the Australian Classification Board has banned.
The Board specifically called out excessive blood spray and the ability to continue to inflict damage on bodies as key reasons for the banning. “When the player shoots an enemy combatant, a large volume of blood spray results and the enemy may be dismembered or decapitated. Injury detail is high with pieces of flesh seen flying from bodies when shot or a high level of wound detail visible on bodies. Post mortem damage occurs when bodies are shot resulting in blood spray, dismemberment and decapitation,” the Board said in a statement to GameSpot AU.
I’m told matters of censorship are usually discused on the second day of SCAG (Friday 16). Hopefully new bikie laws aren’t the only thing getting attention.
For a timeline of game censorship in Australia, see Refused-Classification.com.
16 comments
Max T says:
Apr 17, 2009
When will this mob of no-hopers EVER get it?
This censorship is NOT acceptable.
I will be downloading the game from overseas, I will NOT be told by the Government what I can & cannot play.
Glenn says:
Apr 17, 2009
It is a shame that Australia is considered a democratic country, yet the government assumes that only children play video games and that adults get treated like children.
Australia is the laughing stock of the world when it comes to video games. And it all boils down to one man: Michael Atkinson. If people of SA had any brains, then Atkinson would have been out of office by now.
Max T: “I will be downloading the game from overseas, I will NOT be told by the Government what I can & cannot play.”
Go ahead, my friend. After all, why should anyone have to put up with a stupid law that prevents adults from playing games specifically designed for them?
Syd Walker says:
Apr 17, 2009
I support a ban on war for excessive violence.
This is a war on distractions.
Icaria says:
Apr 17, 2009
“excessive blood spray”
“Injury detail is high”
Apparently violence-sans consequence is acceptable.
If criminal law reflected our classification policy, I could shoot someone in the head and they would be the one arrested for the egregious act of bleeding.
HTA says:
Apr 17, 2009
Is anybody actually deterred from the game by this? If anything, doesn’t it make people want it more, meaning they will download it?
All this does is encourage piracy, and ironically prevent any form of age control, since a 12-year-old could download it as easily as a 30-year-old.
It’s just like the filter. The government knows it won’t do anything, it just wants to look like it’s trying.
Jarrad says:
Apr 17, 2009
What about stores such as GameTraders that import games from other countries? Could we not pick it up there? Or would that be classed as illegal?
Mike says:
Apr 17, 2009
@Jarrad:
It would be illegal to sell in Australia.
Jarrad says:
Apr 17, 2009
Oh that’s too bad. I had never heard of the game before so I looked it up. It looks interesting. Maybe I can purchase it online somehow.
G Thompson says:
Apr 17, 2009
Actually its Only illegal for an Australian Company (Pty Ltd or Registered Sole trader) to sell it within Australia.
It is NOT illegal or an offence for any organisation to sell it that is registered outside Australia (ie: NZ, USA, Canada, EU, Asia, etc) it is also not an offence (or even civilly punishable) for an Australian citizen to purchase the product from anywhere.
Purchase it online, or via Mail order it will be delivered. Unless they are now Opening Her Majesties Mail (an offence itself without a court order) since Customs cannot stop the product either since it is not (and will never be) on the restricted Objects List.
The Govt had same problem in early 90′s with Adult CD-Rom movies (gawd they were horrible at 320×200 resolution ~lol~) being purchased from Overseas since they made the stupidity law that stated that Adult XXX CD’s were not allowed to be sold unless in the ACT. Remember the same movies on Video (VHS/Beta) could be sold in both ACT and NT. The govt was not happy when we showed them it could be easily purchased with a phone call and a VISA card from Overseas.. Oops.. Technology Bad!!!
Bob Bain says:
Apr 17, 2009
@Mike: “it would be illegal to sell in Australia”
Yes it would be RC (Refused Classification) and like other RC material in New South Wales (and other States of Australia) it would neither be illegal to purchase or own.
As for obtaining it from overseas….
If it were imported as physical goods then it could (and probably would be) seized by Customs under the Prohibited Import Regulations to the Customa Aact 1901 given that the Customs Act applies to goods.
If however it were downloaded then it wouldn’t be a breach of the law as the Customs Act 1901 and it’s regulations apply only to imported “goods” and as stated many years ago Australian Customs have no jurisdiction with regards to downloaded material even if later burnt to a DVD.
If however you happen to live in Western Australia you could be prosecuted for possession under the Censorship Act of that State given that possession of “RC” material in Western Australia is illegal – be it on a hard drive or burnt to a DVD.
In New South Wales it’s legal to purchase and own = illegal to import but not illegal to download or possess.
I hope that’s clear. These are our uniform censorship laws as defined in 1995.
They may have discussed this at the SCAG meeting today in Canberra. Senator Conroy doesn’t get involved in censorship matters at SCAG. What is or isn’t RC depends on a number of factors and changes over time.
Bob
Bob Bain says:
Apr 17, 2009
@G Thompson: “Purchase it online, or via Mail order it will be delivered. Unless they are now Opening Her Majesties Mail (an offence itself without a court order)”
INCORRECT. Customs routinely open mail to check for questionable content. If it doesn’t pass examination you receive a letter in the mail. If it is examined for content and is approved then it is marked with a red sticker “Opened by Customs” (for purposes of determining illegal content). If it is marked with a yellow sticker “Opened by Customs” then it has been examined for quarantine or health purposes or something similar.
Customs do this on a continual basis and have done so for quite a few years. I have had three items seized over a 15 year period with one being deemed an illegal import (the other film wasn’t so deemed after examination by the OFLC in the days they used to do this).
I have had a number of items opened and resealed with a red or yellow sticker including film of a bishop being consecrated in the United Kingdom. This made it through customs but they are very wary of any “odd looking” packaging which may contain who knows what.
Most of the material I’ve imported from overseas has been delivered even if opened by customs for inspection. It’s something of a guess what the rating might be and trust to luck !!
Sorry. Your statement is incorrect ! Believe me it’s incorrect !!
Bob
Bob Bain says:
Apr 17, 2009
From today’s SCAG meeting (regarding games)
http://au.gamespot.com/news/6208112.html
Aussie R18+ video game debate to be opened to public
By Laura Parker, GameSpot AU Posted Apr 17, 2009 3:55 pm AEST
Australian Censorship Ministers could not reach a unanimous decision on R18+ discussion paper; Commonwealth Minister for Home Affairs takes over public consultation
Canberra–The much-anticipated discussion paper on the introduction of an R18+ classification for video games in Australia will be released to the public by the office of the Commonwealth Minister of Home Affairs, Bob Debus, after Censorship Ministers stood divided over its contents at the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG) meeting in Canberra today.
—————
Mr Atkinson is proposing a separate set of classification guidelines for video games–one that is separate from film and other materials. Speaking about his long-running opposition to R18+, Atkinson said he was willing to change his mind, given the right circumstances.
“I’m open to discussion. My position now is that I’m opposed to an R18+ classification, but let’s see how the debate progresses. Let’s see what concessions gamers and the industry are prepared to make. This would involve the Classification Board applying the guidelines correctly.”
———————–
Mike says:
Apr 17, 2009
@Bob
Thank you for the update!
John says:
Apr 17, 2009
Is it me, or is the violence in this game no more excessive than that found in Fallout 3 and Madworld?
I really do despise the inconsistencies with the classifications board…
Hugo says:
Sep 23, 2009
(at John) I know! the whole time i was reading the reasons they weren’t letting it through I was ticking off a checklist (in my head) of gory features featured in dead space:
Body dismemberment on dead or living bodies is a huge one.
Jack says:
Dec 5, 2009
What the Frak? If these games contain excessive amounts of blood and gore its how they’re meant to be. If someone wants to play one of these games then so what its THEIR choice not the governments. The same thing is happening with AvP even though there are movies with much more horror and gore than most games. Also by preventing these games from being released they’re forcing people to obtain them illegally even though that is what they are trying to prevent.