Grand Theft Auto IV will be released worldwide on April 29, but it’s unknown if Rockstar/Take 2 had to tone down the Aussie version of the game to appease Australian censors. This addition to the series is classified as MA15+ for its strong violence, strong coarse language, and drug and sexual references.
The OFLC banned GTA III in 2001 because players could receive (unseen) oral sex from a prostitute and then kill her if he/she desired. This was after Rockstar had jumped the gun and already released the game in stores under the assumption they would receive a MA15+ rating.
Fans of course raced to get their hands on the uncut version, with some video stores selling ex rental copies of the game (about a week old) for over $250. I was lucky enough to get one for $100.
Hot Coffee. Imagine someone aged above fifteen seeing this!!!
GTA: San Andreas wasn’t without controversy either. A mini-game called ‘Hot Coffee‘ which simulated sex was found hidden in the PC version of the game. Despite it being disabled unless the user modded their game, do-gooders went berserk.
Here at home the OFLC revoked the games MA15+ rating and Refused Classification. After more than a month off the shelves, a patched version was classified and allowed to be sold.
While GTA IV may be hitting stores in April, it certainly won’t be without an uproar. I can’t wait.
If you’d like to read more about the history of GTA in Australia, Refused-Classification has a great rundown. Check out the following links:
