Australia Bans Aliens vs. Predator
By Joe Dodson, 12/4/2009 9:20 PM
The fact that Australia banned Aliens vs. Predator is bad news for both Sega and Rebellion, but great news for non-Australian gamers. Skeptical? Wait until you read about why the game was banned.
The Australian Classification Board's review of Aliens vs. Predator is by far the most compelling copy written about the game to date, my own preview included (though in my defense, I didn't get to see the awesome things they saw). Here are the words of the Classification Board, as posted at Gamespot AU:
The game contains first-person perspective, close-up depictions of human characters being subjected to various types of violence, including explicit decapitation and dismemberment as well as locational damage such as stabbing through the chest, mouth, throat, or eyes.
Characters can be stabbed with a Predator's wrist blade or an Alien's tail in depictions reminiscent of impalement. The Predator collects 'trophies' by explicitly ripping off human heads, their spinal columns dangling from severed necks. Heads can be twisted completely around in order to break a character's neck. Eyes can be stabbed through or gouged, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets.
It is noted that a player is able to combine manoeuvres together in quick succession, which further increases impact; for example, a Predator can stab a character through both eyes with its wrist blade and rip off their head, with spinal column still attached. Extensive post-mortem damage, including decapitation and dismemberment, is also possible.
F yeah. That copy just twisted my head completely around! "Eyes can be stabbed through or gouged, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets." Oh Australian review board, I love it when you talk dirty. Wow, this game sounds awesome. Sorry dingos banned your baby, Sega, but at least you got some AWESOME press out of it!
http://www.atomicgamer.com/news/1720/australia-bans-aliens-vs-predatorAnother viewpoint on it all:
Hey, Stop Blaming The Australian Government/People For "Banning" Games
December 5, 2009 by admin
Filed under Syndication
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You know, every time a game is “banned” in Australia, I see people from the US and Europe saying stupid, stupid things. I’d like to try and put a stop to that. This morning, for example, I awoke to find Rebellion – the developers behind Aliens vs Predator – saying that they wouldn’t be making any changes to the game in light of its failure to secure classification in Australia . Were that simply from a business standpoint (ie, it’s too small a market to go back into the code), that’s fine. Whatever. But they went and provided an official statement on the matter , which said “We will not be releasing a sanitised or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices.” See that, right there? It’s harsh. And it’s 100% bullshit. Whenever a game is refused classification in Australia – a move which effectively bans the game, since it is illegal to sell a game without a Classification Board rating attached – I hear the same old thing being said by publishers and gamers alike. That it’s either the fault of the Australian government, the Classification Board, or some underlying moral flaw in the Australian people. Let me tell you why games are continually “banned” in Australia. It is not, as you may believe, the fault of the Australian “government”.
from:
http://news.zergwatch.com/2009/12/05/hey-stop-blaming-the-australian-governmentpeople-for-banning-games-australia/
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