oflc
Latest
Australia's OFLC wants to classify iPhone, mobile games
Australia's Censorship Classification Board wants to rate games released on iPhone and other mobile devices. iTnews reports that Donald McDonald (really?), director of the OFLC, sent a letter to the "commonwealth censorship minister" (really, really?!) that he's concerned games offered on mobile devices aren't being submitted to the classification board.Let's just try to ignore that the task of classifying all the games released on the App Store would be overwhelming -- but, bless the OFLC for trying. The US's ESRB is also currently trying to get mobile games under its purview, however, the difference is that the ESRB accepts that games can be for adults.[Via Edge]
Unedited Left 4 Dead 2 refused Aussie classification for second time
On this day of reckoning, Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification has denied Valve's appeal to sell the unedited Left 4 Dead 2 down under. The three-member board determined unanimously that the game "could not be accommodated within the MA 15+ classification," which is the highest rating allowed for video games in the region.The board believes that there is "insufficient delineation between the depiction of general zombie figures and the human figures." The inability to clearly distinguish the humans from the "clearly fictional 'infected'" was a "major consideration" of the board.The unedited version of Left 4 Dead 2 is classified RC (refused classification) and "cannot be sold, hired, advertised or demonstrated in Australia." Sorry, mates. An edited version of the game has been approved by the OFLC for consumption in Australia -- censoring "decapitation, dismemberment, wound detail or piles of dead bodies lying about the environment."[Thanks, Adam]
OFLC rating outs 'Ghost Recon: Predator'
Ubisoft's tentatively titled Ghost Recon 4 may just be "Ghost Recon: Predator" -- that is, if this OFLC classification is any indication. The classification itself is pretty barren, save for the title of the game, the fact that it's multiplatform and it's rated MA 15+. Still, given the title, it's a pretty safe bet that this will be a Ghost Recon game more in line with the roots of the series and not another Advanced Warfighter -- mostly because it doesn't have "Advanced Warfighter" in the title. Hopefully, Ubisoft will confirm sooner rather than later. We definitely encourage the company to do so, especially if it still hopes to get the game on shelves by March 2010. [Via VG247]
Left 4 Dead 2 trying 2 approaches 4 sales in Australia
Valve is working two angles to get Left 4 Dead 2 on Australian consoles and PCs, following the Aussie ratings board's refusal to classify the zombie shooter. One version of L4D2 making its way through the OFLC is an "Australia specific" (i.e. edited) take on the game, while the other is the gore-lovin' original, which Valve currently has on appeal. Gamespot spoke with Valve's Gabe Newell, who explained that the next step for the unedited version won't occur until October 22, which means the timing gets tight in terms of manufacturing and other hurdles before a November 17 launch. Valve project manager Erik Johnson finds the OFLC's issues with the sequel to be "inconsistent" because of Left 4 Dead's unedited release in the region. We wish Valve (and the gamers of Australia) all the best in working out those Michael Atkinson issues. Source -- Valve to resubmit two versions L4D2 (Gamespot) Source -- Newell discusses ban on video (Gamespot) %Gallery-64704%
Australian attorney general refuses to support 18+ game rating
Australia has a long, sordid history when it comes to banning the sale of mature games. Titles which exceed the limits of the Office of Film and Literature Classification's MA15+ rating are refused classification, preventing them from being sold in the Land Down Under. Following such a ban on Valve's Left 4 Dead 2, the introduction of an R18+ rating has been feverishly debated by the nation's officials -- however, a South Australian attorney general named Michael Atkinson is holding up the proceedings by vehemently opposing the adoption of the mature rating. Atkinson told Australian news outlet News.com.au that he's uncomfortable with the interactive nature of the medium. "People are participating and 'acting-out' violence and criminal behaviour when they are playing a video game," he explained, later adding, "it certainly does restrict choice to a small degree, but that is the price of keeping this material from children and vulnerable adults. In my view, the small sacrifice is worth it." Rarely can governmental actions be attributed to just one person, but the OFLC's refusal to rate mature titles is a direct result of Atkinson's opposition. Remember, this is the same guy who tried to censor a public document which canvassed Australians on the issue in an attempt to better advise the nation's ratings officials. He censored the study on censorship. Consider our mind truly boggled. [Via GamesIndustry]
L4D2 rated in other violence sensitive regions, Valve appeals Aussie ban
In the wake of its Australian "banning," Valve has seen fit to send out an update of Left 4 Dead 2's ratings across this zombie smorgasbord we call a planet. We knew that Valve was "bummed" about the ban, but the letter that the company sent out could be interpreted as it saying, "Hey, wait up, places like Germany and Japan gave us '18+' ratings ... and you know how sensitive they are about violence." Valve is still awaiting a rating in the UK (BBFC) and New Zealand, and submitted its appeal regarding Left 4 Dead 2's non-classified status in the land down under on September 23. With any luck, Aussies will be able to play the game -- with some edits, perhaps -- when the zombie sequel launches November 17. %Gallery-64704%
Valve is 'bummed' by Australia's Left 4 Dead 2 ban
It seems Australian zombie enthusiasts aren't alone in their dismay over the OFLC's recent ban on the sale of Left 4 Dead 2 in the Land Down Under -- Valve's Doug Lombardi recently told Shacknews that the ban came as quite a surprise for the developer as well. "Obviously, everyone at Valve is pretty bummed," Lombardi explained, as a grief-wracked Gabe Newell wept openly into his shoulder. It's a real shame that the OFLC added L4D2 to its expansive list of titles prohibited from being sold in Australia -- not only because Aussies will be robbed of one of the most promising multiplayer titles of 2009, but because it effectively invalidates the two parties' pre-existing peacemaking efforts. %Gallery-64704%
OFLC: Two more Street Fighter games on Virtual Console
With the slowing pace at which Nintendo releases Virtual Console games, it's taking longer and longer for our Virtually Overlooked columns to be revealed as prescient -- but it's happening. The Australian OFLC ratings board has just revealed two classic Street Fighter games heading to Wii soon: Street Fighter II' Champion Edition and ... Fighting Street, the Turbografx-16 CD version of the very first Street Fighter.The Champion Edition could be the arcade game, but is probably the PC Engine version, which is surprisingly faithful for an 8-bit port of the arcade game. It's another port, but, like Fighting Street, it holds value as a curiosity. [Via NeoGAF]
ESRB: 2K Games making point-and-click 'Axel and Pixel' for Xbox 360 [update]
An OFLC listing spotted by superannuation and a similar ESRB listing (pictured above) point to a new point-and-click adventure called "Axel and Pixel" being developed by 2K Czech, the studio behind Mafia II [Update: 2K was kind enough to clarify that the game is being made by another Czech dev called Silver Wish Games.] According to the ESRB (which rates the game "E for Everyone"), players will "guide an artist and his dog through surreal and abstract environments." The game apparently presents environment puzzles that involve "redirecting a ray of light, throwing rocks at birds, and spraying water at a creature." Unlike the OFLC listing, the ESRB entry indicates only the Xbox 360 as a platform, so it would seem that the game is exclusive to Microsoft's console (and a potential candidate for XBLA), at least for the moment.
Risen banned in Australia for incentivizing sex and drugs
RPG Risen has been refused classification by Australia's OFLC, meaning it can't be sold at retail on the continent. Kotaku was informed by the game's Aussie distributor that the board was concerned by "sexual activity and drug use related to incentives or rewards." Ignore the fact that both of those concepts are directly related to teaching children how to succeed in business. Why are we talking about children? Well, it's because Australia only rates games that are appropriate for children 15-years-old and younger. The US's ESRB summary of Risen notes that sex is implied but never depicted, while "wood reefer" can be bought, sold and used. That sounds a lot like high school. %Gallery-47713%
God of War III dev concerned about potential Aussie ban
God of War III Art Director Sean Cunningham is concerned, despite checks with ratings boards like the US's ESRB, that Kratos' epic conclusion may still not receive classification in Australia. Screen Play reports that, in a conversation with Cunningham, he admitted there may be issues and explained that the team is continually checking with censors, with some ideas for the game already being shot down.Australia's notoriously strict ratings board, the OFLC, currently does not have a classification past MA15+ for video games. That means any game not appropriate for a 15-year-old won't be sold in stores and is de facto banned -- and that's before the national internet filter becomes fully operational. Given some of the violent antics we've seen from Kratos' high-def adventure, it might barely scrape by with an MA15+ rating. But what of the inevitable sex antics?[Via GamePolitics]
Australian network filtering promises to reach out to block games, online games and more
Australian Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, has promised to extend Australia's proposed network-level content filtering regime to block games, online games, downloadable games, and websites that sell or allow download of games that are deemed not to be suitable for a 15-year-old audience. This, despite research by the IEAA (the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia) that the average age of Australian Gamers is 30. Even though Australian Federal and State laws say otherwise, some MMO titles exceeding that classification are already sold on Australian store shelves, by simply bypassing compulsory classification. Australian Federal and State authorities refuse to respond to any enquiries about the topic. The matter becomes even more confusing and complex, however, as it introduces a new, defacto classifications body to the mix.
Sexy Poker denied classification in Australia
Sexy Poker, an upcoming WiiWare title from Gameloft, has been denied classification by Australia's OFLC, reports Gamespot. The beautiful part: the board declared that the game's "depictions of nudity as an incentive or reward" is prohibited by the "Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Computer Games." A bit strange, considering depictions of nudity have been an incentive in the game of "human existence" since the dawn of time. Of course, this also has a lot to do with Australia's lack of R18+ rating for games. Fear not North America and Europe, for it appears that Sexy Poker will make it to our virtual shores through WiiWare. The Germans rated the title last month and there's also a listing on the ESRB site. According to the ESRB's content description, the game not only titillates with visuals, but with "provocative comments" like, "I'll always know what's in your hand." What, the Wiimote? Let us waggle it for you, Sexy Poker lady. [Via GamePolitics]
OFLC ratings suggest VC release for Pilotwings, Super Mario Kart
The OFLC website is back after being hacked, with the Australian ratings organization taking the opportunity to redesign it. Luckily, it's still revealing unannounced games! The database has two new listings for classic Nintendo franchises that, really, should already be on the Virtual Console: Pilotwings and Super Mario Kart. We've actually booted up the Wii Shop more than once hoping to buy Super Mario Kart after forgetting that only the N64 game is available on Virtual Console, not the original.Also of interest: Picturebook Games: A Pop-Up Adventure!, which must be Nintendo's original WiiWare board game adventure, Asoberu Ehon Tobida-Sugoroku!, and You, Me, and the Cubes, which is clearly Kenji Eno's WiiWare puzzler Kimi to Boku to Rittai.[Via GoNintendo]
Australian ratings board website now classified as 'hacked'
The website for the Office and Film and Literature Classification, the Australian ratings body that assigns age-based content ratings to media -- including, most importantly to us, games -- has been hacked by jerks. The website has been temporarily taken down.The hackers added a message to the front page that said "This site contains information about the boards that have the right to CONTROL YOUR FREEDOMZ," according to GameSpot. "The Classification Board has the right to not just classify content (the name is an ELABORATE TRICK), but also the right to DECIDE WHAT IS AND ISNT APPROPRIATE and BAN CONTENT FROM THE PUBLIC [sic]." The attack could be in response to last night's ABC Q&A show, in which Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy spoke about a plan for mandatory Internet filtering.While we don't necessarily agree with that plan, we really don't agree with any response that leads to the inaccessibility of the OFLC website. Did the hackers even consider for a moment how their actions would affect our ability to learn about unannounced games?
Game & Watch Collection coming to Australia: Club Nintendo imminent?
A rating for the DS Game & Watch Collection has popped up on the Australian OFLC ratings board, along with a bunch of other stuff, including Boom Blox Bash Party (under the bafflingly different title Boom Blox Smash Party). The collection, featuring Oil Panic, Donkey Kong, and Green House, has been used as a Club Nintendo reward in Japan and North America. News about Australia's Club Nintendo rewards program was expected last week, so this confluence of events suggests that this is to be handed out as a reward for Aussie gamers soon.That is, whenever Nintendo of Australia gets around to setting up the Club Nintendo program. %Gallery-33547%[Via GoNintendo]
OFLC catches Prope's WiiWare game
After the miraculous announcement of Sega's plan to localize Let's Tap (a game so weird we kind of didn't expect it to make it to stores at all, much less worldwide), we're not too surprised to see Prope's other Wii project, the much more conventional, lower-risk Let's Catch for WiiWare, on its way out of Japan. But we are pleased to see it happening.Let's Catch is exactly what one would infer from the title: a game about playing catch, with multiple single-player modes (including a ... story mode?) and multiplayer. It's a concept so weird (or weirdly mundane) that we find it fascinating! Australia's OFLC ratings board has rated the game, suggesting that it will be released there soon -- and thus, probably worldwide.
Cosplay protest seeks to push R18+ rating in Australia, raises concerns
Gametraders is organizing a rally in support of a long overdue R18+ rating for video games in Australia. Protesters are asked to cosplay -- that is, dress up in a video game costumes -- for the demonstration at 1:00 pm on March 4, on the steps of the Adelaide Parliament House. Initial reaction to the idea has been met with criticism, as Aussie gamers apparently support the message, but not the medium. There are concerns that asking the government for an adult rating for games by those dressed up in costume could not be effective. This might be a time for gamers to put on their work uniforms, bring their children, and show they're a lot older than the Aussie government -- well, really, it's mostly South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson -- believes they are. [Via GamePolitics]
Australian game rating board under fire for Lost and Damned classification
Typically, when Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification (the game rating board for the Land Down Under) is criticized for shoddy job performance, the attacks are coming from ... well, people like us. This is because the board's highest rating is MA15+, meaning games containing similar content to games rated Mature by the ESRB are often refused classification and sent back to the developer for content cuts.However, the OFLC has recently come under fire from its harshest critics, not due to its refusal to classify certain games, but rather, because of its rating for the recently released expansion to GTA IV, The Lost and Damned. These critics take issue with the fact that the expansion earned a rating from the OFLC without undergoing any content cuts, while GTA IV was forced to clean up its act before getting approved. These critics claim the similarities between the core game and expansion are evidence of major disparities in the Australian rating board. These critics might have a point -- the OFLC could be taking on a more lax approach to their classification of mature content titles. However, it's just as likely that Rockstar made content cuts to Lost and Damned before the first submission in order to avoid a refusal of classification -- and a costly resubmission. There's only one way to tell: Australian readers, we need you to boot up the game and, well, check for any and all wangs. We know, it's a lot to ask.
Australian MMOs: Without classification, but still on store shelves
We've talked about it in the past ad nauseum, but for those who are just now joining us: the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) doesn't have a rating for video games above MA15+. Thus, if your title is deemed too inappropriate for someone 15 years or older, it's Refused Classification (RC), essentially barring it from sale in the country. Except, it seems, if your game is an MMO.Our friends at Massively took a look at MMOs in Australia, which -- with few exceptions -- are sold at retail without any rating whatsoever. Developers and publishers claim they've never submitted their titles to the OFLC because they didn't believe it was necessary to do so. That misconception may have come from the board itself, who is said to have given such counsel before it was merged with the Federal Attorney-General's Office. However, the now-assimilated group is saying that MMOs require classification, and selling an unclassified game is a crime. Hit up Massively for more information. This is gonna be a very interesting story to follow.
