Patrick Elliot
Shaun InguanzoFallout 3 banned by Australian classiciation office
July 10th 2008 10:32
OFLC bans upcoming RPG
AUSTRALIA'S Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) has gone high-profile, banning upcoming action RPG Fallout 3 by refusing it a rating.
Bethesda's postapocalyptic title was deemed unsuitable for the MA15 rating. Unlike films or DVDs, the highest rating allowed for a game in Australia is MA15 . There is no R18 available to video games, meaning anything deemed unsuitable for a 15-year-old is illegal to promote or sell.
A recent update of the OFLC site listed Fallout 3 as being refused classification. In a statement published on GameSpot AU the OFLC stated Fallout 3 was refused classification because it contains "material promoting or encouraging proscribed drug use".
"The game contains the option to take a variety of drugs known as chems using a device which is connected to the character's arm."
"These chems have postive and some negative effects (lowering of intelligence, or the character may become addicted to the chem). The positive effects include increase in strength, stamina, resistance to damage, agility, and hit points."
"Corresponding with the list of various chems are small visual representations of the drugs; these include syringes, tablets, pill bottles, a crack-type pipe, and blister packs. In the Board's view, these realistic visual representation of drugs and their delivery method bring the 'science-fiction' drugs in line with 'real-world' drugs."
"The player can also select and use Morphone (a proscribed drug) which has the positive effect of enabling the character to ignore limb pain when the character's extremities are targeted by the enemy."
Despite the gratuitous violence in the game, the OFLC made it clear that the only concern with the game was the drug use.
"The violence throughout the game could be accommodated at an MA15 level of classification."
Fallout 3 is the third game in 2008 to be banned in Australia. Dark Sector and Shellshock 2 are the others.
Check out this teaser video, it's enough to make your eyes water with anticipation:
What do you think? Should games in Australia be entitled to an R18 rating, like movies? Have your say below!
The Australian classification office has deemed Fallout 3 unratable. Check out the teaser video below and decide for yourself!
Bethesda's postapocalyptic title was deemed unsuitable for the MA15 rating. Unlike films or DVDs, the highest rating allowed for a game in Australia is MA15 . There is no R18 available to video games, meaning anything deemed unsuitable for a 15-year-old is illegal to promote or sell.
A recent update of the OFLC site listed Fallout 3 as being refused classification. In a statement published on GameSpot AU the OFLC stated Fallout 3 was refused classification because it contains "material promoting or encouraging proscribed drug use".
"The game contains the option to take a variety of drugs known as chems using a device which is connected to the character's arm."
"These chems have postive and some negative effects (lowering of intelligence, or the character may become addicted to the chem). The positive effects include increase in strength, stamina, resistance to damage, agility, and hit points."
"Corresponding with the list of various chems are small visual representations of the drugs; these include syringes, tablets, pill bottles, a crack-type pipe, and blister packs. In the Board's view, these realistic visual representation of drugs and their delivery method bring the 'science-fiction' drugs in line with 'real-world' drugs."
"The player can also select and use Morphone (a proscribed drug) which has the positive effect of enabling the character to ignore limb pain when the character's extremities are targeted by the enemy."
Despite the gratuitous violence in the game, the OFLC made it clear that the only concern with the game was the drug use.
"The violence throughout the game could be accommodated at an MA15 level of classification."
Fallout 3 is the third game in 2008 to be banned in Australia. Dark Sector and Shellshock 2 are the others.
Check out this teaser video, it's enough to make your eyes water with anticipation:
What do you think? Should games in Australia be entitled to an R18 rating, like movies? Have your say below!
| 79 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Shaun Inguanzo
Blogocratic Nightmare
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I'm fuming.
How asinine can the board be? They admit that the drugs have good and bad consequences, and can lead to addiction... this is a brilliant part of Fallout - just like in real life, you can make choices. It's almost a fantastic anti-drug deterrent.
Meanwhile, let's celebrate our footy players, the biggest consumers of illegal drugs. Whee!
It's ridiculous because television is definitely more offensive. What about this Underbelly show?