AnimeSuki Forums

Register Forum Rules FAQ Members List Social Groups Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   AnimeSuki Forum > General > Video Games

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 2012-06-18, 09:09   Link #1
GoddyofAus
Level 5 Pyrokineticist
 
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Australia
Australian Parliament passes R18+ bill for Video Games

This is a great day for Adult Gamers, not just in Australia but all over the world.
GoddyofAus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 09:17   Link #2
Last Sinner
You're Hot, Cupcake
 
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Age: 42
Long overdue but welcome indeed. Any games shop or group I spoke to wanted this.

I hope Michael Atkinson cries a river once he hears. That bastard held this back for far too long.
__________________
Last Sinner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 09:52   Link #3
Paranoid Android
Underweight Food Hoarder
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Kitch-Water and T.O., Canada
Age: 32
Send a message via MSN to Paranoid Android
I wish this also also applied for places like Germany.
Paranoid Android is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 21:14   Link #4
blaze0041
a.k.a. Flammenkrieg
*IT Support
 
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Down under...
I'm a little apprehensive at this stage, considering that it is now up to the states and territories to implement the R18+ rating in their own legislation, and we may see (silly) inconsistencies in regards to the rating (such as when John Rau, the Attorney-General for South Australia, stated his plans on restricting the sale of MA15+ games to persons aged 18+ back in April, and his intentions on abolishing the MA15+ rating in his state).

It will also be a while before we start seeing R18+ games hit the store fronts as well, probably by the start of next year.

Nonetheless, I'm glad that this is now finally a reality, and kudos to Jason Clare and Brendan O'Connor (the current and previous Minister for Home Affairs respectively), as well as the Australian gaming community for helping push this through.

(Also, no thanks to the vocal minority who tried to stop this much-needed change from happening.)
__________________
You Watanabe (Love Live! Sunshine!!)
"Make sure you do a good job with your life's blueprint." - Kanna Makino
blaze0041 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 22:18   Link #5
Destined_Fate
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: "Sacrifice one to appease the few."
Great for them, though they wont see any results for at least a year and that's if everything goes smoothly.
Destined_Fate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 22:35   Link #6
Tempester
Japanese Culture Fan
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Planet Earth
Age: 33
Wait, does this mean that 18+ eroge like Kira Kira were banned from being imported to Australia until now? Wow, I'm glad to see this kind of progress being made.
Tempester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 22:56   Link #7
Destined_Fate
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: "Sacrifice one to appease the few."
They can still ban games even with a R18+ rating....
Destined_Fate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-18, 23:56   Link #8
blaze0041
a.k.a. Flammenkrieg
*IT Support
 
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Down under...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tempester View Post
Wait, does this mean that 18+ eroge like Kira Kira were banned from being imported to Australia until now? Wow, I'm glad to see this kind of progress being made.
Generally speaking, all games that are sold in retail must be classified by the Australian Classification Board (ACB) previously known as the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) pre-2006 (there are some exceptions). This is in contrast with North America, where games are voluntarily submitted for classification to the ESRB (important difference: independent of the government) (albeit that almost all games are classified through the ESRB anyway, and that console manufacturers and NA game retailers generally refuse to sell any games that don't have an ESRB rating). Also contrast with Japan's CERO and EOCS.

Until January 1 2013, games that are considered above the MA15+ rating are automatically Refused Classification (RC), and cannot be legally "sold, hired or demonstrated" in Australia (people still bought RC'd games though, such as successfully importing copies of Mortal Kombat (9)). To extend what Destined_Fate is trying to say, games can also be automatically be refused classification if it contains the following:
Quote
Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Australia has some strict laws in relation to child pornography with small variations between states.
Quote
Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

In short, 18+ ergoes are most likely not allowed to be brought into the country (and no one in their right mind would be trying to start up a business here trying to sell eroges). There are probably some people who import eroges anyway, though you would probably have to be darn unlucky if you get caught by customs and/or the AFP. Same would probably apply to downloading said eroges as well.

Note 1: Like the ESRB's M and AO ratings, the content with the following ACB ratings are legally restricted: MA15+, R18+ and X18+. The X18+ rating relates to content that is pornographic (graphic/unsimulated sexual content only) in nature and applies only to films.
Quote
Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Note 2: Except in Western Australia and parts of the Northern Territory, it is legal to possess RC films and games, unless it contains illegal content (such as child pornography).
__________________
You Watanabe (Love Live! Sunshine!!)
"Make sure you do a good job with your life's blueprint." - Kanna Makino

Last edited by blaze0041; 2012-06-19 at 00:44.
blaze0041 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-19, 00:27   Link #9
Tempester
Japanese Culture Fan
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Planet Earth
Age: 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by blaze0041 View Post
Generally speaking, all games that are sold in retail must be classified by the Australian Classification Board (ACB) previously known as the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) pre-2006 (there are some exceptions). This is in contrast with North America, where games are voluntarily submitted for classification to the ESRB (important difference: independent of the government) (albeit that almost all games are classified through the ESRB anyway, and that console manufacturers and NA game retailers generally refuse to sell any games that don't have an ESRB rating). Also contrast with Japan's CERO and EOCS.

...

To extend what Destined_Fate is trying to say, games can also be automatically be refused classification if it contains the following:
Well damn. I'm really glad I'm not Australian. Some people I know claim Australia to be a great place to live in, but they're not the ones who read erotic romance with borderline loli.

At least this bill is one step in the right direction, even if it only gets implemented in 2013.
Tempester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-06-19, 08:55   Link #10
RJ TAYLER
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AUSTRALIA
Looks likely the devil being in the detail really hard in this case. I suppose it was a step in the right direction, wonder how this will pan out over time though?
__________________
YOURS
RJ TAYLER
RJ TAYLER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-08-02, 04:35   Link #11
Last Sinner
You're Hot, Cupcake
 
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Age: 42
Just an update - it will be effect Jan 1 2013, but perhaps in more ways than expected. Transreality's head honcho is putting forth a bill to make H-games available in Australia and he reckons he's got the backing to do it.
__________________
Last Sinner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-08-02, 05:57   Link #12
Tokkan
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Australia
Age: 35
Send a message via MSN to Tokkan
Quote:
Originally Posted by Last Sinner View Post
Just an update - it will be effect Jan 1 2013, but perhaps in more ways than expected. Transreality's head honcho is putting forth a bill to make H-games available in Australia and he reckons he's got the backing to do it.
... Isn't that just proving Michael Atkinson right? I hope this guy fails.
Tokkan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-08-02, 07:25   Link #13
Destined_Fate
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: "Sacrifice one to appease the few."
Eh, it's not like that content isn't already in Australia. Sure it shouldn't be there by law but we all know what happens when people disagree with laws.
Destined_Fate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2012-08-02, 07:39   Link #14
blaze0041
a.k.a. Flammenkrieg
*IT Support
 
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Down under...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Last Sinner View Post
Just an update - it will be effect Jan 1 2013, but perhaps in more ways than expected. Transreality's head honcho is putting forth a bill to make H-games available in Australia and he reckons he's got the backing to do it.
You mean that Transreality? Their stand at SMASH this year piqued my curiosity, now that I think about it.
Where did you hear of the news?
__________________
You Watanabe (Love Live! Sunshine!!)
"Make sure you do a good job with your life's blueprint." - Kanna Makino
blaze0041 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:43.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
We use Silk.