SOF 3 -Banned in Australia
Video game 'too violent' for Australia
By staff writers
October 18, 2007 04:27pm
Soldier Of Fortune: Payback
CENSORS have banned a new computer game that features visceral "dismemberment" graphics, where limbs and even heads explode off bodies in a shower of blood.
The game, Soldier Of Fortune: Payback contained “high impact violence” that was too high to receive a classification from the board, a spokeswoman for the Classifications Board told NEWS.com.au.“(The decision was based on) the different ways a player could maim and injure (other characters),” the spokeswoman said. “The violence is seen to exceed the MA classification.”
The Classification Board Report explains that “the limbs may be shot off, resulting in large amounts of blood spray and the depiction of torn flesh and protruding bone from the dismembered limb”. This game is the third instalment in the Soldier Of Fortune series.The publisher, Activision, promotes the game’s “enemy damage system that may be shocking to even experienced FPS (First Person Shooter) players”.
The official Activision trailer doesn’t show this feature, but unofficial clips on the internet show far more graphic violence. A leaked video of the gameplay shows gory, fast-paced combat punctuated by flying body parts.
There is no R rating for games in Australia, so the Classifications Board must ban any game that exceeds MA15+ classification. Soldier Of Fortune: Payback had been scheduled for Australian release in 2008.
It will be released in the US next month, leading to speculation that some Australian gamers will obtain the game illegally. One user commented on gaming blog Kotaku’s article: “O well (sic), I’ll just either import it or download it now. Nice way to increase piracy and support the black market OFLC!” While the Classifications Board takes the brunt of criticism from both the Australian and international gaming communities, it does not make the guidelines.
A quick search of www.classifications.gov.au reveals that they have only banned one other game this year, Blitz The League, for containing drug use related to incentives or rewards. If the latest ban is anything like that of 50 Cent: Bulletproof, it’s possible that the violent content may be reduced and the game resubmitted for an Australian release.
Soldier Of Fortune’s publisher (Activision) could not be reached for comment.
From: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22608294-2,00.html
Soldier Of Fortune: Payback
Links:
kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/soldier-of-fortune-3-...
www.sofpayback.com/
posted by 10 men at 6:30 AM
3 Comments:
Mother of...
That's a lot of blood and parts flying everywhere, but having said that, it not that realistic, for them to start banning and wailing hysterically over it
Often games have the in built option to tone blood/gore down a bit.
Yes it's graphic, but adults 18 years and over should still be able to buy it.
And they will(myself included) regardless, as the report says people will just download it anyway.
I've played SOF 1 and 2 and they are both great games.
To me it's no different than a R rated porno or violent DVD.
They need a R rating for games.
Note the ref "Cause we can't spel" on the game cover....in ref to John Kerry saying that about troops in Iraq..
I remember getting the uncut version of GTA Vice City from NZ. Probably order from the US maybe.
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