Saints Row 4 denied sale again by Australian Classification Board

[smashbro596]

The reason for the classification refusal (it's NOT banned: you just can't buy, sell, or own it) is very simple:

In the view of the ACB, computer games are played by children, not adults.
Adults (like them) DON'T play computer games, therefore NO adults play computer games.
The R18+ rating is an aberration that was introduced by politicians to fool potential voters. After all, we've already proven that only children play computer games.

Therefore computer games that depict drug use (even if it's a fictional "alien narcotic") with rewards or satirical "sexual" content are entirely inappropriate and will be refused classification.

What? TV shows like Breaking Bad do these things? Oh, they're serious drama aimed at adults, not computer games that, as we've already established, are only for children.
They're quite all right.

See? Simple!

And remember the ACB motto: Informing (you of) your choices.



By the way, I am Australian.
It's my belief that the game companies shouldn't suck up to the ACB.
If those morons decide to ban a game, then it simply won't be available in Australia.
After that happens a few times, the ACB will get their arses kicked and the petty bureaucrats might actually wake up to the real world.

Nah, never happen

right on!!! i hate the assholes that think gaming is JUST a childrens thing. i hope someone in power grows some brain cells and say "hmm. maybe it was rather dickish of us to do this" if i could. id buy copies of the game for you and find some way to get them in just to show them. but yeah, im just a law abiding citizen and i try not to break a law no matter how stupid it is. but damn it i would.
this kinda reminds me of something.
any of you guys know that the us gov tried banning alcohol? because they thought it was the cause of crime? not only did it make the crime rate PERMINANTLY raise and formed many gangs from it, then they had to take it away. goes to show, banning anything, will make more people violent and or encourage piracy and somesuch, itll eventually bite them in the ass as it should. banning something is NEVER the answer when it comes to the gaming world. because then pirates would smuggle it in anyway. oh how cruel the internet is. (i dont condone piracy, i am merely making a prediction. god help me if im right)

anyway, i feel your pain. and i hope that those assholes get their heads out of their asses.

 

[NightFire4563]

The reason for the classification refusal (it's NOT banned: you just can't buy, sell, or own it) is very simple:

In the view of the ACB, computer games are played by children, not adults.
Adults (like them) DON'T play computer games, therefore NO adults play computer games.
The R18+ rating is an aberration that was introduced by politicians to fool potential voters. After all, we've already proven that only children play computer games.

Therefore computer games that depict drug use (even if it's a fictional "alien narcotic") with rewards or satirical "sexual" content are entirely inappropriate and will be refused classification.

What? TV shows like Breaking Bad do these things? Oh, they're serious drama aimed at adults, not computer games that, as we've already established, are only for children.
They're quite all right.

See? Simple!

And remember the ACB motto: Informing (you of) your choices.



By the way, I am Australian.
It's my belief that the game companies shouldn't suck up to the ACB.
If those morons decide to ban a game, then it simply won't be available in Australia.
After that happens a few times, the ACB will get their arses kicked and the petty bureaucrats might actually wake up to the real world.

Nah, never happen

What makes me really annoyed of AU is the fact they overcharge you guys for video games and other things....in America a video game is always 60$(for now) over there it's always pending...such as 100$ or 120$...I actually accidentally landed on a AU site of gamestop and saw that they were selling the ps4 for 900$...are they insane?!?!!?in the US its only 400$

Hopefully like you said they can realize what the world really is now :/
(i don't want to offend AU by saying that lol i'm just saying it's really wrong for them to do that)

 

[Tayot84]

...in America a video game is always 60$(for now)...

They say next gen console games are going to cost $70

Is it just America that still makes unrated or adult games, or do we still do that?

 

[NightFire4563]

They say next gen console games are going to cost $70

Is it just America that still makes unrated or adult games, or do we still do that?

This is why PCs will reign victorious over all other gaming consoles

 

[T0MMY3688]

if the console game price rises, PC will probably follow as well but the good thing is PC has huge sales every year. So, PC still end up being cheaper actually.

I really hope it wont increase the price anymore, current prices is really quite high to me.

 

[NightFire4563]

if the console game price rises, PC will probably follow as well but the good thing is PC has huge sales every year. So, PC still end up being cheaper actually.

I really hope it wont increase the price anymore, current prices is really quite high to me.

Well just be glad steam doesn't charge tax(unless you live in washington)

 

[Type 40]

IdolNinja, I was wondering if you may know if mod support would be possible for the Australian version of the game? For example the Gentlemen mod compilation would be something I and many others would like to see working on the AU version.

On another note to contribute to this thread, I have been reading rumours that no matter where we Aussies buy a Steam key from it will be the AU version that installs, so buying from another country will only benefit us price wise. I and others have been trying to get confirmation of this.

 

[[V] IdolNinja]

IdolNinja, I was wondering if you may know if mod support would be possible for the Australian version of the game? For example the Gentlemen mod compilation would be something I and many others would like to see working on the AU version.

While the tools should work for any version, I personally only plan on supporting the uncut version of the game. I have no way to test mods with the censored version, nor do I have the time to support multiple versions of the game.

 

[Type 40]

Even though that is disappointing, I do understand the time factor very well and you are (I assume) only human. Thank you anyway, I guess I'll have to do some unnofficial beta testing of sorts if and when it comes to that!!!

EDIT - HAHA i just re-read my post and I am not a crazy person claiming to be a Lord of Time, I just understand how real life gets in the way of hobbies.

 

[DaCraw13]

NOTE: I AM NOT A LAWYER. Nothing in this post is to be considered legal advice; it's just commentary on the general issues. If you are considering anything that has legal implications, see a real lawyer.

The reason for the classification refusal (it's NOT banned: you just can't buy, sell, or own it) is very simple:

In the view of the ACB, computer games are played by children, not adults.
Adults (like them) DON'T play computer games, therefore NO adults play computer games.
The R18+ rating is an aberration that was introduced by politicians to fool potential voters. After all, we've already proven that only children play computer games.

Therefore computer games that depict drug use (even if it's a fictional "alien narcotic") with rewards or satirical "sexual" content are entirely inappropriate and will be refused classification.

What? TV shows like Breaking Bad do these things? Oh, they're serious drama aimed at adults, not computer games that, as we've already established, are only for children.
They're quite all right.

See? Simple!

And remember the ACB motto: Informing (you of) your choices.



By the way, I am Australian.
It's my belief that the game companies shouldn't suck up to the ACB.
If those morons decide to ban a game, then it simply won't be available in Australia.
After that happens a few times, the ACB will get their arses kicked and the petty bureaucrats might actually wake up to the real world.

Nah, never happen

The bit about the refusal meaning that you cannot sell, buy, or own RC content is not quite true. Although the classifications themselves are uniform federally, enforcement of the classification system varies from state to state. Possession of RC content is legal in Victoria, for instance, but not WA. You need to check what the laws are in your state. AFAIK, it's illegal to sell RC content in all states, though, so retailers just institute a nation wide ban.

While the tools should work for any version, I personally only plan on supporting the uncut version of the game. I have no way to test mods with the censored version, nor do I have the time to support multiple versions of the game.

Perfectly reasonable. Out of curiousity, what would be involved in making a mod compatible with the censored version? Is it just a matter of the modder avoiding anything that involves the Shaundi/Narcotics missions, or is there more to it? Also, would there be anything a user (with the publicly available tools) can do with a downloaded mod to make it compatible with their version of the game (assuming that they are doing this for personal use and not redistributing the mod or have permission of the mod creator)?

[Edit]: You've said that discussion of the censorship is allowed, but discussion of circumvention of Australian laws is not. To clarify, would a discussion of a mod that reinstated the rewards for the Shaundi mission, but not the mission itself (or perhaps included an alternate mission) be acceptable? As I understand it the ACB's objection was to the reference to "alien narcotics" in a mission that yields a benefit or reward for the player, rather than the rewards themselves.

For example, suppose a mod makes it so that you just call Shaundi at the appropriate time in the plot (or do a fetch quest, etc, as long as there is no reference to narcotics) and receive the upgrade that an equivalent ROW player would get from the Shaundi mission. This should not fall afoul of the "or would be classified RC if it were submitted for classification" requirement in those states where possession of RC material is unlawful (and thus should be legal throughout Australia). Would this be acceptable? I just want to make sure that I would not be banned for making or discussing such a mod.