Australian Attorney General Pushing for Modern Warfare 2 Ban

**Valigarmander** · 11-25-2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

We know Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a violent and controversial game; now it turns out that one Australian official is looking to ban it in his country. AU GameSpot reports that South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson has announced plans to appeal the game's MA15+ rating, which he calls "wrong." He accused the Classification Board of trying to "get games in under the radar." If the appeal is successful, the game will be effectively banned from sale in Australia. A higher age rating for the game is unavailable, partly due to Atkinson's own opposition to the formation of an R18+ rating. Yes, he thinks the MA15+ rating is too low, but has stopped the creation of a higher rating. Let that sink in, because it might help prepare you for the reasons he gave.

"I worry about any game that encourages gamers to perpetuate extreme violence and cruelty on screen, but this game allows players to be virtual terrorists and gain points by massacring civilians," he said in a statement. "Expecting game designers to be responsible by not glorifying terrorism will always lead to disappointment." He reportedly hasn't responded to GameSpot's request for clarification, given that the game doesn't award any kind of points in the controversial "No Russian" scene. Of course, it doesn't exactly glorify terrorism either, so it's probably safe to say he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Atkinson has been highly critical of the ratings board, saying he has "no trust" in their process. For their part, the classification board itself is staying out of the tussle publicly, with a spokesperson stating "The Board has no comment on Mr. Atkinson's statements."

dohoho australia

PONIES · 11-25-2009, 03:53 PM

australia... again??

Robotazy · 11-25-2009, 04:44 PM

Well, I can understand the thought process.

Still, Banning Video Games are bad. Because I am Pro-Video Games

***the Octopus*** · 11-27-2009, 11:26 PM

Ah god shutup you douchebag, seriously. Video Games = not real. Not real = not horrible act of violence. It's less real than shooting a cardboard cutout with a dartgun, because it never even takes place.

**LASER BEAR ASSAULT UNIT** · 11-28-2009, 03:25 AM

I read the australian attorney part and thought they were making an assuie version of phoenix wright.

***the Octopus*** · 12-03-2009, 07:18 AM

The title is misleading, btw. It's the South Australia Attorney General. He's only the AG of that particular state government, and he doesn't have enough clout to force it on the public. Essentially, its sales might be suspended pending the federal vote on the 18 and up rating group for video games.

Edgarroni and Cheese · 08-05-2010, 06:25 PM

There was an excellent article about Australia's current condition in June's Game Informer with an article from Christ Stead from GI Australia.

In the land down under,

Quote:

I cannot walk down to my local game shop and buy Left For Dead 2 in its original form. I can't buy Risen, Grand Theft Auto IV, FAllout 3, Mark Ecko's Getting Up, and many more. I am not allowed to do this because in my country, Australia, our highest classification level for games is capped at MA15+. If the content is considered by our classification board to be suitable only for gamers aged 18 and above, it's not allowed in the country. Full stop! That's the law. Yet somehow, I have still managed to play all these games.

And, unsurprisingly, it talks about the very same Michael Atkinson as the above article.

***the Octopus*** · 08-10-2010, 06:59 AM

Yeah, it's not tough to get those games anyway. Hell, I don't see why people are whining about it so much. System mods are totally legal here, so imports are an easy solution, anyway.

Fairlight Excalibur · 08-10-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LASER BEAR ASSAULT UNIT

I read the australian attorney part and thought they were making an assuie version of phoenix wright.

He would first need to hang upside down with his hair behind the turbine of an F-22 before he could compete with Mr. Wright.

11-25-2009, 03:53 PM	#2
PONIES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Griffon village Gender: Posts: 2,508 Thanks: 680 Thanked 54 Times in 45 Posts Blog Entries: 9	australia... again??

11-25-2009, 04:44 PM	#3
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,247 Thanks: 521 Thanked 1,238 Times in 885 Posts Blog Entries: 43	Well, I can understand the thought process. Still, Banning Video Games are bad. Because I am Pro-Video Games

11-27-2009, 11:26 PM	#4
*the Octopus* THE PRESIDENT OF FUN Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 27,475 Thanks: 1,973 Thanked 5,121 Times in 2,320 Posts	Ah god shutup you douchebag, seriously. Video Games = not real. Not real = not horrible act of violence. It's less real than shooting a cardboard cutout with a dartgun, because it never even takes place.

11-28-2009, 03:25 AM	#5
LASER BEAR ASSAULT UNIT Videos Mod Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In my pants Gender: Posts: 4,536 Thanks: 2,469 Thanked 746 Times in 413 Posts	I read the australian attorney part and thought they were making an assuie version of phoenix wright.

12-03-2009, 07:18 AM	#6
*the Octopus* THE PRESIDENT OF FUN Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 27,475 Thanks: 1,973 Thanked 5,121 Times in 2,320 Posts	The title is misleading, btw. It's the South Australia Attorney General. He's only the AG of that particular state government, and he doesn't have enough clout to force it on the public. Essentially, its sales might be suspended pending the federal vote on the 18 and up rating group for video games.

08-10-2010, 06:59 AM	#8
*the Octopus* THE PRESIDENT OF FUN Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 27,475 Thanks: 1,973 Thanked 5,121 Times in 2,320 Posts	Yeah, it's not tough to get those games anyway. Hell, I don't see why people are whining about it so much. System mods are totally legal here, so imports are an easy solution, anyway.