Will GTA V get banned in Australia?

[Guest Marney1]

I'm not Australian so shouldn't really be concerned but with The Australian Government Classification Board recently deciding that EA's Syndicate being - "high in impact and is therefore unsuitable for persons aged 18 years to play" - and their ratings system only going up to MA15+ which effectively bans adult rated games, what will it mean for GTA V?

[DiO 4730]

I think it means green blood.

[grove_nz 41]

Maybe an edited version for the Australians. As long as we get the full version in NZ I'll be happy.

[Smafugula 31]

This is a great example of what happens when you allow your government to be run by liberal activists.

[OptimumPx 329]

No it won't be, for the same reasons that GTA IV wasn't banned in Australia.

They'll make small changes to the Australian version of the game (like removing blood) to get it to pass inspection.

After all, this is Rockstar we're talking about, they're not stupid.

[Skribble 32]

I'm not sure why but my gta iv wasn't modified. I was just recently at discussions regarding r18+ ratings, the games industry of Australia is trying really really hard to get it lifted. The government keeps fighting it though. It's absolutely ridiculous. However if it is modified or banned everyone just buys from nz.

[Smafugula 31]

I'm not sure why but my gta iv wasn't modified. I was just recently at discussions regarding r18+ ratings, the games industry of Australia is trying really really hard to get it lifted. The government keeps fighting it though. It's absolutely ridiculous. However if it is modified or banned everyone just buys from nz.

Sucks having a socialist liberal run country doesn't it?

[ConQueSteD 552]

Im australian, im from victoria, i went to my local games store'' EB games'' and the had an empty cover saying'' Pre order'' on the front, i asked the employee when it comes out, he said march next year because it is the biggest time to bring out a game.

Don't believe everything the clerk behind the counter say's. They know as much as we do at this moment.

[PiEBOY_13 2]

And why do we even care about Australia?

[whizzkid 1]

And why do we even care about Australia?

ahahahahahahahahahhahahaahahaha

[grove_nz 41]

And why do we even care about Australia?

If Rockstar have the same release date for all countries like they did for GTA IV then NZ and Australian gamers will get their hands on it first

[Handsome B Wonderful 331]

Misinformed topics are misinformed

1. Rockstar removed "offensive" content from the Australian gtaiv before they submitted it for classification. This was done under the assumption that our OFLC would ban it in its current form. They didn't remove anything from "episodes from liberty city", and it got the same MA15+ rating. I know in most cases, our rating board are to blame for content being removed, but with the GTA series, they have been pretty good.

2. For those blaming our liberal (in our case, labor) government, our games rating system has been in place (and unchanged) since the early 90's. When the original surge of ultra-violent games (including GTA 3) started, our country was ruled by the right (liberals in our case...). Our left here, while a bunch of dumb shits, at least are more open minded when it comes to gaming violence. The amount of games that are banned has dropped under labor.

3. All our state governor-generals have agreed to review the classification system, with the proposed outcome being an R18+ rating.

[TreeFitty 2631]

1. Rockstar removed "offensive" content from the Australian gtaiv before they submitted it for classification. This was done under the assumption that our OFLC would ban it in its current form. They didn't remove anything from "episodes from liberty city", and it got the same MA15+ rating. I know in most cases, our rating board are to blame for content being removed, but with the GTA series, they have been pretty good.

I knew there was something odd like that with IV/the episodes. Couldn't remember exactly what it was.

[itso4awesome 0]

ppl dont realise that NZ and AUS games are exactly the same literally, the only, and i mean only, difference is that NZ chucks a sticker over the top of the aussie rating putting the kiwi rating ther. i thought it was different to but it isnt

[Darth Sexy 316]

And why do we even care about Australia?

Because not everyone in the world is an ignorant, inbred American.

The NZ and Australian version of GTAIV was exactly the same, as it wasn't worth making an uncensored version for the (comparatively) small NZ market. I would assume the same thing would happen if GTAV were edited. It won't be banned (like Postal 3 undoubtedly will be), as HBW mentioned, because Rockstar will pre-emptively edit, as they did for GTAIV. Fingers crossed for the R rating to be brought in. Not getting my hopes up. Violent video games are counter-intuitive to the concept of the nanny state.

[Rayge 689]

And why do we even care about Australia?

If Rockstar have the same release date for all countries like they did for GTA IV then NZ and Australian gamers will get their hands on it first

No, if they release it at e.g 00:00 15/3/12, they will release the game at that time in New York most likely. That means that whatever time 00:00 is for NY, that's the time it will release for everywhere else in the world, not 00:00 in each country.

Where I live the game will be banned definitely, but there are still ways to get it so I would think it's the same in Australia.

[ConQueSteD 552]

And why do we even care about Australia?

If Rockstar have the same release date for all countries like they did for GTA IV then NZ and Australian gamers will get their hands on it first

No, if they release it at e.g 00:00 15/3/12, they will release the game at that time in New York most likely. That means that whatever time 00:00 is for NY, that's the time it will release for everywhere else in the world, not 00:00 in each country.

Where I live the game will be banned definitely, but there are still ways to get it so I would think it's the same in Australia.

That's never how game releases have worked they always release at at 0:00 in your time zone, thus meaning that England gets the game five hours before East Coast America. Other times games will release on Tuesday in America and the following Friday in Europe. I've never heard what you said happen. Games would be releasing at random times of they day all of the world

[grove_nz 41]

Yeah there was a midnight release here for GTA IV.

And I was told at the time that all of NZ was getting the unedited version but after a couple of months I figured I had the edited one. As far as I'm aware the only differences are with the prostitutes and the gore though so not really bothered.

[Rayge 689]

And why do we even care about Australia?

If Rockstar have the same release date for all countries like they did for GTA IV then NZ and Australian gamers will get their hands on it first

No, if they release it at e.g 00:00 15/3/12, they will release the game at that time in New York most likely. That means that whatever time 00:00 is for NY, that's the time it will release for everywhere else in the world, not 00:00 in each country.

Where I live the game will be banned definitely, but there are still ways to get it so I would think it's the same in Australia.

That's never how game releases have worked they always release at at 0:00 in your time zone, thus meaning that England gets the game five hours before East Coast America. Other times games will release on Tuesday in America and the following Friday in Europe. I've never heard what you said happen. Games would be releasing at random times of they day all of the world

Really? Now I feel like an idiot. But when I reserved MW3 at the retail store, they told me to come at 12pm because there was no midnight release, so I figured it released at 00 LA time, which is 12pm here.

[ConQueSteD 552]

And why do we even care about Australia?

If Rockstar have the same release date for all countries like they did for GTA IV then NZ and Australian gamers will get their hands on it first

No, if they release it at e.g 00:00 15/3/12, they will release the game at that time in New York most likely. That means that whatever time 00:00 is for NY, that's the time it will release for everywhere else in the world, not 00:00 in each country.

Where I live the game will be banned definitely, but there are still ways to get it so I would think it's the same in Australia.

That's never how game releases have worked they always release at at 0:00 in your time zone, thus meaning that England gets the game five hours before East Coast America. Other times games will release on Tuesday in America and the following Friday in Europe. I've never heard what you said happen. Games would be releasing at random times of they day all of the world

Really? Now I feel like an idiot. But when I reserved MW3 at the retail store, they told me to come at 12pm because there was no midnight release, so I figured it released at 00 LA time, which is 12pm here.

Nope, it's always worked that the game released midnight the night of, unless they weren't holding a midnight release, then you would pick up the next day. So probably you're store didn't do a midnight release for MW3 and they wanted you to pick it up at noon which i assume is when they open'd?

[Darth Sexy 316]

MW3 definitely had midnight releases here in Australia. Not sure why you'd bother, when the shop is open the next day, but maybe I'm getting too old for this shit.

[PedestrianRiotz 93]

If they do ban it, its pathetic. Australians shouldn't have to miss out because people running their country are corrupt dickheads.

[ConQueSteD 552]

If they do ban it, its pathetic. Australians shouldn't have to miss out because people running their country are corrupt dickheads.

Rockstar's intelligent they figure something out to get it through the board.

[Handsome B Wonderful 331]

MW3 definitely had midnight releases here in Australia. Not sure why you'd bother, when the shop is open the next day, but maybe I'm getting too old for this shit.

I know! Here, you can rock up at the store at 9AM the next day, and you'll still get your copy before the rest of the world. Midnight launches are for idiots. I don't want to chance getting mugged by some paint-sniffing shithead just so I can wave my dick around for 10 hours. Woopty-friggin-do.

BTW, for those overseas who are interested, here is a list of things I noticed that were removed from Australian versions of the GTA series.

III: Ability to pick up hookers. They just stand and stare at your car. I think some drug references may have been removed, too.

Vice City: As above

San Andreas (original version, PS2): Absolutly nothing.

San Andreas (post-hot coffee, Xbox): For some strange reason, hookers don't moan when CJ is banging them. I don't know if R* did this worldwide, or only just here.

LCS & VCS: Nothing removed

IV: Camera can't be moved when Niko is banging hookers. Can't select sexual favours. People don't leave blood trails when run over. Niko doesn't get bloodstains on his shirt (why R* thought this would be banned, I don't know. Scarface had the same feature, and it wasn't banned)

Episodes From Liberty City: Nothing removed.

I am yet to play the complete edition, so I don't know if GTAIV was re-released unedited here or not.

Edit: My friend told me all versions of GTAIV have been unedited in Australia since last year. I'm going to have to get a copy.

[Massacre 7646]

Wait, EFLC had nothing removed? They removed bloodstains from Niko's shirt, but the penis in TLAD and Luis banging a chick in Maissonette 9's bathroom (more graphic than the hookers) were left in? Weird.