(GTA) Grand Theft Auto3 had been [BANNED] in Austrailia!
12-11-01, 03:30 PM
#1
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(GTA) Grand Theft Auto3 had been [BANNED] in Austrailia!
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GTA 3 -- Silenced and Censored?
By Ed Dawson, GameSpot AU
On censorship this week, news came to light today of a popular Playstation 2 game being pulled from distribution due to certain aspects of its content constituting "sexual violence", according to the Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC). The game itself primarily involves a criminal career grounded in heinous and wanton acts of violence, involving drug trafficking, mass-murder, road rage and assassination of Police personnel.
Grand Theft Auto 3, published in Australia by Take 2 Interactive, has been selling at retail for several weeks under the classification MA15+. However, the OFLC maintains they gave an entirely different rating for the title -- a classification of "RC", meaning Refused Classification, dated to the 28th of November 2001. According to the Guidelines For The Classification of Computer Games, published by the OFLC, "Material so classified may not be sold, hired, exhibited, displayed, demonstrated or advertised.". Hence, the game must be removed from public availability, and in fact should never have reached the marketplace.
Apparently the game allows for players to solicit the services of prostitutes by picking them up in a car, then afterwards players are able to kill the prostitute character and take money that was in that character's possession. According to Trish Flanagan of the OFLC, the classification was declared because "the depictions of sexual violence exceeded the guidelines for an MA15+ rating."
The apparent error on the part of the game's publisher Take 2 Interactive -- leading to the erroneous MA15+ rating on the packaging and the game's unauthorised release could lead to serious legal repercussions. Ms Flanagan elaborated: "there are quite severe enforcement implications," for deliberate defiance of the act. But she was quick to separate the OFLC from the pursuit of justice, explaining that: "The OFLC does not do any enforcement. We can only advise, take an educative role or make recommendations,".
When asked the OFLC's opinion on whether the game had been deliberately sold illegally with the incorrect MA15+ rating, she stated that this was "that was not the case, as far as we are aware,"
The publishers of the game, Take 2 Interactive declined to comment due to their submission of a request for a second opinion from the Classification Review Board, a separate body to the OFLC. ZDNet and GameSpot Australia was told that this second review could take "a week or two", due to the Classification Review Board's status as a loose collection of freelance advisers who are not employed full-time in their special capacity.
Strangely enough it seems that the rest of the game's activities such as drug-running, murdering innocent civilians, killing police officers, running down pedestrians, drive-by gangland shootings and causing massively destructive automobile accidents are all quite acceptable within the guidelines of an MA15+ rating for computer games.
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wow.
-k
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GTA 3 -- Silenced and Censored?
By Ed Dawson, GameSpot AU
On censorship this week, news came to light today of a popular Playstation 2 game being pulled from distribution due to certain aspects of its content constituting "sexual violence", according to the Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC). The game itself primarily involves a criminal career grounded in heinous and wanton acts of violence, involving drug trafficking, mass-murder, road rage and assassination of Police personnel.
Grand Theft Auto 3, published in Australia by Take 2 Interactive, has been selling at retail for several weeks under the classification MA15+. However, the OFLC maintains they gave an entirely different rating for the title -- a classification of "RC", meaning Refused Classification, dated to the 28th of November 2001. According to the Guidelines For The Classification of Computer Games, published by the OFLC, "Material so classified may not be sold, hired, exhibited, displayed, demonstrated or advertised.". Hence, the game must be removed from public availability, and in fact should never have reached the marketplace.
Apparently the game allows for players to solicit the services of prostitutes by picking them up in a car, then afterwards players are able to kill the prostitute character and take money that was in that character's possession. According to Trish Flanagan of the OFLC, the classification was declared because "the depictions of sexual violence exceeded the guidelines for an MA15+ rating."
The apparent error on the part of the game's publisher Take 2 Interactive -- leading to the erroneous MA15+ rating on the packaging and the game's unauthorised release could lead to serious legal repercussions. Ms Flanagan elaborated: "there are quite severe enforcement implications," for deliberate defiance of the act. But she was quick to separate the OFLC from the pursuit of justice, explaining that: "The OFLC does not do any enforcement. We can only advise, take an educative role or make recommendations,".
When asked the OFLC's opinion on whether the game had been deliberately sold illegally with the incorrect MA15+ rating, she stated that this was "that was not the case, as far as we are aware,"
The publishers of the game, Take 2 Interactive declined to comment due to their submission of a request for a second opinion from the Classification Review Board, a separate body to the OFLC. ZDNet and GameSpot Australia was told that this second review could take "a week or two", due to the Classification Review Board's status as a loose collection of freelance advisers who are not employed full-time in their special capacity.
Strangely enough it seems that the rest of the game's activities such as drug-running, murdering innocent civilians, killing police officers, running down pedestrians, drive-by gangland shootings and causing massively destructive automobile accidents are all quite acceptable within the guidelines of an MA15+ rating for computer games.
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wow.
-k
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12-11-01, 03:58 PM
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You know it's that damn killing the prostitute after she performs on you that gives this game a really black eye. They should at least made it so the prostitute can defend herself, or else have her pimp come after you like crazy.
12-11-01, 05:02 PM
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Is killing the prostitute mandatory to progress further in the game, or is it simply an incidental act that may or may not be done by the player in the course of the game?
12-11-01, 05:50 PM
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Originally posted by belboz
Is killing the prostitute mandatory to progress further in the game, or is it simply an incidental act that may or may not be done by the player in the course of the game?
Is killing the prostitute mandatory to progress further in the game, or is it simply an incidental act that may or may not be done by the player in the course of the game?
12-11-01, 06:23 PM
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I think this is one of the features that makes the game so great.
Definitely not recommended for those under 18, but I'm 22 and say that I should be able to play whatever the hell I want.
Not my problem though that it's being banned in Australia. Now if it was banned here in the states, then I'd be really mad.
Definitely not recommended for those under 18, but I'm 22 and say that I should be able to play whatever the hell I want.
Not my problem though that it's being banned in Australia. Now if it was banned here in the states, then I'd be really mad.
12-11-01, 07:02 PM
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It's basically the amount of freedom the game gives you that people have the problem with. If the prostitute option wasn't available it would have been something else.
Plus, I just heard from a number of Best Buy employees today that they are no longer carrying GTA3. They actually had gotten a bunch in stock but had to ship them back.
I know a rep. from Rockstar said they are not cutting down the violence, but maybe they should put a larger disclaimer on the package?
Plus, I just heard from a number of Best Buy employees today that they are no longer carrying GTA3. They actually had gotten a bunch in stock but had to ship them back.
I know a rep. from Rockstar said they are not cutting down the violence, but maybe they should put a larger disclaimer on the package?
12-11-01, 10:03 PM
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Originally posted by C-Killer Redux
It's basically the amount of freedom the game gives you that people have the problem with. If the prostitute option wasn't available it would have been something else.
Plus, I just heard from a number of Best Buy employees today that they are no longer carrying GTA3. They actually had gotten a bunch in stock but had to ship them back.
I know a rep. from Rockstar said they are not cutting down the violence, but maybe they should put a larger disclaimer on the package?
It's basically the amount of freedom the game gives you that people have the problem with. If the prostitute option wasn't available it would have been something else.
Plus, I just heard from a number of Best Buy employees today that they are no longer carrying GTA3. They actually had gotten a bunch in stock but had to ship them back.
I know a rep. from Rockstar said they are not cutting down the violence, but maybe they should put a larger disclaimer on the package?
From Amazon.com
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Mature
Titles rated Mature (M) have content suitable for persons ages 17 and older. These products may include more intense violence or language than products in the Teen category. In addition, these titles may include mature sexual themes.
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Why do they have to do any more than that? It's like complaining about violence in a rated "R" movie.
THAT'S WHY IT'S RATED R!
12-11-01, 10:30 PM
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Trust me, I think it's stupid they're pulling off the shelves. But half the parents buying these games for X-Mas don't know ratings from the system they're buying the game for. That's how we get into these problems.
I'm not saying they have to do anything or even make a bigger disclaimer, but it'll help to make awareness of the content known to the uneducated. It's just a suggestion, for hopefully everyone's benefit.
I'm not saying they have to do anything or even make a bigger disclaimer, but it'll help to make awareness of the content known to the uneducated. It's just a suggestion, for hopefully everyone's benefit.
12-12-01, 12:08 AM
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This is exactly the reason why I question if Microsoft is serious about buying Take 2. This is not the type of game you want associated with your company. It's one thing for Take 2 to release the title for Xbox, a completely different thing for Microsoft to publish it themselves.
12-12-01, 12:55 AM
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Originally posted by Cysco
This is exactly the reason why I question if Microsoft is serious about buying Take 2. This is not the type of game you want associated with your company. It's one thing for Take 2 to release the title for Xbox, a completely different thing for Microsoft to publish it themselves.
This is exactly the reason why I question if Microsoft is serious about buying Take 2. This is not the type of game you want associated with your company. It's one thing for Take 2 to release the title for Xbox, a completely different thing for Microsoft to publish it themselves.
