Games, Sex, Politics, Drugs, Censorship and Rock and Roll

Some of the debate over games ratings surrounds the lack of research into the gaming demographic and community standards towards games in Australia. Both of these issues will have some light shed on them by new research due out early next year.

The OFLC has just begun including game content in its community research forums. The results of the first OFLC focus groups to include games will be publicly available in March.

But OFLC director Des Clark said the research won’t shed light on community attitudes towards a possible R18+ rating because the focus groups could only be shown games which fit the current classification framework.

New research is also on the horizon from games industry group the IEAA (Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia), which will commission an independent survey early next year to gain information about the demographics of the Australian game player.

IEAA CEO Beverley Jenkin expects the research will help further the group’s campaign for an R rating by confirming local game registration statistics and overseas studies which say that typical gamers are adults, not children.

‘There is a perception that computer and video games are only for children, but more than 70 percent of video game players are over 18,’ she said.

Where R our rights?
So with two games recently banned in Australia, is there a freedom of speech issue here? Should gamers be rising up and demanding their right to watch pixellated shagging butts in Leisure Suit Larry?

James Matson, one of the co-ordinators of newly formed gamer lobby group Australian Adult Gamers, says there’s no better time for gamers to do exactly that.

‘The AAG has sprung from a ground fertile with discussion thanks in part to [Manhunt and Leisure Suit Larry: MCL]. Awareness is higher than ever that Australia is sorely lacking in an adequate rating system for an industry becoming the equal of film.’

‘With the average age of gamers reaching well beyond under 18s, it’s time the government took the issue seriously and brought a mature classification system into effect.’

The AAG plans to organise letter writing and petitions to government calling for an R18+ classification on the grounds that it would accommodate the needs of the growing adult gamer market, while more effectively restricting children from purchasing adult games, he says.

Games industry group the IEAA (Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia) echoes the call for a change to the law. ‘Australia is the only industrialised western economy without an R18+ classification for computer and video games,’ says CEO Beverly Jenkin.

‘Whilst the protection of children is important, adults civil rights should not be eroded.’

The inconsistency between film and game ratings is ‘a farce,’ she says. ‘Films and publications can be rated R or X for ‘high impact’, but computer and video games described as such are banned.’

The IEAA, which represents 15 of the top game platform holders and publishers, including Electronic Arts, Vivendi, Sony Computer Entertainment, Nintendo and recent joinee Nokia, is also seeking a common set of classification markings across all media.

Also supporting the call for an R classification is GTA publisher Rockstar: ‘Consistent ratings system will be easier for parents to understand and will increase their ability to make informed choices about the type of games that are suitable for their children.’

Anything Goes?
Some critics of the computer game industry, such as the Australian Family Association, are concerned that by creating an R rating, even more violent games will be produced.

But researcher and R rating advocate Jeffrey Brand argues that the introduction of an R rating would mean the vast majority of adult games would be classified R rather than being banned, reducing their ‘forbidden fruit’ appeal.

All of the games companies interviewed for this article were emphatic that they develop games for ‘mature’ or ‘adult’ audiences.

‘We simply try and make the games as fresh, innovative and compelling as possible,’ say the Rockstar crew. ‘The older consumers who play this game fully understand that the game represents cutting-edge, fictional, interactive entertainment and nothing more.’

Ubisoft, publishers of the game Playboy: The Mansion, recently managed to get the game classified MA15+, with a warning about strong sexual content. Owen Hughes from Ubisoft sees the core of the ratings issue as revolving around choice: ‘The most common argument surrounding comparisons between the two mediums is that gaming is interactive and movies are passive. We now live in the twenty first century. Every single entertainment option available to us is interactive and based on choice - we choose to read a newspaper; we choose to watch or replay a scene in a movie; we choose to perform an action in a video game. Ever since the first person chose to walk out of a cinema rather than be forced to watch something they didn’t like, it all falls upon the desires of the consumer as to how they interact with the entertainment choices available to them.’

There have even been a number of high profile game developers who have chosen to draw the line themselves. For example, Peter Molyneux has said that when Big Blue Box was making Fable they decided to remove the ability to kill children, because some playtesters were massacring kids.

Vivendi’s Brown says it’s not a sensible business decision to develop a game that will be refused classification in any key markets.

‘At this moment we are going through the process with one of our key releases for 2005 - Scarface - to ensure that it meets all the local requirements. Given the current rating system in Australia, this may lead to some revisions being made but no decision has been taken at this time.’

Interestingly, not all game publishers we interviewed agree that classifications should be uniform for movies and games.

‘Games are interactive. They are a different medium and so they should have a unique rating system,’ said Vince Desi of Running with Scissors.

Desi has been famously critical of Australia’s games classification system since his game Postal was banned here. ‘I like Australia, I love Australian people, especially your women, but I have no fuckin’ idea what your government is thinking when it comes to censorship,’ he says. ‘I do appreciate your support against terrorism.’