[jarrardscott]

http://www.news.com.au/technology/st...014239,00.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by news.com

Leaked game clip shows terrorist scene
Calls to reconsider its rating of MA15+
Publisher says it's taken out of context
A BLOCKBUSTER video game has caused a classifications storm by putting players in the shoes of terrorists.

Footage from the upcoming game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been leaked online, showing a scene where the player shoots civilians in an airport.

The realistic graphics show a first-person view of terrorists shooting unarmed civilian characters that leave trails and pools of blood or lie crippled on the ground.

Jane Roberts, president of the Australian Council on Children and the Media, has called for the Classifications Board to reconsider its rating for the game.

"The consequences of terrorism are just abhorrent in our community and yet here we are with a product that's meant to be passed off as a leisure time activity, actually promoting what most world leaders speak out publicly against," Ms Roberts told the Sydney Morning Herald.

But it's ok for movies and tv to display this.....seen the Saw series of movies? What about Dexter? Boondock Saints glorifies vigilantes, WWF glorifying violence....boy oh boy b...

(Read More)
Cly of Brisbane

The game was given a rating of MA15+ by the Classification Board earlier this month. Australia, unlike most Western countries, does not have an 18+ rating for games.

Modern Warfare 2 has been rated M (17+) in the US and 18+ in the UK.

A spokesperson for the game's developer, Infinity Ward, advised against watching the clip.

"Won't comment on leaks," he said on Twitter.

"Too many spoilers out there being viewed out of context. I'd avoid watching and reserve judgement till you play."

Publisher Activision says the scene was taken out of context from an illegal copy that "is not representative of the overall gameplay experience".

The game "includes a plot involving a mission carried out by a Russian villain who wants to trigger a global war", the company says.

"In order to defeat him, the player infiltrates his inner circle. The scene is designed to evoke the atrocities of terrorism."

Players are not forced to take part in the scene. Activision says a warning about "disturbing elements" is shown before the scene and players can skip it if they choose.

In its report, the Classifications Board mentioned the airport scene but noted that elsewhere in the game killing civilians incurred a penalty.

Zombie shooter game Left 4 Dead 2 was recently refused classification for excessive gore.

Left 4 Dead 2 to be left off Aussie shelves

It was later given an MA15+ rating after the publisher removed blood effects and made bodies disappear from the screen.

The Australian games industry has been calling for an R18+ rating to cater for adult gamers.

Classifications laws cannot change without unanimous support from state and territory attorneys-general.

South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has repeatedly opposed the idea.

and knowing what the classification board is like the fuckers


only good bit of news was this

"The Australian games industry has been calling for an R18+ rating to cater for adult gamers."

lets hope they make the right decision and dont ban this game

[ianwil1976]

LOL at Jane Roberts.

Kneejerk reactions are awesome.

[dazthedominant]

i doubt they will ban it, in the game you get given the choice to skip offensive missions but unfortunately you 'have' to play these missions if you want the game to acknowledge that you've finished it

[dazthedominant]

oh i just read that your post already advised what i wrote, my bad lol

edit: the games have already been pressed and awaiting the OK to hit the stores, i highly doubt they will ban this!

[Rockah]

If they do, I think this woman is going to be hunted down by a lynch mob

[Blue Moon]

It should be banned, under the current legislation. It's messed up and definately deserving of an R18+ rating. But that's the point. We need an R18+ rating. Unforunately I don't think this will be the game that breaks the issue. No politician will want to argue this game should even be R18+. L4D2 would have been a better game to get the issue into the spotlight, a little less impact but just enough to get the family folks up in arms, unfortunately L4D2 has been censored already, and is nowhere near as popular as MW2 anyway.

[dazthedominant]

again, i dont really know how the industry works, but there are already thousands of copies of MW2, i think if they were to ban it they would have done this before pressing all the aussie regions..

[Whitey1981]

Cheers JRod - http://www.inthemix.com.au/forum/sho...&postcount=210

[Blue Moon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazthedominant

again, i dont really know how the industry works, but there are already thousands of copies of MW2, i think if they were to ban it they would have done this before pressing all the aussie regions..

Attorney General can recall the game at any time for review. Happened with GTA in the past.

[jarrardscott]

definately.

i'd be in there

[dazthedominant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Moon

Attorney General can recall the game at any time for review. Happened with GTA in the past.

oh yeah! i forgot about that, with the whole hookers thing.

mw2 isnt too bad, i mean so far i havent come across any scenes in the game that have truely shocked me (bar the undercover kill civilians part, but that was kinda cool), all other parts in the game seem hardly different in terms of violence from the previous games.

i have an insider as a friend, so if i hear of any bans on the game i will let you'se know.

[Whitey1981]

No need, we have JRod.

[Kiron]

It should be banned, along with every Activision game, as long as that fucker Bobby Kotick runs it.

[jarrardscott]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitey1981

No need, we have JRod.

damn straight

signed off
Jarrard Scott
ITM's own Kotaku reporter

[RunningWithScissors]

lol n00b i posted this in the chat thread last night

[mcdoofus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningWithScissors

lol n00b i posted this in the chat thread last night

pwned. Anyone who's anyone checks the chat thread every night jrod, GEEZ

[Whitey1981]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningWithScissors

lol n00b i posted this in the chat thread last night

I think that's the joke.

[defected819]

Quote:

Jane Roberts, president of the Australian Council on Children and the Media,

This game is not for children Jane.

[townB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by defected819

This game is not for children Jane.

I'm not sure if she's got the mental capacity to comprehend that

[Anselm]

I never thought I'd say this....but thank fuck I live in the UK now.