News

Mortal Kombat banned in Oz
Posted: 25.02.2011 05:42 by JonahFalcon Comments: 6
Predictably, the 2011 reboot of Mortal Kombat has been banned in Australia, denying adult Aussie gamers their right to the entertainment of their choice because there's no R18+ rating there.

Warner Bros. issued the following statement:

The highly anticipated video game Mortal Kombat, published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) in Australia, has been refused classification by the Australian Classification Board and will not release in Australia. We are extremely disappointed that Mortal Kombat, one of the world’s oldest and most successful video games franchises, will not be available to mature Australian gamers. WBIE would not market mature content where it is not appropriate for the audience. We understand that not all content is for every audience, but there is an audience for mature gaming content and it would make more sense to have the R18+ classification in Australia. As a member of the iGEA, WBIE is reviewing all options available at this time.

Australian gamers will once again have to hit their politicians where it hurts: the ballot box.
Source: Ripten

Comments

By Jake_SI (SI Elite) on Feb 25, 2011
Jake_SI
I cant say that I'm surprised, but I'm definitely disappointed as I was looking forward to playing this with my mates. Once again, the system lets down it's citizens by banning adult content from adults, because they are still trying to do the job of parents, by protecting children from getting their hands on unsuitable content.

It's time we overhauled this out-dated and unsuccessful system, and start giving parents a better indication of what content is suitable for children with the introduction of an 18+ rating, and finally give adults the freedom that they should already have, to access adult content in video games.
By JonahFalcon (SI Elite) on Feb 25, 2011
JonahFalcon
And while we're at it, tell parents that booze is banned because it's not good for kids.
By Jake_SI (SI Elite) on Feb 25, 2011
Jake_SI
The most ridiculous part of all this, is that gamers who really want to, can still get the game from overseas, so despite banning it here, in the end they aren't really stopping it from getting into the country. Except now parents wont have the benefit of seeing a nice big R18+ warning show them that this isn't suitable for their children. It also means less money to Australian retailers, and more inconvenience for adult gamers who simply want to play games that they have every right to access.

I guess I should take solace in the fact that at this point, it's looking likely that an 18+ rating will be introduced sometime this year, but it should have happened long ago..
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Feb 25, 2011
djole381
This is kinda funny. They ban violent video games yet kids still have access to other things like violent movies and stuff.
By PowerJack (SI Elite) on Feb 25, 2011
PowerJack
This is so funny.
Over here in Portugal no1 cares about ratings, well not those ratings anyway.
By VHugoSama (SI Core) on Feb 25, 2011
VHugoSama
Damn right as long as the kids have money they don't care about their age.