Saturday's Daily Telegraph had a double page spread covering video games, clearly echoing our message - an R18+ rating would protect children. The image features our very own Roland Kulen. Click on the image below to see a larger size.

Well here it is,

We've been working on this campaign for well over 12 months now. It all started when a few of the PALGN writers decided to start a petition in our booth at eGames 08. It was a hit and from there we've been pushing to do this on the much larger scale speaking to a much more mainstream audience. We've worked with a lot of people from a lot of places to get here,

I'm really excited to see it coming together. We've had a lot of battles along the way, but I'm glad it's all coming together. It's fantastic that GAME have decided to put so much into this. Really, their commitment has blown me away.

This is big. We're putting a lot into making a message that the people who's minds we need to change can understand. BUT we need your help as well. We need help getting this viral. It launches on the day the submission papers close for a reason. We need to keep putting pressure on the government to get something done. We don't want to wait another year while the submissions sit in a dark closet.

Make sure you get into a GAME store and sign the petition. Make sure you let people know about the campaign. This is seriously important. It will make a difference.

Follow EveryonePlays on twitter to keep updated -> http://twitter.com/EveryonePlaysAU

James

Gamers 4 Croydon have announced it's two candidates to run at the South Australian state election in March.

Kat Nicholson will be running for the lower house seat of Croydon, directly against Michael Atkinson himself. Chris Prior, Gamers 4 Croydon president, will be running as the candidate for the Legislative Council.

Kat "strongly believes that parents - not the government - can and should be trusted to raise their children with adequate supervision, judgement and discipline. She plans to have a family one day and knows that she cannot expect things to change before she becomes a parent unless she acts now."

Wish them all the best.

2009 was a strange year for gamers with many highly anticipated games refused classification.

Due out this year Alien vs Predator was first banned by the Classification Board but was granted an MA15+ rating by the Review Board two weeks later.

While Left 4 Dead 2 was in September, Valve had anticipated this and also submitted a cut-down version of the game which received an MA15+ rating
Valve replied that everyone there was "pretty bummed" while EA offered a scathing attack on the Classification Board.

"It's funny that a place like Australia, which has come up with some pretty violent material in the past with something like Mad Max, can effectively ban video games for the same reason," she said. "EA believes that adults should have the right to make their own choices when it comes to the content they consume."

The uncut version of the game was sent to the Review Board, but didn't receive a change of rating.

Shortly after receiving an RC rating for NecroVisioN, the developers created an edited version which received a modest M rating

Little known MMO Crimecraft was refused classification in November due to its drug use.

But it wasn't all bad news.

The long awaited R18+ Discussion paper was released, weighing the pros and cons of having an R18+ rating for games. It allowed the public to have a say in what they thought of it, which they are still able to do so until 28 February this year.

The Australian Federal Government have finally released the long awaited discussion paper on the R18+ rating for video games.

Coming in at 16 pages, it discusses both the pros and cons of the possible rating, as well as an overview of the National Classification Scheme.

They are also asking for the public's input on the issue.

The paper and information on how to submit your input can be found

After previously refusing classification for Alien vs Predator earlier this month, Refused Classification is reporting that Sega have applied to have the RC-rating examined by the Review Board.

According to Gamearena.com.au the Classification Board's reasoning behind the RC was violence.

From the report:
"The game contains first-person perspective, close-up depictions of human characters being subjected to various types of violence, including explicit decapitation and dismemberment as well as locational damage such as stabbing through the chest, mouth, throat, or eyes," the board report stated. Characters can be stabbed with a Predator's wrist blade or an Alien's tail in depictions reminiscent of impalement. The Predator collects 'trophies' by explicitly ripping off human heads, their spinal columns dangling from severed necks. Heads can be twisted completely around in order to break a character's neck. Eyes can be stabbed through or gouged, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets. It is noted that a player is able to combine manoeuvres together in quick succession, which further increases impact; for example, a Predator can stab a character through both eyes with its wrist blade and rip off their head, with spinal column still attached. Extensive post-mortem damage, including decapitation and dismemberment, is also possible."

The highly anticipated discussion paper for an R18+ rating for video games in Australia has been released.

The paper was originally mentioned sometime ago, but was repeatedly withheld due to unknown reasons. Coming in at sixteen pages, the paper outlines arguments for and against the new classification rating, as well as reviewing some of the other classification systems around the world.

The paper also describes how the public can make a submission to the Attorney-General's Department on the issue.

You can get the paper here and read it yourself. Submissions can be made here

Submissions close on 28 February 2010.

Just a friendly remind about the Treat Us Like Adults Protest Rally is being held tomorrow at King George Square 11am in Brisbane.

If you are near there, head down and voice your opinion.

Unsurprisingly Sega's upcoming Alien vs Predator game has been refused classification by the Classification Board.

Sega didn't submit the game for classification in Germany, knowing it would more than likely be banned.

The official statement from Sega reads:

“SEGA Australia can today confirm that the initial submission of Aliens vs Predator has been Refused Classification by the Classification Operations Board of Australia. We will continue to investigate all options available to us, including the possibility of appeal.”

Here is the entry on the Classification website

"Drug use related to incentives or rewards" is the reason behind the banning of MMO Crimecraft.

According to the report obtained by Koktau Crimecraft “contains the option to manufacture, trade and self-administer legal “medicines” and illegal “boosts”… Boosts are sometimes referred to as “drugs” both in the game and in the Applicant’s submissions to the Board.

"Boost parallels the names, chemical elements, administration, treatment, and addictive elements of real-world proscribed drugs, and when used provide quantifiable benefits to a player's character. The game therefore contains drug use related to incentives or rewards and should be refused classification."

It is also worth noting that there is a character class named Bio-Forger who creates illegal boost from "real-world items such as base chemicals, nucleotides, hormones and enzymes as well as tools and objects associated with the production or use of drugs including syringes, disposable rubber tubes and silkscreen filters."