Maybe I’m naïve when it comes to gaming but I never thought the release of a video game would ever receive widespread media attention. Yet Grand Theft Auto 4 has certainly had its share over the last few months.
The game was released worldwide at midnight on April 29th but its Australian gamers won’t have quite the same experience as others.
Why? Here in Australia the highest classification standard for a video game is MA15+ but with its explicit nature and passion for gratuitous violence Grand Theft Auto 4 earns an R18+ rating.
Meaning the games content was censored to meet Australian classification standards.Here’s where I like so many others it seems have a problem.
If Ron Curry is right and the average age of a gamer is 28 then why should they be denied the right to play the original game?
It seems to me video game classification standards are out of sync with society. After all movies are subject to an R18+ classification, as are alcohol, gambling products and tobacco.
The cries of those in favour of keeping the R-rating restriction seem to me to be very ‘Helen Lovejoy’esk in essence. “Won’t somebody please think of the children?”
For those not familiar Helen Lovejoy is the painstakingly conservative wife of Reverend Lovejoy in the popular Simpsons cartoon.
By no means am I advocating children should have access to these kinds of games nor do I think adult gamers should be denied.
If adequate precautions and sales avenues are enforced I don’t see why and R18+ rating shouldn’t be introduced to video games in Australia.
There may be relief around the corner for avid gamers with the Federal Government acknowledging the issue and raising it for discussion late last month.
Who knows, the restrictions may soon be lifted paving the way for gamers to enjoy games like Grand Theft Auto 4 in there gun toting glory.
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I have played Grand Theft Auto 4 and I would have to say if they have cut anything out, or edited different parts of the game, then they have certainly edited the wrong parts.
I was told that the parts edited were the sex scenes, but don't worry you can still have sex in the game, you can hear it, you can feel it (the controller vibrates), you just can't see it.
If it's visuals your after then don't worry cause there is enough bloody mayhem to keep you going, and i mean bloody.
Games are like videos to me.
It's all about choice.
If parents don't want their kids playing the game, then the parents shouldn't let their kids play the game.
For all of us adults out there, how about you let us choose what we want to see.
-Quinn Jones
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