Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Saints Row Gets MA15+ Classification In Australia
Good news, Australian gamers, you get to play Volition's Saints Row IV after all (without importing). Deep Silver has announced that the Australian Classification Board has assigned an MA15+ rating to the title.
You might recall that the ACB refused to rate the game for "drug use related to incentives and rewards" and a particularly graphic weapon that involves rear ends and rockets. On re-review, the game was only refused classification for the drug use element.
According to Deep Silver the "Rectifier" weapon will be available as DLC, and a single 20-minute mission that was the cause of the drug-related denial. Instead of assigning the adult-only M18+ rating, the board opted for the more teen-friendly MA15+.
Either way, not much content was cut, and gamers down under will get to play it without the hassle of importing. Everybody wins. Let's hope the adjustments to State of Decay also put that game in the hands of Australian aficionados. Update: State of Decay was assigned an R18+ rating at the end of July.
[Source: Joystiq]
Our Take
Australia seems very reluctant to use the R18+ classification. Deep Silver did the barest minimum to alter the game (which should make fans happy), but managed to skip right back over the highest rating. It's great that Australia has started to embrace adult-focused game content, but until it becomes more comfortable actually assigning the rating, it feels like lip service.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
