Australian retailers no longer allowed to sell unrated online games.

http://au.games.ign.com/articles/950/950795p1.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/biztech/no-classification-online-games-legal-minefield/2009/02/03/1233423203018.html

Damn.. title won't fit.
A spokesman for NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos said the NSW Classification Enforcement Act prohibited publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games.
"The NSW legislation covers computer games bought online as well as those bought in stores, and treats single, multi-player and online games the same way," he said.

The spokesman added that enforcement of the act was the responsibility of police but penalties for breaking these laws ranged from $1100 to $11,000 for individuals and/or 12 months' imprisonment. For corporations the fines were approximately double

This move directly affects games such as World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online, Age of Conan and Pirates of the Burning Seas – titles that don't contain a single-player experience, and therefore did not apply for classification. The previous understanding was that online games, by their nature, fell outside of traditional national classifications – a loophole that the Classifications Board want stitched up.

According to the report, a spokesperson for NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos said the NSW Classification Enforcement Act prohibited publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games. The spokesperson also encouraged individuals to report any retailer or individual found operating outside of the Classification Act of 1995.

So apparently it is now illegal to sell MMORGP's in Australia. Doing this heinous act will get you 12 months in the hole with rapists and mass murderers. I think they will probably fix it eventually by making it mandatory to classify Online games.
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
Re: Australia is banning games, specifically online MMORPG's that have no classifica

The only thing getting banned it seems is the selling of the games that don't have ratings. I don't think people that play the games or bought them before this decision was made are going to be effected at all.
 
Re: Australia is banning games, specifically online MMORPG's that have no classifica

^
Second link should work now. Sorry about that, thought it worked the first time.
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
Re: Australia is banning games, specifically online MMORPG's that have no classifica

Ramen4ever said:
^
Second link should work now. Sorry about that, thought it worked the first time.

I skipped it because it looked like an opinion piece. Where did it say they were banning people from playing the games?
 
Re: Australia is banning games, specifically online MMORPG's that have no classifica

Vampire_Hunter_Bob said:
I skipped it because it looked like an opinion piece. Where did it say they were banning people from playing the games?

I didn't look too much into the issue, but the end of my second quote, "The spokesperson also encouraged individuals to report any retailer or individual found operating outside of the Classification Act of 1995."

Maybe it's just trouble for retailers and people selling the games.
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
Re: Australia is banning games, specifically online MMORPG's that have no classifica

Ramen4ever said:
I didn't look too much into the issue, but the end of my second quote, "The spokesperson also encouraged individuals to report any retailer or individual found operating outside of the Classification Act of 1995."

Maybe it's just trouble for retailers and people selling the games.

It's talking about people selling the game.
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
Re: Australia is banning games, specifically online MMORPG's that have no classifica

Ramen4ever said:
so if you work at an Ebgames in Australia?? .....  :???:

You will get fined or jailed for selling the games. Not that the games would be on the shelves very long after this.
 
Australia has a quite obscure and outdated classification system considering games, but to put it in a nutshell.
If a game needs to be classified and is not, it is illegal to sell, rent, own, advertise, or publicly display it in Australia.
Until now, a game that was played entirely online didn't need a formal classification.
They'll classify WoW and that's it.
The Aussies just want to be prepared for GTA and Manhunt MMOs.  :troll:
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
royoak said:
If a game needs to be classified and is not, it is illegal to sell, rent, own, advertise, or publicly display it in Australia.
Until now a game that was played entirely online, didn't need a formal classification.

Where does it say own in the first article?
 
Vampire_Hunter_Bob said:
Where does it say own in the first article?

This is going to be from an old article and I think Royoak got it from this.
The retrofitting of an RC (refused classification) rating made the product illegal to sell, rent, own, advertise, or publicly display in Australia, and it remains banned from both sale and foreign import under threat of heavy penalties (including fines).
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6188493/p-2.html
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
Ramen4ever said:
This is going to be from an old article and I think Royoak got it from this.http://www.gamespot.com/features/6188493/p-2.html

Oh cool, next time post that information. Not everyone is going to be familiar with Aussie laws.
 
Vampire_Hunter_Bob said:
Oh cool, next time post that information. Not everyone is going to be familiar with Aussie laws.

I'm not familiar with Aussie laws. But when Royoak mentioned the "own" part, I felt compelled to google search for more info on the implications of the Classification code. If I had known about it, I would have posted it before.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Vampire_Hunter_Bob said:
Ramen4ever said:
.. so it does effect the people

Affect guys. With an A. I can't believe the number of people who make this error.

Anyway, this sucks for Aussies. Their video game censorship is going out of hand.
 
Aazealh said:
Affect guys. With an A. I can't believe the number of people who make this error.

Anyway, this sucks for Aussies. Their video game censorship is going out of hand.

.. Thanks for the correction Aaz.
Yeah, I completely agree on how it's getting out of hand. Their internet censorship is also getting out of hand.
I couldn't find the article I was looking for but this has some of the same quotes by the South Australian Attorney General.
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/44240/Australian-Censorship-Restricts-Liberty-Protects-The-Vulnerable
They are protecting minors and "vulnerable" adults. Though I don't think they accept the idea that there may be adults who are not "vulnerable" and use games to relax after work or school. Even if the games are violent.

If I wrote a 20 page report, I can unwind with Diablo II, Duke3d or Oblivion, etc. I don't think I would be able to unwind with Mathblaster.
 
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