iGEA welcomes ratings consultation

The Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (iGEA) has released a statement welcoming the news of a public consultation in Australia over the need for an adult 18-rating for videogames.

The Attorney-General's department finally agreed to issue a submission paper on the matter, following a long line of key titles that have either had to be heavily edited for content or not released in the country at all - something which the publisher association believes is out of step with public opinion and demand.

"We've had the unusual situation that the debate was initially stifled by South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, who has been a long-standing opponent to this classification," said Ron Curry, CEO of the iGEA. "We are pleased that the Commonwealth has decided to champion the issue and has agreed to move forward with a formal and structured public consultation process. We will be calling on Mr Atkinson to genuinely consider the range of views that are expressed over the next two months and reconsider his position on the matter.

"The adult rating for videogames is widely supported across the community, whether it be adults who play videogames and want the right to play games that appeal to them, parents who want clear and consistent classifications to help them make the right choices for their family, and for the videogames industry in light of technology convergence which is blurring distinctions between different types of media."

He also hit back at suggestions that introducing an adult classification would open the floodgates to "unlimited high level content".

"This is simply not the case. Content will still be refused classification if it exceeds the adult rating guidelines that are enforced by the Classification Board."

Titles affected by the lack of 18-rating in Australia - the only Western country which doesn't have anything about its MA15+ classification - have included Left 4 Dead 2 (edited) and Aliens vs Predator (not released).