Australian Government Bans New Syndicate Game

An anonymous reader writes "It looks like the Australian Government's move to introduce a new R18+ classification for adult video games hasn't yet taken force, with video game maker EA confirming today that its reboot of the classic Syndicate series has been banned in Australia due to extreme violence. Left 4 Dead, Mortal Kombat and now Syndicate — what game will be banned next in Australia is anybody's guess."

Comments

Thank you, OFLC

[NoobixCube]

Peter Sunde would like to personally thank the OFLC for their contribution to The Pirate Bay's ad revenue.

Re:Depends on how you look at it

[Anonymous Coward]

Downloading it without paying for it instead of not buying it without paying for it does not punish the publisher at all.

Re:Depends on how you look at it

[sg_oneill]

I dont really understand how its punishing the publisher in this case. Like any piracy, there isn't any theft (piracy isn't theft unless you somehow take someone elses copy of them) , but unlike regular piracy, there isn't even an oportunity lost. There can be no lost transaction when the publisher *cant* make a transaction in the first place.

Its literally victimless in all known senses.

Re:Depends on how you look at it

[cheekyjohnson]

But that actually punishes every other publisher, including indie games, since you're getting your entertainment fix from your pirated game and don't buy some other game instead.

Damn. I'll think about that next time I download a game that is actually free. I could've given money to other game developers! What a little thief I am!

Re:Depends on how you look at it

[cheekyjohnson]

Well, if you're going by that logic, then just about everything is a lost opportunity. Why are you playing sports instead of buying company X's video game!? Why did you buy my competitor's video game? You should have bought mine! Why did you just download that free game instead of buying mine? Why didn't you give me all of your money?

I wouldn't say there's a victim here.

Re:I guess...

[mjwx]

That makes it ok to download it then, huh?

Cant say, but it will certainly take the wind out of the old and eroneous "lost sales" argument.

But anyway, here's what's going to happen

- Game X is "banned"
- /.er's who don't understand the situation scream about OMG Freedoms.
- Media shit storm in a teacup is created.
- OLFC changes its mind after one minor change.
- /.er's who haven't bothered to keep up scream about OMG Freedoms.
- original /. whingers are now cosplaying as William Wallace shouting OMG FREEEEEEDOMS.
- Game gets released on Oz.
- /.er's still whinging about Freedoms.
- Smart Australians order games from overseas regardless (thank you parallel importing).

I swear we'll still be hearing about this six months from now. I mean the article mentioned Left4Dead when it was released in Oz on November 18 2008, the same day as North America.

Re:Depends on how you look at it

[cheekyjohnson]

Note that it's not a free game, you're just pirating it.

I know that. But using the logic above, I seem to be able to make a victim out of anyone. No action is without victims, it seems.

I don't see any victims in this scenario.

That just confirms my thoughts

[grahamtriggs]

The original Syndicate was a 'beautiful' game, that did not contain or need extreme violence. A modern version of Syndicate would not need extreme violence either.

This is not Syndicate. It's not even a modern version, or a 're-imagining'. This is a completely different game, with some vague influence from Syndicate, and the name grotesquely attached to it.

Would allmost say it should be banned everywhere..

[Ch_Omega]

...as it spits in the face of the original, and awesome, Syndicate games, which were anything but a dumbed down rail-shooter.