Ladies and gentlemen, it finally happened! After years of censorship and outright bans, Australia has finallyapproved an R18+ age rating for videogames, allowing adults to choose their own entertainment.
“The R 18+ category will inform consumers, parents and retailers about which games are not suitable for minors to play, and will prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable material,” said home affairs minister Jason Clare, announcing the move. “The reforms also mean that adults are able to choose what games they play within the bounds of the law.”
Before now, the oldest age attached to a game rating was fifteen, meaning that a lot of games suitable for adults were edited or refused classification. This new rating is to be made flesh next year, and will hopefully allow a wider variety of games to hit shelves. That’s the hope, anyway — individual states need to approve and adopt the ruling, but it is a very good start!
