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New Soldier of Fortune banned in Australia

New Soldier of Fortune banned in Australia

The Soldier of Fortune games have always featured graphic violence as part of their core gameplay.

The new Soldier of Fortune game, which was only announced back at the very end of June this year, has already been shot down in Australia.

The third title in the massively gory series has been refused classification in Australia, for reasons that haven't yet been formally announced though it's obviously going to be to do with the gory and ultra-realistic violence. It's not like they can accuse Soldier of Fortune: Payback of over-saturating players with adorable bunnies, can they?

The title allows players to blow limbs off of enemies and can get incredibly gory from the look of the new trailer.

The Australian classification both, the OFLC, has refused classification for the game which prevents it from going on sale in Australia as no retailer is allowed to sell an unrated game.

The IEAA, the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, is currently stepping up a campaign to introduce an R18+ classification for the country, claiming that Australia is the only developed country not to have such a rating band. Any title exceeding the MA15+ rating is automatically refused classification and prevented from going on sale.

Other banned titles include Postal 2, Narc, Singles: Flirt Up Your Life and, obviously, Manhunt, according to The Age Blog.

How do you think ratings should be handled or should we leave it all up to personal choice? Is that a realistic option when young children are involved? Drop your thoughts into the forums.

31 Comments

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Herbicide 18th October 2007, 14:57 Quote
'Gross and overly violent content' It's called 'Soldier of Fortune', not Tree-hugger love fest 3, what do they expect?

- H.
Hells_Bliss 18th October 2007, 15:00 Quote
I understand you need to protect kids from seeing some ultra-gore..but if I'm over 18, I should be able to play whatever the hell I want. Same argument as Manhunt being banned I know, but it's applicable here too.

There's no law saying I can't play a game, regardless of the topic, only a law refusing the sale of unclassified games. R18+ is the way to go IMO.

Oh and Dego, typo it's IEAA, not IEEA :)
wolff000 18th October 2007, 15:16 Quote
Absolute BS. Protecting kids from gore is ridiculous. I grew up watching ultra violent movies and playing games filled with gore with no detrimental effects. You simply teach kids the difference between make believe and reality and they will do just fine. This whole nanny state mentality makes me sick. Making these bans only encourages more people to go buy the bloody game anyway. It also encourages more people to get the game via illegal channels, ie downloads or bootleg vendors. I have let my nephews play whatever they liked since they were wee ones and they are both happy well adjusted kids that get good marks. It is simply a matter of parents taking responsibility for their children.
Mister_Tad 18th October 2007, 15:21 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by Herbicide
'Gross and overly violent content' It's called 'Soldier of Fortune', not Tree-hugger love fest 3, what do they expect?

- H.

IIRC Tree-hugger love fest 3 got banned as well, for gratuitious sexual content
cjoyce1980 18th October 2007, 15:24 Quote
Yet another goverment with nazi style policies.

We want freedom of choice not extreme censorship, that some governing body my thing that the content is unsuitable.

Just sick an 18 rating on it, and if a adult wants to purchase it then let them, otherwise we will getting it downloaded from some torrent site or import it.
specofdust 18th October 2007, 15:32 Quote
It seems absurd to me that a government would decide what consenting adults can and can not play.

On what grounds can anyone argue a government should have that say?
Aankhen 18th October 2007, 15:35 Quote
Is that an actual screenshot? Jeez, that's disgusting.
Drexial 18th October 2007, 15:35 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolff000
Absolute BS. Protecting kids from gore is ridiculous. I grew up watching ultra violent movies and playing games filled with gore with no detrimental effects. You simply teach kids the difference between make believe and reality and they will do just fine. This whole nanny state mentality makes me sick. Making these bans only encourages more people to go buy the bloody game anyway. It also encourages more people to get the game via illegal channels, ie downloads or bootleg vendors. I have let my nephews play whatever they liked since they were wee ones and they are both happy well adjusted kids that get good marks. It is simply a matter of parents taking responsibility for their children.


AMEN to that. My dad took me to all the slaughter fests back in the day, even when i was like 6. i never had bad dreams from tehm and i never killed the nieghbors cat, i certainly didnt shoot up any schools. Violence is a natural thing, if a child cant controll his instincts, then its not going to matter what movies he has seen he will inheirently know voilence. This is only in the case where parenting has no controll over the situation, where there is somthing wired wrong in the kids head.
AcidJiles 18th October 2007, 15:36 Quote
shouldnt ban games just rate them R18 or Adult etc and require proof of age purchase
Veles 18th October 2007, 15:48 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aankhen
Is that an actual screenshot? Jeez, that's disgusting.

I've seen worse in real life, it's not that bad
naokaji 18th October 2007, 15:58 Quote
if you read the article a bit more carefully you will see that australia doesnt have a 18+ only rating for games... so that everything they dont want to rate 15+ ends up banned automatically...
Paradigm Shifter 18th October 2007, 15:58 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aankhen
Is that an actual screenshot? Jeez, that's disgusting.

Actually, although it's been a hell of a long time since I played it, I think that was from SoF1. But I'm probably wrong.
will. 18th October 2007, 16:20 Quote
Realistic? No its not. Gory and disgusting yes, but bodies to not just fall apart like that :p
Scootiep 18th October 2007, 16:59 Quote
Ridiculous as usual with any mass censorship ruling. If the parents don't want their kids (under 18 of course) being exposed to "mature" content then their lazy arses need to get up off their couch and screen it. It's their job not the government's, they're the parents. Once people reach adulthood they should be able to deem what content is acceptable for them and what isn't. This is one of those times I'm really glad I live in the United States where I don't have to put up with this Gestapo BS caused by people shrugging off personal accountability.
oddball walking 18th October 2007, 17:10 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by will.
Realistic? No its not. Gory and disgusting yes, but bodies to not just fall apart like that :p
QTF
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aankhen
Is that an actual screenshot? Jeez, that's disgusting.
Its from SOF2 IIRC
Delphium 18th October 2007, 17:23 Quote
Noooooooooooooooooo, best not get banned here!!!

I want full SOF3 as its ment to be, no watering down like manhunt has had to.
This is not a game for the kidies so a 18 rating would surfice!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by oddball walking
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aankhen
Is that an actual screenshot? Jeez, that's disgusting.
Its from SOF2 IIRC

That it is ;)

However I was not aware postal 2 was banned, when did that happen?! As ive had it for ages :|
Havok154 18th October 2007, 17:40 Quote
Wouldn't it just be simpler to report on games not banned in Australia?
sam.g.taylor 18th October 2007, 18:12 Quote
Quote:
The title allows players to blow limbs off of enemies and can get incredibly gory from the look of the new trailer.

That actually looked pretty tame to me...
Quote:
It's called 'Soldier of Fortune', not Tree-hugger love fest 3, what do they expect?

Just wanted to here that that argument makes no sense here, and somebody always says it every time a new game gets banned. This isn't about people's expectations, it's about the game taken for what it is. Now, I'm not saying it should be banned, but a statement like that has no bearing here. The rating of games isn't based on what people "expect" of games, but for its content and whether kids (some of whom may have parents who don't care, and we don't want those kids growing up becoming the next James Earl Cash) should be allowed to buy them.

I wouldn't mind a strong rating on games like this - I think the US should enforce its rating system more - but flatout banning of any media is a violation of freedom of speech.
Kipman725 18th October 2007, 19:38 Quote
Soldier of Fortune gave me one of my greatest memories when pumped up full of adrenilin In ran straight into the first hostages room and shotguned hium into the wall thinking he was a bad guy even though he was just standing there. I couldn't helmp but laugh at the expresion of suprise I thought I saw as he flew accross the room.

*Actualy Im too clever to bother spelling on a web forum where I'm mainly wrighting for my own benifit, filter.
DXR_13KE 18th October 2007, 23:07 Quote
as long as they don't water the game down i am fine with it, just slap a 18+ on it and they are ready to go..... or else they will have an angry mob at their door.
Duste 19th October 2007, 00:33 Quote
Meh, I was gonna download it anyway. TAKE THAT OFLC!
devdevil85 19th October 2007, 01:41 Quote
Honestly, the game looks great......
Redbeaver 19th October 2007, 05:12 Quote
umm... is it just me or the Payback trailer is not gory whatsoever.
Henk 19th October 2007, 07:43 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbeaver
umm... is it just me or the Payback trailer is not gory whatsoever.

Nope, the words "incredibly gory" does not apply to that trailer :( I had expected to watch virtual models being blasted into nonexistence and at the same time giving off clouds of red colored mist while drinking my morning coffee

;)
outlawaol 19th October 2007, 08:04 Quote
Wont people just order it from the states or from somewhere else?
outlawaol 19th October 2007, 08:07 Quote
And dang, looks like they are using cryengine in this baby!
sub routine 19th October 2007, 10:32 Quote
Stoopid. What do they expect to happen when someones head gets blown off with a shotgun?

I don`t understand the ignorance of some people. I bet you could go and buy Predator 1 (DVD) in any shop SO LONG AS YOUR OVER 18. So what is the problem? There is a blind lack of any idea of what they are doing. I don`t suppose it would seem so bad so long as they actually had a set of ideals and stuck to it? The thing is though why do people feel obliged to think all the problems in society come from digital entertainment?

If people feel inspired to go on gun toting rampages after playing games like this, what happens to people after they watch films like hostel?
Redbeaver 19th October 2007, 14:13 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by outlawaol
And dang, looks like they are using cryengine in this baby!

i dont think so. it looks "ok"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henk
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbeaver
umm... is it just me or the Payback trailer is not gory whatsoever.

Nope, the words "incredibly gory" does not apply to that trailer :( I had expected to watch virtual models being blasted into nonexistence and at the same time giving off clouds of red colored mist while drinking my morning coffee

;)

nice. the trailer had some gun-wounds, but no limbs flying or heads cracked opened. pathetic.
Veles 19th October 2007, 14:25 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by will.
Realistic? No its not. Gory and disgusting yes, but bodies to not just fall apart like that :p

I don't think the game features people with body parts that actually spontaneously fall off, and believe me take a shotgun blast to the leg and it is not going to be pretty, yeah it probably won't go flying off, but it won't be just a little red splatter on your clothing.
DXR_13KE 19th October 2007, 19:02 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veles
I don't think the game features people with body parts that actually spontaneously fall off, and believe me take a shotgun blast to the leg and it is not going to be pretty, yeah it probably won't go flying off, but it won't be just a little red splatter on your clothing.

it would be more like a big chunk of meat flying away...... BUT I WANT THIS GAME TO LIVE UP TO ITS PREDECESSORS!!!!
8igdave 21st October 2007, 23:59 Quote
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister_Tad
IIRC Tree-hugger love fest 3 got banned as well, for gratuitious sexual content

O my :p... has an urge to see if there really is such a game... *googles to see if there really is a game*... doh!
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