Australia Approves R18+ Rating for Video Games

The Australian government has approved a proposal to implement an R18+ rating for video games, which, if approved by state and territory governments, could pave the way for a lot of popular video games to finally appear on shelves in the country.

Currently, games must be rated by Australia’s system in order to be sold in the country.  No rating: no shelf space, physical or virtual.  The biggest problem with this for Australian gamers has been that the country has no rating above MA15+, so a game is effectively banned if it is not considered appropriate for a fifteen-year-old.

More information can be found in this News.com.Au article, once you translate its perspective.  Lawmakers insist that they created the new more mature rating because these unedited games were getting through to fifteen-year-olds anyway, and now the new legislation will do a better job of keeping mature games out of their hands.

We find ourselves skeptical of that notion, but we’re happy for Australian gamers.  In the end it doesn’t really matter why the R18+ rating was created, but just that it allows for freer distribution of a legitimate art form.

(via Joystiq.)