Australian capital receives R18+ classification for video games

The saga surrounding Australia's proposed R18+ rating for video games may finally be coming to an end, as the country's capital Canberra will have access to the rating from next week. The debate over whether Australia should have an over-18 classification for video games started back in 2009, when arguments in favor and against an R18+ classification for video games were first presented. The country currently only has an over-15 classification for video games, which leads to games deemed to be unsuitable for under-18s being banned. Most recently, the Syndicate first-person shooter revival was refused classification in the country under these guidelines. However, the Federal Government has finally come to an agreement and is set to create a new classification for R18+, reports ABC News. The Australian Capital Territory will be the first region to receive the new rating this week, and the success of this move will determine whether the rest of the country will be able to use the rating at the start of 2013. "This is part of a national reform that will allow adult gamers to view R18+ material in the same way that can already be done for film and printed material," said ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell. He continued, "But at the same time it will also provide protection to parents and children by giving parents better guidance about what material is and is not appropriate for people under the age of 18." However, even under these new guidelines, certain themes in games such as extreme violence, sex or drug use could still be refused classification under the system.