GTA: San Andreas Australian Investigation Started

Author: by David Jenkins, Simon Carless

The continuing controversy surrounding the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 'Hot Coffee' patch has extended to Australia, where the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, the government-run equivalent of the voluntary ESRB in North America, has officially launched an investigation into the mod at the request of the Australian Attorney-General, the Hon Philip Ruddock MP. The Director of the OFLC, Des Clark, has commented: "Developments such as this are indicative of the increasingly complex technological world of entertainment in which we live. Our investigations show the National Classification Scheme at work and the Classification Board will take action, if required, when all the facts are established." In North America, Californian politician Leland Yee has been calling for the game’s age rating to be upgraded to the rarely used “Adults Only” classification, although the content unlocked or enhanced by the 'Hot Coffee' mod is not available through normal gameplay. In Australia, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was originally classified as the maximum possible MA15+ ("Restrictions apply to persons under the age of 15") with the consumer advice, "Medium level animated violence, medium level coarse language" on October 1st, 2004. The OFLC has previously been relatively harsh on rating titles compared to the U.S., with Vivendi's Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude refused classification and effectively banned due to "obscured and/or implied sexual activity and obscured and partial nudity involving stylised, animated characters", and Rockstar's Manhunt also restricted for its "scenes of blood and gore that go beyond strong", as well a more recent refused classification for Midway's NARC.