Atari. Konami Edit Homecoming For Australian Classification

Local publisher Atari and Konami cut out offending content from multiplatform survival horror game Silent Hill: Homecoming in order to meet the standards of Australia's stringent media ratings board and receive an MA15+ rating (unsuitable for children under the age of 15). Homecoming, developed by Double Helix and published in most regions by IP owner Konami, released in the U.S. for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in September 2008, but was refused classification by Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) due to its "excessive violence," and was banned from sale in the region. An Atari spokesman later clarified to consumer game site GameSpot that the OFLC was particularly concerned with Homecoming's "high-impact violence, copious blood spray, decapitations, partial corpse dismemberment, and depictions of torture." An update to the Board's online ratings database, however, now lists the game as suitable for its MA15+ rating with a note that its content was "revised." The OFLC, does not currently employ a rating above MA15+ for video games. Games leaning towards adult content with violence and sexual content are effectively banned from sale. Several attempts have been made to introduce a R18+ rating for games, so far without any success. In 2008, the board has refused classification for five titles -- Shellshock 2: Blood Trails, Dark Sector, Fallout 3, F.E.A.R. 2, and Silent Hill: Homecoming. With the exception of Shellshock 2 and F.E.A.R. 2, the latter of which was rated after appeals from publisher Warner Bros., all of the titles have been adjusted to fall under the MA15+ rating.