Australian censor bans Fallout 3
The Australian censor has effectively banned the Fallout 3 video game by refusing to grant it a certificate. At issue is that the censor believes the game rewards drug taking.
The chemical in question is morphine, which the player can inject during the game to reduce the impact of damage taken during the violent post-apocalypse shoot-’em-up.
“The [Classification Board] is of the opinion that the use of morphine in the game has the positive effect of enabling the character to ignore limb pain. This ability to progress through the game more easily is the incentive to take the drug while the reward is in the character’s abilities.”
The Board might have granted Fallout 3 a higher rating, but Australia’s game certification system tops out at MA15+ - ‘MA’ stands for Mature Adult. According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, any title that contains more violence, sex or drug use than that category permits doesn’t receive a certificate and so can’t be sold in Australia.
Australian gamers are protesting the decision, pointing out that the censors have already passed other games, such as Grand Theft Auto IV, that feature stronger drug use. More to the point is that morphine is a first-aid drug which makes its comparison to hard drugs rather foolish.
Tuesday 15 Jul 2008 | Paul | Australia
