A revised version of Fallout 3, one of the
most highly anticipated games of the year and winner of the "Best in
Show" award at E3 2008, has been cleared for release in Australia.
Bethesda's role playing game, which is set
in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC, was refused classification last month
because it featured "material promoting or encouraging proscribed drug
use" and "drug use… related to incentives and rewards".
Bethesda and Australian distributor Red Ant
have declined to reveal what edits have been made to the game to obtain an
MA15+ rating for the upcoming PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 release.
Earlier in the year, Australian gamers were
infuriated to learn that Grand Theft Auto IV had also been edited for release
in Australia. But developers are often forced to edit games with mature content
like Fallout 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV in order to obtain an MA15+ rating
because of the lack of an R18+ games classification in Australia.
The Interactive Entertainment Association
of Australia said last month the original Fallout 3 decision would help
galvanise support for an adults-only rating.
Censorship ministers in March agreed to
canvas public opinion on the proposed introduction of a long overdue R18+
classification for games, but are still working on the mechanisms to let
Australians have their say.
Many Australian game players, who are
becoming increasingly frustrated at game censorship and the higher price of
software in Australia compared to Asia and the US, are likely to flout the law
and import an unedited version of Fallout 3 when it is released towards the end
of the year.
Readers interested in classification might
like to click here to read The Age's Screen Play blog listing 40 reasons why Australia
needs an R18+ rating for games.