Rockstar has issued a statement on the 'censored' Australian version ofGrand Theft Auto IV, which was edited for the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, in order to get an Aussie release.
"The Australian version of Grand Theft Auto IV was rated by the OFLC in December 2007 as MA15+. Unlike the US and Europe, Australia still lacks an R18+ rating for video games and as a result many games are edited for release in Australia, including most previous Grand Theft Auto releases.
"While there are some minor differences between the Australian and US/EU versions, they are not significant and we do not believe they take away from the level of scope and detail that makeGTA IVsuch an incredible experience," The statement continued. "We would not release the game in Australia if we believed these differences compromised the quality of the game in any way."
The money-printing sequel now has an MA15+ rating in the country - the highest classification certificate available in the region.
"We strongly support the OLFC and will continue to work within their guidelines," Rockstar continued. "However we believe the government needs to bring games in line with other media by introducing an R18+ rating, or edits to games will continue to be necessary. We encourage consumers to let their politicians know that they support an R18+ rating for games."
So far, the GTA IV has received an 18 rating in Britain, New Zealand and Germany, and a M17+ in America. It's out on April 29, by the way (and the multiplayer hands-on ishere).
Apr 10, 2008
