GTA IV Banned in Sth Aust

[Engioc]

Hi just heard an interesting news item from a friend of mine about a game being banned in South Australia. Apparently on the 6pm news last night in Adelaide they had a story about a game which involved street racing, picking up hookers and was being banned and removed from stores in South Australia because of these and other problems they cited with the game. I didn't personally see the story so I cant confirm it was GTA IV but from the things I was told it sounded very much like GTA and it was a new game so presume its GTA IV.

 

I'd like to hear from anyone else in my part of the world to help confirm if this is true or not and to understand how one state could ban it and have any success, can just buy online right? Hoping this is a story about another game cause I'm still hanging out for GTA IV but prefer PC version if it gets made.

[RollsRoyceD]

So dumb, street racing and hookers existed long before video games, let alone GTA for that matter.. I love how News programs like to point fingers at video games.. What about movies? That have all kinds of blood and gore in them, those dont get any heat from the media.. LAME.. Let us enjoy our video games. I think gamers are less likely to go out and commit crimes because of a video game because were in the safe confines of our home playing them, not out committing crimes..

[iceman654]

Provide a link. Although this is unlikely, SA is the only state in AU that can ban media within it's boarders.

[Engioc]

Well as I said I cant confirm any of what I've said, but it did sound very much like a GTA game, I will be really unhappy if it does prove to be true rather than just a rumor.

 

Unfortunately these sorts of decisions are made by people who have never played any game let alone GTA and have no idea what the game is really about. Don't these people think that gamers have the same amount of intelligence as they do and can tell the difference between having some fun in a game and what we can and cant do in real life. GTA or any other game has never made me feel like going out and murdering someone and have never even had a speeding ticket for over 10 years of driving. I'm no more or less likely to commit a crime than any of the people who complain about games, moves etc. I bet most of these people have been on the wrong side of the law loads more times than me, because I spend most of my time inside playing games, GTA or what ever my latest game is, so how can I break the law??

[Algonquin Assassin]

What difference does in make in South Australia to any other state?

 

I hope for the sake of you guys it's not true.

 

Sounds f***ing stupid to me.

[GTA3Freak-2001]

I've heard nothing of it being banned, there were two segments on the news last week about how moral groups are outraged and you know the usual crap. Perhaps your friend got it wrong, in that its not banned just that its gotten media flak as usual.

[Engioc]

What difference does in make in South Australia to any other state?

 

I hope for the sake of you guys it's not true.

 

Sounds f***ing stupid to me.

Probably makes no difference to other states except that if SA are really going to ban it then in order to make the ban really work they would be wanting it banned aust wide, so could be pushing the federal gov to ban it nationally. Having said that I still not sure it would work, we can always buy from net.

 

Hi GTA3Freak-2001, well I am hoping he's got the facts wrong and it is just the usual complaints but not actually banning the game. Come monday I'll be checking out some stores to see if its still available because according to what I heard they've already got the ban and is being removed from stores now.

 

Anyway thats all I'll say on the subject for now until I have some more definite info to post.

[GTA3Freak-2001]

Well now that you mention it, Michael Atkinson the South Australian attorney general who opposed an R rating for all video games was caught making comments about GTA IV. Something about how he was shocked it got through and was rated MA15+ or something so perhaps he's gone on a crusade or something. Either way I doubt it, its never happened in the past and it really would be a useless measure because people will just buy from other online stores who source their games from other states. This is on top of the fact that almost every man and his dog already bought the game last week!