Reservoir Dogs game banned in Australia

By Randolph Ramsay on 27 June 2006

Reservoir Dogs in Australia goes out like Mr Brown.

It's yet another embarrassing day to be an Aussie gamer. Reservoir Dogs, the upcoming game based on the hit Quentin Tarantino film, has been banned in Australia.

The Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OLFC) last week decided to refuse classification for Reservoir Dogs, which was being distributed locally by Atari. Without classification, the game is effectively banned for sale in this country.

Reservoir Dogs is set for release everywhere else in the world for the PS2, PC and Xbox later next month. The highest rating available for a videogame in Australia is MA15+ -- there is no R rating (as there is for movies), which means that anything the OLFC deems as unsuitable for anyone over 15 cannot be given a classification.

The game is the latest casualty of Australia's frankly out-of-step games classification laws. Earlier this year, graffiti game Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure was denied classification after the OLFC ruled that the game "include(s) or contain(s) detailed instruction or promotion of matters of crime". Other recent games to be refused classification include Narc and Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude.

The local games industry and the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA) has been working behind the scenes to pressure the Federal Government into changing the classification laws. IEAA CEO Chris Hanlon has said in the past that it was ''important that the classification laws are clear, consistent and applied equally to films, games and publications''.

Do you think Australia needs to overhaul its games classification system? Or do you think the Government and the OLFC are doing a good job? Tell us your thoughts and leave a comment below.

Topics: australia, game, olfc, ratings, reservoir, banned, dogs, classification

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Comments (13)

  • matt commented on 09/11/2008 15:59

    well...you could always just get it on bittorrent...the only ones to loose out is the developers and artists...especially those in Australia. If the Govt is serious regarding developing a clever country then allow an r18+ rating

  • T.J.Dragon commented on 15/05/2008 02:18

    Them banning a game makes people want it more, curiosity is just human nature and drives sales away from australian retailers because i have to download or import it so i get the uncensored version and not watered down crap. I want to be able to do alot of things that are illegal in REAL LIFE in a game and without a 18+ classification all i can do is run around with a short italian guy hitting blocks with my head. I'm sure it's fun sledge but i need a game that makes me cringe which im yet to find.

  • sledge_IS_A_HOMO commented on 05/05/2008 14:01

    sledge is quite possibly the gayest lord in world keep your comments to your self dick wad australia needs to wake up and get the 18+ rating in asap all the games that have been banned in Oz are good ones seriously grow some balls AUSTRALIA

  • sledge commented on 14/04/2008 21:26

    Boo Hoo... im an adult gamer... oh wo is me i cant have my 18+ ....oh cry cry.... wake up loosers

  • Johnny commented on 03/10/2007 17:28

    I know someone who had their console chipped, and were then able to play NTSC.

  • james commented on 07/07/2007 19:40

    you know because the region codes on xbox games in australia is the same as the UK you can just get 1 off ebay

  • Mittens commented on 02/12/2006 00:51

    it's in the media but I don't think anyone higher is listening. Classifications will stay as they are or they would have been changed already.

  • Jayman commented on 05/10/2006 13:02

    theres not much they can do we can just get the game shifted over from new zealand that will show them they ban a game based on a classic movie but they allow games like dead rising (not bagging it) its a good game but all u do is blow zombie heads off and chop them in half and ****.

  • ure kismet commented on 27/08/2006 07:53

    After kinda admiring the nostalgia revealed in the Olde Worlde notion of trying to keep a piece of digital age pop culture out of a physical location like the nation of Australia one realises that these people making the decision aren't 'olde worlde' or naive at all.
    They are cynical sharks using someone else's enjoyment to promote their facist and oppressive agends.

    The game will be all over the torrent networks in Oz already and most will have probaly 'clocked' it by now.

    'Yawn' more political posturing. I suppose it beats harassing Muslims as a pastime for the scumbags prepared to sell their back passage for a vote.

  • Josh commented on 08/08/2006 18:13

    I loved the movie and i think that Tarintino is a champ. This finally looks like a game based movei which will be good and australia bans it.

    why not just have a R18+ rating on the game and be done with it.

    why bann it permantly.

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