Australia Bans {insert name of game here} Series Canceled - The UpStream

You will all recognize that since we started PLuGHiTz Live! Radio and The UpStream, there have been a lot of stories about Australia banning or watering down a videogame. Off the top of my head I can think of Left 4 Dead 2 and Modern Warfare 2, Aliens vs Predator, just to name a few. The reason for the ban is because the ratings board for the country canot classify them under the MA15+ and there is nothing higher.

Yes, you read that right. They were banned because there is no game rating for games designed for people over the age of 15. The reason, you might ask? Well, it has been because of the Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson. Good news, though, is coming to those of you down under. Michael Atkinson has resigned his position, and his replacement, John Rau, is in support of creating an R18+ rating.

Although this means a lot less easy content for me to write, it also means that Aussies will no longer have to import their favorite games from offshore to be able to play them the way they were designed to be played. All of this could hit the continent as early as April, when the topic is planned to be discussed and voted on. Fingers crossed.