Titles like World of Warcraft have traditionally been released without rating — odd, because Australian law says games must have a rating.
“Blizzard Entertainment has always worked closely with the Classification Board for all its titles,” Blizzard told GameSpot AU. “However, back in 2004, we were advised by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) that the online-only nature of World of Warcraft was unclassifiable under its definition of computer games at that time. Recent changes at the Classification Board have led to their ability to classify online only games such as World of Warcraft.”
The Classification Board has now rated World of Warcraft and its expansions, giving the games an M rating for “fantasy violence”. The game has been sold in Australia since 2004 without classification, reports GameSpot.
When asked why the ratings board now is able to rate online games like World of Warcraft, the body would not comment and instead offered this comment: “The Classification Board has been following developments in online gaming.”
WoW receives belated Aussie rating [GameSpot]
Riavan
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 11:25 AMLol, they’re such a bunch of ignorant tossers they couldn’t even explain to you these developments? The way they rate games shouldn’t be kept behind closed doors like they’re doing.
Vladimir Svoboda
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 3:28 PMRiavan, I’m sure many people working for the Board would be able to explain the changes. However, it’s pretty obvious that Kotaku sent off an email and got a form letter back from a borred public servant who couldn’t be bothered reading it fully. You’ll get the same thing if you email ANY government department.
metalisticpain
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 1:24 PMI suppose now it wont be banned when the censorship come in for unrated/banned games
hmms
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 1:41 PMI wonder if all online content needs to be rated now. L4d2 patches and all….
Jay
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 2:28 PMOf corse its M. they wouldn’t give it an R (not like it deserves an R) but imagine ALL the those people who would no longer be able to play the game, but then how could they stop them??
Le_Gambit
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 10:01 AMI like how it is so easy for them to decide that online games can suddenly rated, but it is so hard to get an R rating.