Circling the Drain - Risen Banned in Australia

[Azazel]

Here's the latest one. This one seems a bit off considering, though.

http://palgn.com.au/xbox-360/15060/risen-banned-in-aus/

Refused classification due to sexual activity and drug use.
Kotaku has reported third person role-playing game Risen, has been refused classification from the Australian OFLC.

Coming from the original Gothic developers, Risen was banned due to sexual activity and drug use related to incentives or rewards. The content in question bothering the OFLC could be this extract reported by the US ratings board, the ESRB:

"During the course of the game, players can interact with prostitutes (referred to as “whores” in the game) at a local brothel. Players can trigger a lengthy dialogue to engage in their services; sexual activity is strongly implied, but never depicted on screen. Many of the characters in the game smoke a fictional drug called “brugleweed.” The “wood reefer” plant is described as having a mild relaxing effect on users, and can be bought, sold, and used by players. Some profanity (e.g., “f*ck” and “sh*t”) can be heard in the dialogue."

Distributor Madman Interactive are deciding on whether they will appeal the decision or look to edit some of the game's content.

Considering that The Watcher (int'l version) got through okay.. Not to mention Fallout 3 had non-real names for it's drug use, etc.

[Tale]

Just to clarify: this is not a conservative censorship regime, it's the lack of a ratings category above MA15+. One of our states (South Australia) apparently thinks "game" means "for children", and blocked moves for an R rating to be added. Therefore anything that isn't suitable for 15-year-olds gets refused classification (banned) in a system that is otherwise liberal.

[Big Gulp]

What options do you guys have beyond hoisting the jolly roger?  Is Steam a viable work around?  I'd be damned if I'd import every game and pay the shipping fees when bittorrent is so much more convenient.  Then again doesn't Oz have insane bandwidth caps too?  Sounds like you're doubly screwed.

[UnSub]

Ship from New Zealand or England. Or Canada (I've got a friend who does all their DVD shopping from some Canadian company).

I bought Manhunt from England for my brother; took about a week to arrive.

Steam doesn't work - it's fixed to screw Australian consumers so they pay the same prices as they would in the store for the same availability.

[Azazel]

Ship from New Zealand or England. Or Canada (I've got a friend who does all their DVD shopping from some Canadian company).

I bought Manhunt from England for my brother; took about a week to arrive.

Steam doesn't work - it's fixed to screw Australian consumers so they pay the same prices as they would in the store for the same availability.

I haven't found a decent place in NZ to buy from at this point. I usually get stuff like this from either Play-Asia in HK or HMV in the UK. At the moment I'm waiting until the UK/HK price drops by about 50% on both Silent Hill:Homecoming and Prototype (both edited locally).

Not really accurate in regards to Steam - that's only for some titles, typically new releases and "Big" titles, such as a Call of Duty, Bioshock etc. After awhile the local AU pricing drops off of it as well though (I got bioshock for US$4.95).
My Steam store tab is playing up since I copied my steam folder across to a larger partition, so I can't check out to see if CoD:WaW is on the same sale deal that Schild mentioned the other day. Also, I have to run to work.

[UnSub]

Hmm, looks like the NZ place I used to get a few games from has closed down. Oh well.

Sorry for being wrong about Steam - it must have just been the titles I've looked at getting through it only to end up walking down to the local EB store to get them for the same price with packaging + DVD.

[Azazel]

Take (or print out) a JB Hi-Fi/Big W/Target/Kmart catalogue with you to EB and get those overcharging fuckers to price match.

 

[schild]

Does that work?!

Like, using an american periodical ad?

[Tale]

Those are Australian stores. Wal-Mart is opening soon too. Globalisation!

[Hawkbit]

Wal-Mart is opening soon too.

My condolences.  At least you'll know where to go if you ever need a toothless person.  It's where they all hang out.

[Azazel]

Interestingly, the Australian versions of those stores listed above are all fully Australian-Owned, and have nothing to do with their US cousins except for sharing the names. Global-i-errr... not quite.

Tale, where did you hear about Wal-Mart opening?

[Tale]

Tale, where did you hear about Wal-Mart opening?

Sorry, it's Costco that's opening, not Wal-Mart.

But Wal-Mart is advising Woolworths on setting up a Sam's Club equivalent to compete with Costco.

[UnSub]

I think Wal-Mart is a major shareholder in Woolworths and were more recently politely dissuaded against increasing their stake in it.

Gerry Harvey is right in saying Australians don't typically buy in bulk and then store it.

[Azazel]

I think Wal-Mart is a major shareholder in Woolworths and were more recently politely dissuaded against increasing their stake in it.

Gerry Harvey is right in saying Australians don't typically buy in bulk and then store it.

Pretty sure you're incorrect there on Woolworths. Then again, the last reference I could find that gave any kind of detail is 10 years old. Though at the same time I can't find any references to Wal-Mart owning or buying Woolworths Limited shares.

[Big Gulp]

Gerry Harvey is right in saying Australians don't typically buy in bulk and then store it.

Either did we until we got these bulk retailers.  Costco is truly a thing to behold.  Hell, I keep up my membership just for the meat department alone.  Oh, and they also have some killer wine there at really reasonable prices.

[schild]

I would recommend that no Australian be upset about Costco. That place is fucking great.

[Azazel]

I shall check it out when they open up...

[Tale]

Sorry Azazel, they've sold out of handbags.

[Azazel]

I'm sure I'll live. 

[Teleku]

I do loves me some Costco.  If nothing else, you can go try free samples of food all day 

[UnSub]

I think Wal-Mart is a major shareholder in Woolworths and were more recently politely dissuaded against increasing their stake in it.

Gerry Harvey is right in saying Australians don't typically buy in bulk and then store it.

Pretty sure you're incorrect there on Woolworths. Then again, the last reference I could find that gave any kind of detail is 10 years old. Though at the same time I can't find any references to Wal-Mart owning or buying Woolworths Limited shares.

Looks like Wal-Mart possibly holds a stake in Woolworths and the former CEO of Woolworths is a Director at Wal-Mart.

I can't find the more recent (maybe 2008?) that talked about Wal-mart increasing their state in Woolworths, so it might have just been a rumour. However, my understanding was that it was unlikely that the Australian Govt was going to sign off Wal-mart gaining a controlling stake, so they didn't move ahead.