Open Blue
10th Feb 09, 4:35 PM
The New South Wales Police are asking people to contact them if they see retailers selling World of Warcraft or other massively multiplayer online games.
Both the police and the attorney general's office in New South Wales say that the New South Wales Classification Enforcement Act prohibits publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games with penalties for individuals breaking the law ranging from $1,100 to $11,000 and up to a year in jail. For corporations, the fines roughly double.
And games like World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online and Pirates of the Burning Sea are all sold without classification.
Something that the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia doesn't believe is true. They claim that games without single player components don't need to be classified. source- http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/biztech/no-classification-online-games-legal-minefield/2009/02/03/1233423203018.html
So, we've officially hit the stone-age here in NSW.
Retailers can no longer sell MMO games as they are not classified (and cannot be classified) by the Australian Classification Board, hence the police are being called in to help monitor illegal sales of Warcraft, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online.
What's more, game-cards which provide that much needed "game time" are also deemed illegal, since they grant access to "illegal" material.
In another turn of stupidity, the law cannot touch direct downloads which are operated outside of NSW (ie. Steam)
Simply put, the enforcement act that governs the sales of rated and unrated material in Australia applies almost entirely to selling (not to buying) and the act of the sale for most digital downloads is taking place out of range of those regulations. ...there seems to be no barrier to simply bypassing the Australian Classification Board with a game and selling it via Steam or Direct2Drive or something similar -- so long as neither the sale nor the seller are taking place within Australian jurisdiction -- and generally they're not. source- http://www.massively.com/2009/02/04/gaming-the-ratings-game/
So, we've implimented rules which prevent the sales of hugely popular games in Australian stores and yet would increase overseas sales, rules which are based on an already harsh (and pathetically stupid) rating system that have failed to evolve with the changing landscape of games and incorporate shifting morals.
I'd move, but Queensland is 2/3 underwater, Victoria is being burnt to a crisp and the rest of Australia is in drought. Perhaps overseas where I don't have to put up with such stupidity?
Discussion value:
- Solution to the problem of unclassified games?
- Do you think this move is justified?
- How would you classify MMO's?
- Where can I move to escape this idiocy?
Both the police and the attorney general's office in New South Wales say that the New South Wales Classification Enforcement Act prohibits publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games with penalties for individuals breaking the law ranging from $1,100 to $11,000 and up to a year in jail. For corporations, the fines roughly double.
And games like World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online and Pirates of the Burning Sea are all sold without classification.
Something that the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia doesn't believe is true. They claim that games without single player components don't need to be classified. source- http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/biztech/no-classification-online-games-legal-minefield/2009/02/03/1233423203018.html
So, we've officially hit the stone-age here in NSW.
Retailers can no longer sell MMO games as they are not classified (and cannot be classified) by the Australian Classification Board, hence the police are being called in to help monitor illegal sales of Warcraft, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online.
What's more, game-cards which provide that much needed "game time" are also deemed illegal, since they grant access to "illegal" material.
In another turn of stupidity, the law cannot touch direct downloads which are operated outside of NSW (ie. Steam)
Simply put, the enforcement act that governs the sales of rated and unrated material in Australia applies almost entirely to selling (not to buying) and the act of the sale for most digital downloads is taking place out of range of those regulations. ...there seems to be no barrier to simply bypassing the Australian Classification Board with a game and selling it via Steam or Direct2Drive or something similar -- so long as neither the sale nor the seller are taking place within Australian jurisdiction -- and generally they're not. source- http://www.massively.com/2009/02/04/gaming-the-ratings-game/
So, we've implimented rules which prevent the sales of hugely popular games in Australian stores and yet would increase overseas sales, rules which are based on an already harsh (and pathetically stupid) rating system that have failed to evolve with the changing landscape of games and incorporate shifting morals.
I'd move, but Queensland is 2/3 underwater, Victoria is being burnt to a crisp and the rest of Australia is in drought. Perhaps overseas where I don't have to put up with such stupidity?
Discussion value:
- Solution to the problem of unclassified games?
- Do you think this move is justified?
- How would you classify MMO's?
- Where can I move to escape this idiocy?