SEGA bring a little Christmas cheer this afternoon with news the recently refused classification decision for Aliens vs Predator has since been overturned and the game has now been awarded with an MA15+ rating.

"It is with great pleasure that we announce the success of our appeal. We are particularly proud that the game will be released in its original entirety, with no content altered or removed whatsoever. This is a big win for Australian gamers. We applaud the Classification Review Board on making a decision that clearly considers the context of the game, and is in line with the modern expectations of reasonable Australians", Darren Macbeth, Managing Director, SEGA Australia.

This decision might not help the cause for establishing an R18+ rating for videogames in Australia, but it's nice to know that we'll all be able to play the game around the same time as our international peers - currently looking at a late February 2010 release on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

For more details on the game, check out AusGamers early coverage from the 2009 E3 Expo.

Update: The classification board have also now released their official report which goes further to state:

In the Review Board’s opinion the violence depicted in the game can be accommodated within the MA 15+ category as the violent scenes are not prolonged and are interspersed with longer non violent sequences. The violence is fantastical in nature and justified by the context of the game, set in a futuristic science-fiction world, inhabited by aliens and predators. This context serves to lessen its impact. The more contentious violence is randomly generated and is not dependent on player selection of specific moves.

Computer games classified MA 15+ are not suitable for persons under 15 years of age. MA 15+ computer games are legally restricted.

While we're glad that Australian's will be able to enjoy this game, it's still worth noting that the game has currently also been rated 18+ by the BBFC (UK) and it's expected that other regions will also be deliberating the own age cut-offs above 15+. Think of the children indeed.

w00t

woohoo!

how long till atkinson appeals this?

The really stupid thing is that given how close it was to RC, this adult entertainment probably should be restricted to 18+. Now instead it will be available to 15 year olds to purchase.

I agree. This needs an R18+ classification, but I am happy I'll be able to play this regardless. :]

Is this game actually good?

That's great news. Now hopefully the game will be as awesome as the previews are making it out to be and all will be well!

I can't help but feel that the recent attention given to the classification debate is partly responsible.

Hey atkinson, suck my balls

Its nice we'll be able to play it, but yeah, this really doesn't belong in M15+. And rather than it being used as a good argument to get an R18+ rating, you know it'll just be spun into "Look at all the evil violent games the classification board is allowing our children to play".

Its nice we'll be able to play it, but yeah, this really doesn't belong in M15+. And rather than it being used as a good argument to get an R18+ rating, you know it'll just be spun into "Look at all the evil violent games the classification board is allowing our children to play".

Logically it would strengthen the case for R18+. Probably force Atkinson to approve the rating because at least it wouldn't be purchased by children legally.

Logically, yeah, it would. But since when has logic had anything to do with Atkinson's arguments? I entirely agree with you, it does strengthen the case for R18+, I guess I'm just cynical and can see it more likely being spun the wrong way.

Probably force Atkinson to approve the rating because at least it wouldn't be purchased by children legally

Doubt it. The Mad Atter isn't going to be persuaded by anything as straight forward as logic.

Sweet

No seriously, is it actually any good?

Statement by oflc:

http://oflc.gov.au/www/cob/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(4CA02151F94FFB778ADAEC2E6EA8653D)~Media+release+-+Announcing+decision+for+Aliens+vs+Predator+-+18+December+2009.pdf/$file/Media+release+-+Announcing+decision+for+Aliens+vs+Predator+-+18+December+2009.pdf

In the Review Board’s opinion the violence depicted in the game can be accommodated within the MA 15+ category as the violent scenes are not prolonged and are interspersed with longer non violent sequences. The violence is fantastical in nature and justified by the context of the game, set in a futuristic science-fiction world, inhabited by aliens and predators. This context serves to lessen its impact. The more contentious violence is randomly generated and is not dependent on player selection of specific moves.

Fantastical violence isn't in L4D2?

This just prooves the double standards on the OFLC board. It definately belongs in the R18+ catagorey. Hopefully it getting through will have some sort of impact in strengthening the case for an R18+.

good day for gamers, bad day for the children. why isn't anyone thinking of the children.

I don't really think this game should be MA15+. Sure, it's good that people here will be able to play it, but it should be been R18+. I guess this should, intheory at least, strengthen the argument for introducing an R18+ rating.

No seriously, is it actually any good?

The latest game from the same devs http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/roguewarrior

I was really hoping that this wouldn't see an australian release since it would push the R rating cause ahead some more. Yes it is quite horrifying that Rogue Warrior is from the same people. Mabye it was s*** since they had all the good people working on AvP? I mean these people did make the original AvP pc game and look how epic that was. Although after seeing the list of games they have made i'd say that AvP was about the only good game they have done.

rogue warrior is obviously NOT from the same people. There is no way that the same team could pump out two games at the same time.... rogue warrior had to be from some s*** kicker interns while avp was being dev'd by their a team.

Previous rebellion games (the avp ones at least) have always been of high quality and if poor graphics is a complaint for rogue warrior then the two games were obviously made by different teams cause avp looks amazing.

Rogue Warrior isn't a fair indicator, Bethesda had Rebellion take it over after Zombie Studios' poor handling of it.

shoulda been RC, we would have all bought it from over seas and could have said f*** u make an R18+ rating already

shoulda been RC, we would have all bought it from over seas and could have said f*** u make an R18+ rating already

and had no australian multiplayer servers. smart.

why not? it's only illegal to sell the game.

People would be playing but no where near the numbers you will get now that it is unbanned.

and had no australian multiplayer servers. smart.

Was gonna say you're wrong but the others beat me to it.

last edited by Raider at 02:02:26 19/Dec/09

why not? it's only illegal to sell the game.

You think Gamearena and internode etc would buy a banned game from overseas to set up servers for a game which wont even have much of a local audience?
So there might be servers, but there wouldnt be many and they would most likely be s***, and there would be less people to play against.

This is a good start!

Not all games require you to purchase them to run a dedicated server. While this is hardly scientific, it seems to me like most just release the dedicated server standalone.

Wow .... they actually came to their senses for 1 game.

The violence is fantastical in nature and justified by the context of the game, set in a futuristic science-fiction world, inhabited by aliens and predators.

Why are we having to justify violence? If it is violence of such a strong nature, I certainly wouldn't want my kids to see it (fictional/fantastical or real). We really do need an R18+ classification so that games such as this don't fall into the hands of kids. Maybe this will spur Atkinson to rethink his position... actually i doubt it. He certainly has proven himself immune to logic so far.

wow, they don't mind having their own feet in their mouth hey