The Classification Board is an independent statutory body that classifies films, computer games and certain publications. When classifying computer games, the Board applies the criteria in the Commonwealth Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, the National Classification Code and the Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games. Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers with censorship responsibilities have agreed to the Code and the guidelines, which are available on the Office of Film and Literature Classification website at
www.oflc.gov.au. The OFLC administratively supports the Board.
The Board viewed Grand Theft Auto Vice City on 6 November 2002 and classified the game MA15+ with the consumer advice ‘medium level animated violence’. The Board considered that Grand Theft Auto Vice City contained depictions of realistic violence of medium intensity. It was of the opinion that the game was unsuitable for children under 15 years to see or play. A computer game classified MA15+ cannot be sold, hired or demonstrated to children under 15 years.
The Board will classify a computer game in the form in which the distributor submits it. The Classification Act does not provide the Board with the power to direct a distributor to modify a computer game. A distributor is free to edit a game and submit the altered version to the Board in an attempt to achieve a desired rating. It is possible that the version of Grand Theft Auto Vice City available overseas is different to the version distributed in Australia. I suggest you contact the game’s distributor, Take 2 Interactive Pty Ltd, for further information about the different versions of this game.
lain: Not true. :homestar: