Earlier today, Australia's largest video game retailer, EB Games, delivered forty-six thousand submissions to the federal Attorney-General's department supporting their recent discussion paper around creating an R18+ classification for video games.
EB Games collected submissions in all of their stores across Australia, as well as online, and in just two weeks it collected the staggering number of favorable statements advocating such a classification for 18+ video games.
Even though submissions have been overwhelmingly in favor of this classification (with the first thousand submissions being processed, only eleven responses were against adding the classification), South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson continues to dismiss the opinions of Australian citizens, contending that "only gamers care about this issue"– I think that's rather the point, as only gamers are affected by the lack of a classification.
Atkinson also continues to equate gamers with criminals or terrorists, repeatedly implying that people in favor of an 18+ classification have left death threats at his home, or are more dangerous than "outlaw motorcycle gangs." While the R18+ classification requires unanimous approval from all eight Attorney Generals, there is a blessed chance that the March 20 election in South Australia may lead to a different party than Atkinson's Labor taking control of the local government, leading to his replacement.
Huge support for adults-only games [via theage.com.au]
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