GTA IV cut for Australia

Rockstar has been forced to produce an edited version of GTA IV in order to get a 15 certificate in Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Rockstar's confirmed that the game was edited for release in the country, but hasn't revealed which parts were removed.

Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification has been going through a turbulent patch recently, with increasing amounts of pressure being heaped on it to accept at 18 rating. Currently, 15 is the maximum rating a game can receive in Australia, effectively blocking a lot of adult gaming content enjoyed by the civilised world.

The GTA series alone has constantly run into problems with the OFLC.

In 2001, thousands of copies of GTA III were sold before the game was rated and refused classification because players could pick-up prostitutes. An edited version was later released.

2002's Gran Theft Auto: Vice City was also edited for Australian audiences.

In 2005, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has its original MA15+ rating overturned and the game pulled from retail shelves after it was revealed game discs contained a hidden "Hot Coffee" sex mini-game. An edited version rated MA15+ was soon back on sale.

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