Oz dev head calls for "immediate implementation of an R18+ games rating"

Writing for ABC News, Game Developers' Association of Australia head Tom Crago has called for Australia's "unjustified and draconian censorship" of videogames to be called into check.

"The focus of this debate should be upon how the Australian classification system can best give adults the information they need to chose video game content for themselves and their children, without burdening our country with unjustified and draconian censorship to the amusement and pity of the rest of the world," he said.

"We can start with the immediate implementation of an R18+ games rating."

Currently, the maximum age rating a game can receive in Australia is 15, meaning many games are censored for release in the country. Fallout 3 was the last high profile title to fall foul of Australia's regulations.

"On one hand Australia is an oasis of game development, with a thriving, highly skilled industry generating hundreds of millions of dollars of valuable export revenue," added Crago.

"On the other hand Australia's lack of an R18+ classification means that some of the world's most important video games are effectively banned from appearing down under at all."

More through the link. Good read, that.