ABSTRACT
This article analyses the discourse surrounding the classification and regulation of videogames in Australia, with particular focus on the exclusion, and subsequent introduction of an R18+ rating over the twenty-year period between 1993-2013. This article argues that this period was characterised by a remarkable entropy and stasis within classification discourse, and that the introduction of the R18+ rating was eventually achieved by pro-R18+ advocates reaffirming the perceived validity and power of the core discourse. Thus, the history of videogame classification in Australia---with or without an R18+ rating---is the history of protection of children from inappropriate content, and mistrust of an interactive media form; these arguments underpin both the exclusion of an R18+ in the early 1990s and the inclusion of an R18+ in 2012. Finally, though a close analytical exploration of the history of videogame classification in Australia, this article argues that public discourse on classification has been subject to cynical media manipulation from almost all parties involved, which has resulted in a discursive entropy that has been largely disconnected with any understanding of how videogame culture and play is enacted in an everyday sense.
- Finn, M. 2003. GTA3 and the politics of interactive aesthetics, Communications Law Bulletin 4, 22: 6--11.Google Scholar
- Apperley, T. 2008. Video Games in Australia, In M. J. P. Wolf (Ed.). The Videogame Explosion: A History from Pong to Playstation and Beyond. Westport: Greenwood Press: 223--228.Google Scholar
- Camm, M. 1993. A Code For Triggering the Gore Dimension. Sydney Morning Herald, (15 Nov. 1993): 44.Google Scholar
- The Age. Welcome curbs on violent video games. The Age, (16 May 1993): 13.Google Scholar
- Senate Select Committee on Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies. 1993. Report on Video and Computer Games and Classification Issues, Canberra: Senate Committee (28 October 1993).Google Scholar
- Golding, D. 2012. You're an Adult Now: How Australia Emerged from Gaming's Dark Ages. Hyper Magazine, 227 (August 2012): 6--11.Google Scholar
- Community Standards Committee. 1994. Report: Government Response, (22 Sept 1994), http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansards%2F1994-09-22%2F0221%22Google Scholar
- McGauran, P. 1994. Second Reading Speech: Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Bill 1994. House of Representatives (22 September 1994), http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=389230&TABLE=HANSARDRGoogle Scholar
- Crosio, J. Second reading speech: Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Bill 1994. House of Representatives (22 September 1994), http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=389226&TABLE=HANSARDRGoogle Scholar
- Skinner, T. J.. 1996. Household use of Information Technology, Australia, February 1996. Australian Bureau of Statistics.Google Scholar
- Senate Select Committee on Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies. 1996. Report on Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games), Canberra: Senate Committee (August 1993).Google Scholar
- Durkin, K. 1995. Computer Games and their effects on Young People: A review. Office of Film and Literature Classification, Sydney.Google Scholar
- Lavarch, M. 1995. Computer games may improve family relations: research. (4 October 1995), http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=3564&TABLE=PRESSREL&TAR GET=Google Scholar
- Flew, T. 1998. From Censorship to Policy: Rethinking Media Content Regulation and Classification. Media International Australia incorporating Culture and Policy, 88 (Aug 1998): 89--98.Google Scholar
- Office of Film and Literature Classification. 2001. Grand Theft Auto III Board Report. (November 28 2001).Google Scholar
- Brand, J. E.. 2002. Assessment of Public Submissions. OFLC. (11 Feb 2002).Google Scholar
- Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (Censorship), Annual Report 2002--2003.Google Scholar
- Office of Film and Literature Classification. 2008. Grand Theft Auto III Board Report. (July 10 2008).Google Scholar
- Classification Board and Classification Review Board. 2009. Annual Reports 2008--2009. Commonwealth of Australia: Sydney. http://www.classification.gov.au/About/AnnualReports/Documents/CBOARDAR%200809.pdfGoogle Scholar
- GamePolitics. 2008. Report: Australia's Fallout 3 Ban Ban Prompted by In-game Drug Use. GamePolitics.com. (July 10 2008). http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/07/10/report-australia039s-fallout-3-ban-prompted-game-drug-useGoogle Scholar
- Moses, A. 2008. R-rated games may be on shelves soon. Sydney Morning Herald. (25 February 2008): 1.Google Scholar
- Moses, A. 2008. R18+ For Games? Not a chance. The Age (7 March 2008): 3.Google Scholar
- AAP. 2008. Strange Bedfellows Oppose R18+ Games Debate. News.com.au (28 March 2008), http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23447566-5014239,00.htmlGoogle Scholar
- LeMay, R. 2010. Gamers 4 Croydon hails 'fantastic' Atkinson resignation. Delimiter. (March 21 2010), http://delimiter.com.au/2010/03/21/gamers-4-croydon-hails-fantastic-atkinson-resignation/Google Scholar
- ABC News. 2010. Attorney-General Steps Up Fight With Gamers. ABC News. (16 Feb 2010), http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-16/attorney-general-steps-up-fight-with-gamers/332546Google Scholar
- Ramsay, R. 2010. More than 55,000 R18+ submissions received. Gamespot Australia. (4 March 2010), http://au.gamespot.com/news/more-than-55000-r18-submissions-received-6252907Google Scholar
- Hill, J. 2011. 'Historic agreement' to introduce R18+ games. The Age. (22 July 2011), http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/blogs/screenplay/historic-agreement-to-introduce-r18-games-20110722-1hs4b.htmlGoogle Scholar
- O'Connor, B. 2010. International counterparts restrict more video games to adults only. Media release (9 Dec 2010).Google Scholar
- Interactive Games and Entertainment Association. 2010. Submission to Attorney General's Department. http://www.ag.gov.au/Consultations/Documents/R18+ClassificationforComputerGamesSubmissionsfromOrganisationsorGroups/Interactive%20Games%20Entertainment%20Association%20Ltd%20{PDF%20674KB}.pdfGoogle Scholar
- EB Games, 2010. The Time To Be Heard Is Now: EB Games Launches R18+ Classification Petition. EB Games. https://www.ebgames.com.au/news-728-The-time-to-be-heard-is-now-EB-Games-launches-R18-Classification-PetitionGoogle Scholar
- EveryonePlays, 2010. EveryonePlays. http://everyoneplays.org.auGoogle Scholar
- Serrels, M. 2010. Mythbusters: Children Will Have More Access To Inappropriate Games. Kotaku Australia. (9 Nov 2010), http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/ready-mythbusters-children-will-have-more-access-to-inappropriate-games/Google Scholar
- Ross, N. 2010. Game Classification Hurts Our Kids. ABC Technology and Games. (9 Nov 2010), http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2010/11/09/3060870.htmGoogle Scholar
- Handsley, E. 2012. Developments in Video Game Classification in Australia. Newsletter on Children, Youth & Media in the World. No. 2 (2012), http://www.nordicom.gu.se/cl/publ/letter.phpGoogle Scholar
- Espresso Communications. 2010. Espresso Communications Snags a Highly Commended for R18+ Classification for Video Games Campaign. PR Wire. http://prwire.com.au/pr/20227/espresso-communications-snags-a-highly-commended-for-r18-classification-for-video-games-campaign-1Google Scholar
- Golding, D. 2012. What Our Politicians Think About Videogames. Crikey.com.au. (17 March 2012), http://blogs.crikey.com.au/game-on/2012/03/17/what-our-politicians-think-about-videogamesGoogle Scholar
- Clare, J. 2012. R18+ Computer Games Legislation Passes the Parliament. Media release (18 June 2012).Google Scholar
- Serrels, M. 2012. R18+: This Is What You Get. Kotaku Australia. (13 Sept 2012), http://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/09/r18-this-is-what-we-get/Google Scholar
- Flew, T. 2012. Classification---Content Regulation and Convergent Media Final Report. Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
- Boreham, G. 2012. Convergence Review Final Report. Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
- Golding, D. 2013. Videogame Makers Are Essential to a Creative Australia. ABC Arts. (15 Mar 2013), http://www.abc.net.au/arts/stories/s3716558.htmGoogle Scholar
- Serrels, M. 2013. Australia's New Classification System May Be Restricted To Mobile And Online Games (For Now). Kotaku Australia. (8 April 2013), http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/04/australias-new-classification-system-may-be-restricted-to-mobile-and-online-games-for-now/Google Scholar
- Curry, R. 2013. Thank you---we did it! iGEA.net (4 Mar 2013), http://www.igea.net/2013/03/thank-you-we-did-it/Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Stasis and entropy in Australian videogames classification discourse
Recommendations
The influence of sectarian and tribal discourse in newspapers readers' online comments about freedom of expression, censorship and national unity in Kuwait
The sectarian and tribal hateful online newspapers readers' comments are analyzed.Dominant groups describe the minority as disloyal to Kuwait and backward.Non-readers of the comments favor censoring them.Readers of sectarian comments believe they damage ...
A pool of dreams: facebook, politics and the emergence of a social movement
CHI '14: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing SystemsIn this paper we present insights from an empirical analysis of data from an emergent social movement primarily located on a Facebook page to contribute understanding of the conduct of everyday politics in social media and through this open up research ...
An Examination of Verbal Aggression in Politically-Motivated Digital Discourse
Verbal aggression in digital discourse has emerged as a substantial focus of interest for scholars wishing to examine how conflicts begin, unfold and end on Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and WhatsApp. However, despite all the scholarly attention that ...
Comments