Silent Hill: Homecoming refused classification in Australia

by Xav de Matos { Sep 29th 2008 at 11:30AM }

Looks like the Homecoming won't be hitting the land down under after all. Screen Play is reporting that the sixth title in Konami's Silent Hill series won't be able to release in Australia in its current form.

Silent Hill: Homecoming focuses on violence to rid the world of evil horrors by way of "ramming pipes through enemies' heads and stomping on their faces to pull them out [and] tearing their entrails loose with an axe," as described by Edge Online.

The crux of the issue stems from the OFLC rating standards which currently has a peak rating of 15+ for games, despite the fact that movies and magazines can be given an adult rating (R18+). The Australian government, which maintains the rating system in the country, has said they are looking into adding an adult rating to games but have yet to implement any changes.

Silent Hill: Homecoming will join System Shock 2: Blood Trails, Dark Sector and Fallout 3 as the only four titles to be refused classification in 2008, although the latter two titles were eventually released in a modified form to meet the rating standards. Silient Hill: Homecoming hits the Xbox 360 next week in North America followed by a November release in Europe.

Tags: austrailia, konami, oflc, rating, silent-hill-homecoming

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Alex @ Sep 29th 2008 11:59AM

Was Condemned allowed in Australia? Manhunt?

Matt @ Sep 29th 2008 12:36PM

I'm guessing you mean Shellshock 2: Blood Trails not SYSTEM SHOCK 2! Though I had never heard of Shellshock, I'm guessing we probably won't get an expansion for System Shock 2 anytime this year.

Viridium @ Sep 29th 2008 12:53PM

HOLY F! You had me all excited that there was some Aus-only release of some bizarre System Shock 2 expansion or something, until after a Google search, it turns out you meant SHELLshock 2: Blood Trails.

Patrick @ Sep 29th 2008 12:58PM

Jeez, what is up with the freakin' Australians? And I thought we Americans were anal...

Tel Prydain @ Sep 29th 2008 3:27PM

@ #4 Patrick

You are. =o)

Basically, Americans freak out about sex or nudity, whereas Australians freak out over drugs and violence.
For example, the Australian version of Indigo Prophesy had nudity and sex in it that was cut from the US version.

PimpDaddy Stevan @ Sep 30th 2008 3:37AM

@ Tel Prydain:

So, why is it that an episode of Family Guy (an old one at that) got an Australian TV station in trouble?
You know, the episode where Death gets hurt and Peter has to take over? Turns out the Aussies didn't appreciate that little scene where Death is having sex in a car.

Australia's government is just full of idiots who refuse to lighten up. They're so worried that their citizens are going to be corrupted. Those douche bags need to stop ruining people's fun. It's not like people aren't going to import it anyway.