Australian trade body The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) has spoken about the refused classification of DayZ in The country.
According to the IGEA, Bohemia Interactive’s DayZ has not only been refused classification for its physical release; the digital version has had its classification revoked. The survival game has been available digitally via Steam Early Access since 2013 in Australia.
The decision comes from the ability to use cannabis within the game to boost player vital statistics. Refusing to classify a game for drug use for rewards and incentives is unique to Australia according to IGEA’s website.
The country’s classification board has faced backlash from its decision. With it not being representative of what other Australian’s would consider being a good reason to ban content.
IGEA has constantly called for the classification guidelines in Australia to be more flexible, being able to change to meet changing standards in the community. For many adults and parents drug use is in games is not an element to be highly concerned about.
To challenge this ruling a fee of $10,000 must be paid.
“Our latest research report, Digital Australia 2020 highlights that drug use is one the least concerning elements of media content to parents and adults in general,” said IGEA in a statement on its website.
“The current Guidelines are also unhelpfully vague and inflexible. For example, given the drug type, the miniscule role it has in the game and the fact that the drug’s consumption has a ‘restorative’ rather than ‘boosting’ effect, we think that the applicant had a reasonable hope that the game could be legally classified even under the current Guidelines.”
“The $10,000 fee to challenge classification decisions is also simply unfair for publishers and distributors selling boxed products. There is clearly a problem here and this decision highlights the desperate need for the reform of our Classification Guidelines and the importance of our classification regime to keep pace with community standards”
