Reservoir Dogs banned down-under

No certificate for controversial game-of-film

A new report published by industry site Gamasutra.com, points to a posting from the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification as revealing that Eidos-SCI action title Reservoir Dogs has been refused classification. This effectively means the game has been banned from sale down-under. The application for classification was filed by the game's Aussie publisher Atari, but it seems the game's content was regarded as simply too extreme to fit within one of the existing categories: G, PG, M, MA15+.

An Atari spokesperson said it was 'the end of the matter', when asked whether they would re-apply for classification, and the licensed title of the Quentin Tarantino flick would of course not be the first to stumble in Australia. Manhunt, GTA San Andreas and several other big games have failed to garner a certificate in the country owing to the lack of an MA18+ certificate. Marc Ecko's Getting Up failed to earn certification three-days prior to launch down-under, and it appears Reservoir Dogs was submitted long before its September launch in order that such a shock might be avoided.

Several organisations in Australia are now pressing for an '18' or similar rating, bringing the country in line with several other major games markets, where adult ratings allow even the most graphic of games to go on sale on a restricted basis. More soon.

By Luke Guttridge