Mortal Kombat Devs Not Surprised at Aussie RC

Post by Steve Farrelly @ 03:17pm 08/03/11 | 53 Comments

Intrepid Kotaku AU editor, Mark Serrels, had a chance to chat to Mortal Kombat associate producer, Erin Piepergerdes, out at GDC last week and, amidst his own take on the game, asked Piepergerdes about his and the team's take on the game's refusal of classification here in Australia.

“Well we’re disappointed,” he told Serrels. "We’re making a game that we want as many people to play as possible – but we knew what we were getting into. We’re designing it to be M-rated here in the States and that isn’t necessarily going to fly in Australia. We knew it might happen, but the reality is that we can’t really remove features from the game without giving people a game that we feel is not complete.”

There's no word yet on the resubmission of the game, but we do know Warner Bros. Australia aren't taking this one lying down and want the game, unscathed, to be playable here in Australia.

Stay tuned for an update as soon as we have it.

mortal kombat r18+refused classification banned appeal

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Latest Comments

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Fixah
Posted 03:22pm 08/3/11

It's good to hear that they're not planning on toning it down for the aussie market. I mean what's an MK game without the MK violence. It might as well be Kirby's Epic yarn or Epic Mickey or any other game that's tame and claims epic-ism

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Mephistoau
Posted 04:01pm 08/3/11

Agreed. I know it's a business and everything so obviously they want to make money, but im glad they're sticking true to their vision of the game. Ill import for sure.

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Any
Posted 04:03pm 08/3/11

They'll be getting my money one way or another.

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Hogfather
Posted 04:04pm 08/3/11

So sad that AU is more conservative than the USA :(

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TiT
Posted 04:06pm 08/3/11

So sad that AU is more conservative than the USA :(

It never use to be only in recent years!

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Hogfather
Posted 04:07pm 08/3/11

It is what it is, sigh.

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trillion
Posted 04:07pm 08/3/11

Hoggy if you don't like it try getting residency over there why don't you?

It's not about being conservative as it would be rejecting the idea of that amount of violence

Just like street drugs, if you know where or how to get them and you want to use them you will find a way. Same method will apply with this game stop whining

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Hogfather
Posted 04:09pm 08/3/11

Haha trillion, its almost like you're butthurt from being wrong in one thread and flailing around in another one.

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Enska
Posted 04:11pm 08/3/11

hahaha

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Crakaveli
Posted 04:14pm 08/3/11

I bet trillion has a love it or leave bumper sticker.

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trillion
Posted 04:18pm 08/3/11

Hoggy there was no butthurt, if anything it's fanging from people and fanbois with otherwise vested interest in dodgey money dispensers

f**** me how that butthurts me, i don't use their ripoff s***

and i don't see how i've been proved wrong on my position on the OP there anyway

in your last post there you basically agreed with me in more words than "i agree with trillion after all"

last edited by trillion at 16:18:33 08/Mar/11

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Martz
Posted 04:22pm 08/3/11

so basically they gonna appeal? good luck :/

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Hogfather
Posted 04:42pm 08/3/11

The butthurt is evident in your e-rage ... has nothing to do with the argument presented ;)

The world according to trillion:

Possible 5c EFTPOS transaction fee: whinge worthy.
Existing Stupid, Retarded Gaming Classification Rules: not whine worthy.

FTR, this is a gaming forum champ, not a senior's bingo hall!

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Steve Farrelly
Posted 04:51pm 08/3/11

so basically they gonna appeal? good luck :/

The same thing happened with SEGA and Rebellion for AvP, and while you might complain about that game, the appeal got the game through a second time with no need for censoring or changing the original product, so there's precedent and hope...

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trillion
Posted 04:57pm 08/3/11

pull the other one hoggy, you seem to correlate that conservative = rejection of anything with more violent depiction than a Disney theme

that is not what conservatism entails, and it's not what this OFLC decision was about either

and it certainly isn't about the world according to me, but you're making it that by pointing it like that, so whatever you reckon mate pull the other one

moving right along

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Khel
Posted 05:02pm 08/3/11

Do you complain every time a violent R rated movie comes out too?

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Hogfather
Posted 05:03pm 08/3/11

pull the other one hoggy, you seem to correlate that conservative = rejection of anything with more violent depiction than a Disney theme

Didn't say that at all. But the fact that MC is able to be sold in the states and not here means that we are more conservative (at least when it comes to violence). Yo ucan't really dodge that fact.

and it certainly isn't about the world according to me, but you're making it that by pointing it like that, so whatever you reckon mate pull the other one

Possible, unannounced 5c EFTPOS charges are worth complaining about, but our ratings system isn't.

EIther that's true or you need to retract one of them!

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trillion
Posted 05:15pm 08/3/11

Khel why would I? I'm not about to start caring about what adults watch because I give a hoot

The only reason this didn't fly in Australia is because of the lack of an R18+ rating bracket for games because games are usually targeted at and played by bored teenagers or kids for learning means and they generally aren't seen as entertainment that adults engage in as a major pastime

The ratings board I don't think takes into account that 10-15 years ago when this market was in it's infancy stage that it would mature into possibly needing a ratings system that has grown with the market instead of being stuck in classifying for everyone based on focusing on children consuming the media like as the movie industry has

So no they are two very different worlds imo

But you are thinking about yourself and not what an office like the OFLC makes their decisions based on, because you wahh wahh want this awesome game without having to stuff around severely to get it

last edited by trillion at 17:15:05 08/Mar/11

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trillion
Posted 05:24pm 08/3/11

hoggy it's more like a 15c reverse charge and a 5c charge which afaict remains the same as from before, which is worth having a ruh roh about because it effects a lot of things that i will do and it will effect things that almost everyone that doesn't muck around with cash all the time will be doing.

and its not like its unannounced now, the cats out of the embargo bag as of 9.00am, 8 March 2011

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greazy
Posted 05:25pm 08/3/11

Didn't say that at all. But the fact that MC is able to be sold in the states and not here means that we are more conservative (at least when it comes to violence). Yo can't really dodge that fact.

I know laws are meant to represent the peoples moral standards but in this is just a case of ignorance on the public's behalf or late uptake of new morals by the politicians.

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Khel
Posted 05:29pm 08/3/11

I'm not thinking at all about myself, this decision really doesn't affect me because I would be importing a copy from overseas either way, I'm just trying to figure out what side of the argument you are actually on, and what your point is. I can't tell if you're against violent video games or not, or if you support the introduction of an R18+ rating for games or not, and now you're spouting rhetoric about games being played by only bored teenagers and kids and I can't tell if thats your own personal point of view or if you're making commentary on how the population at large sees games.

So just for the sake of getting everything cleared up, answer these questions:

- Do you support the introduction of an R18+ rating for games? Or do you think the current system is the right one for games?

- Do you believe violent video games should not be released in this country at all under any circumstances or would you be fine with it if they came out rated R18+?

- Do you really think that most of the people who play games are children?

I'm not trying to start an argument, its just every time I see you post on this topic of classification I get really confused as to where you actually stand on it.

And just the record, its not like the OFLC made a decision that said "This game is too violent for australians, we are banning it", they just decided it was too violent to fit into the M15+ rating, and since theres nothing higher, they were unable to give it a classification. And because a game has to have a classification to be legally sold here, then MK can't be sold here. It is not, I repeat IS NOT a ban, or censorship, or anything else of the sort. Sick of people treating it that way tbh.

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trillion
Posted 05:36pm 08/3/11

- Do you support the introduction of an R18+ rating for games? Or do you think the current system is the right one for games?

yes sure, it should happen but because of the rhetoric in anyone trying to convince the OFLC that this should happen has so much noise I don't see it happening anytime soon

- Do you believe violent video games should not be released in this country at all under any circumstances or would you be fine with it if they came out rated R18+?

I think the violence should have some limits. Surely if I can play an FPS like and not come away from it feeling like I've just seen some nasty s*** that comes from a bad place, the way the twisted kind of violence in MK does, then I think there's a reasonable limit to what violence should be acceptable in a ratings bracket.

- Do you really think that most of the people who play games are children?

unfortunately yes, absolutely. prove that grinding away at something for hours and hours on end beyond what a casual gamer will do without getting paid for it as it's benefiting some sort of greater purpose or scheme isn't childish

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Enska
Posted 05:40pm 08/3/11

haha give up Khel, I thought I had him figured in the last thread about this but after all that babble I'm thinking trillion doesn't even have trillion figured.

edit*

unfortunately yes, absolutely. prove that grinding away at something for hours and hours on end beyond what a casual gamer will do without getting paid for it as it's benefiting some sort of greater purpose or scheme isn't childish

ahaha, are you f*****g serious? what are you doing on this forum.

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trillion
Posted 05:39pm 08/3/11

look I understand how you guys are trying to pin me down to some thought pattern where you seem to have me personally figured out but it's not about that, why are you making it that?

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greazy
Posted 05:42pm 08/3/11

And just the record, its not like the OFLC made a decision that said "This game is too violent for australians, we are banning it", they just decided it was too violent to fit into the M15+ rating, and since theres nothing higher, they were unable to give it a classification. And because a game has to have a classification to be legally sold here, then MK can't be sold here. It is not, I repeat IS NOT a ban, or censorship, or anything else of the sort. Sick of people treating it that way tbh.

This is important people. the OFLC isn't the enemy.

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trillion
Posted 05:54pm 08/3/11

are you f*****g serious? what are you doing on this forum.

i love some games for the perspective and creativity they combine into amazing works. not everyone is some kind of zombie mmo grinder or reformed zombie mmo grinder that will NEVER EVER AGAIN TOUCH MMO

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Khel
Posted 06:03pm 08/3/11

I know I shouldn't get dragged into this, because I know I'm going to get no satisfaction out of it and its going to drive me crazy but...

unfortunately yes, absolutely. prove that grinding away at something for hours and hours on end beyond what a casual gamer will do without getting paid for it as it's benefiting some sort of greater purpose or scheme isn't childish

Why does it have to have a point! Its gaming! The point of any leisure activity is just to relax and have fun. Watching a movie doesn't need to have some higher purpose, playing golf or riding a bike or going for a surf doesn't have to be a part of some greater scheme, why do games?!? I don't get how this came into the argument at all, why does it have to have some grand purpose to it for it to not be considered childish? Games are games, they aren't trying to change the world, they're just a fun way to spend a few hours.

And nearly my entire circle of friends are gamers to varying degrees, and none of them are children, so I'm not quite sure where that leaves your argument. Either way, its insane for decisions on the classification of this new media to be driven by outmoded assumptions that games are for kids and all gamers are kids and "Oh no we need to protect the children from the violence!", this is the view that everyones favourite AG michael atkinson was espousing and its the reason we don't have a proper classification system for games right now.

I think the violence should have some limits. Surely if I can play an FPS like and not come away from it feeling like I've just seen some nasty s*** that comes from a bad place, the way the twisted kind of violence in MK does, then I think there's a reasonable limit to what violence should be acceptable

You don't have to like it though, thats your choice, nobody is going to force you to watch a movie that is too gory and violent for your tastes just like nobody is going to force you to play a game like MK if you find it distasteful. But choice is the key word here, its your choice, thats all anyone here is asking for here, the right to make that choice themselves. I can choose to read some peverted Marquis De Sade stories if I want, just like I can choose to go and see a Saw movie or a Hostel movie if I want, but I wouldn't do either of those things because its not to my tastes. Do I sit here then and try and stop other people from doing those things, just because I personally dislike it? Hell no, they're grown adults, they can watch and read whatever they want. And yet for some reason games still haven't caught up to that point, don't you see the problem with that? Even though the average age of the gamer is creeping up over 30 now, we still don't have a ratings system that properly accomodates games that are adult in nature and aimed at adult audiences.

I don't even know what argument I'm trying to make anymore, but I figured I'd cover as many bases as I could.

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Hogfather
Posted 06:05pm 08/3/11

This is important people. the OFLC isn't the enemy.

I think that point is well made but old now? There's a reason we want the new rating.

not come away from it feeling like I've just seen some nasty s*** that comes from a bad place, the way the twisted kind of violence in MK does

...

i love some games for the perspective and creativity they combine into amazing works

So violent games are not for you, that's fine. Don't buy it or play it.

I happen to like shooting zombies in the fase and watching them splatter, its hilarious.

Why should you or the Government tell me what I should enjoy?!

I don't even know what argument I'm trying to make anymore, but I figured I'd cover as many bases as I could.

I reckon he might be stoned?

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trillion
Posted 06:07pm 08/3/11

up until reading that i don't think i had any idea where you were coming from in the debate on the ratings thing either, you must be all spent and on the edge after that wall! hah

well after Steve's new thread you should breathe a little easier

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Eorl
Posted 06:20pm 08/3/11

This whole thread contains butthurt. And I like Epic Mickey. Looks like a cool game. But I'm just like that.

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trillion
Posted 06:22pm 08/3/11

Eorl slips into fantasy again, wake up Eorl wake up

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Martz
Posted 07:22pm 08/3/11

too much b****ing here, everyone just calm the f*** down. Cheers.

The same thing happened with SEGA and Rebellion for AvP, and while you might complain about that game, the appeal got the game through a second time with no need for censoring or changing the original product, so there's precedent and hope...

yeah totally see your point but imo this MK title as much as it looks f*****g unreal, it does look pretty bad, the fatalities that is. But I do hope it goes through being a die hard MK1,2 & 3 fan.

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Eorl
Posted 11:56pm 08/3/11

Whoa sorry, was on a fantasy trip again.

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Dan
Posted 05:44pm 09/3/11

Promo trailer from the end of the PS3 demo. Pretty epic.

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Pinky
Posted 05:56pm 09/3/11

Dan, I'm going to have to ask you to remove that video.

It quite clearly contravenes what is reasonable to view in Australia. Please think of the children before posting in the future.

Hahah, trillion is wearing the Vest of Underbridge which gives him +4 trolling endurance. Careful guys.

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Khel
Posted 06:13pm 09/3/11

Oh god, I think I need to go change my pants, I need this game like RIGHT NOW. AWESOME.

Anyone know if theres a way to get your hands on the demo if you're in a backwards country with no R18+ rating?

Also, yay for Shang Tsung, guess it was a no brainer but its good to see him back in MK2/MK3 form. Hope he can turn into other characters still.

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Khel
Posted 06:17pm 09/3/11

All the fatalities that are in the demo. Good to see Johnny Cage uppercutting heads off again!

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Fixah
Posted 06:56pm 09/3/11

haha that scorpion one with the head slice in half is awesome.

Checkout some gameplay of the demo available now to Playstation Plus members.

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Reverend Evil�
Posted 08:03pm 09/3/11

Holy f*** some of those fatalities are awesome. The face against the side of the train is hilarious and so was the one into the lava.

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Dazhel
Posted 08:51pm 09/3/11

Oh god, I think I need to go change my pants, I need this game like RIGHT NOW. AWESOME.

Amen. This game looks like it's packing all the awesomeness of all of the previous MK games combined.
Too soon for GotD?! :))

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Fixah
Posted 09:05pm 09/3/11

I want to play as Kratos, he's such an awesome fit in this game, too bad he's only going to be on PS3 :(

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paveway
Posted 09:12pm 09/3/11

check out fixah going on like he's a mk kid from way back :p

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Fixah
Posted 10:59pm 09/3/11

Nah i've always been a Street Fighter fan, no 2 ways about it, but hell i'd play as Kratos in any fighting game any day cause he's one bad muthafuqqah.

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Khel
Posted 12:40am 10/3/11

Wow, those gameplay videos would be so much better without the extremely annoying douchebag talking over the top of them.

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Fixah
Posted 01:27am 10/3/11

haha yeah DSP is infamous for being a whiney b**** when playing the latest games. It gets even worse when he loses playing online and blames everything else but himself, but it's so damn entertaining listening to him act like such a douche i ended up subscribing to his channels along with the other 100,000+ subscribers. He's got no job and relies on his partner channels for income so he pumps out a s***load of the latest gaming content everyday.

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Gesthemene
Posted 01:43am 10/3/11

Hmm... after watching those trailers, I have to say, I think I'm in favour of the RC...

/dons flame retardant suit.

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paveway
Posted 09:15am 10/3/11

Wow, those gameplay videos would be so much better without the extremely annoying douchebag talking over the top of them.

yeah i couldn't keep watching them, it was too irritating

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implode
Posted 11:40am 10/3/11

Censorship should be banned...

Just hurry up with the R18+ rating please, this is getting ridiculous...

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Fixah
Posted 12:31pm 11/3/11

Mortal Kombat Raiden Vignette:

Looks like Sheeva might be in it too.

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ravn0s
Posted 01:34pm 11/3/11

apparently the decision on the appeal will be released early next week.

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Damo
Posted 02:18pm 11/3/11

Trying to buy a damn ps3 at the moment, wanting to play this so bad!!

Fixah, the idiot in your videos needs to stfu! Most annoying voice, whinging f** as well.

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taggs
Posted 02:44pm 11/3/11

Hoggy there was no butthurt, if anything it's fanging from people and fanbois with otherwise vested interest in dodgey money dispensers

wat?

is this (at least partially) directed at me in some way because i took issue with your asshattery in the EFTPOS thread because i (and apparently a few others) saw it as unjustified and somewhat irrational?

/off topic

anyway, this game looks pretty rad. don't mind having a good ole button bash with mates on fighting games but i'm usually pretty terribad at them. might pick this up on ps3 for the little bro.

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Khel
Posted 08:48pm 11/3/11

Was playing the demo for hours last night, and tonight against my brother, even with only four characters and two stages its an insane amount of fun. Its absolutely 100% the Mortal Kombat of old, it immediately feels like the days of MK2 and MK3, has the same button layout, and it has a back punch button, so it should appeal to all QGL'ers.

I'm just glad they've gone back to the days where everyone can uppercut by crouching and hitting high punch (or "front punch" as its called now, but I still call it high punch) and everyone can sweep by holding back and low kick. Like if you can play MK2 you can jump straight into this and be at least a bit competitive, same vibe that SFIV had how it harkened back to the days of SF2.

And johnny cage still punches people in the nuts. In fact he punches people in the nuts a lot, he has a super nut punch and in his x-ray move he really goes to town on the groin area. Hes also really, really fast, quite fun to play. My brother has been playing Mileena a bit and pulling off all sorts of cool s*** with her too. Like she has a move where she can leap on the other person, and stab one of her sais into their back. The really cool part of this (apart from the obvious), is that she has another move which, when you do it usually, leaps onto the opponent and mileena chews on their face. But if you've already stuck a sai in their back, when you leap on them with the second move, she pulls the sai out their back and stabs the ever living f*** out of their back and head. Its very cool.

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