Aussie censors block violent Aliens vs. Predator

by Stevie Smith - Dec 4 2009, 10:25

Expectant gamers in Australia looking forward to a little creepy alone time with upcoming shooter Aliens vs. Predator are likely reeling with frustration today after the country’s censors slapped the videogame with a ban due to extreme graphic content such as dismemberment, decapitation, impalement and extensive post-mortem damage.

According to Australia’s Classification Operations Board the game contains “close-up depictions of human characters being subjected to various types of violence, including explicit decapitation and dismemberment as well as locational damage such as stabbing through the chest, mouth, throat, or eyes.”

“The Predator collects ‘trophies’ by explicitly ripping off human heads, their spinal columns dangling from severed necks,” it added in its official report. “Eyes can be stabbed through or gouged, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets.”

While third-party videogame publisher SEGA has not yet ruled out issuing an appeal against the board’s decision to refuse classification, it has formally confirmed the ban through a statement that outlines the initial submission of Aliens vs. Predator has been bounced.

If SEGA does lodge an appeal, and that appeal fails, the only way Aliens vs. Predator is ever likely to make it into the hands of Aussie gamers (beyond importing on compatible platforms) is if the publisher opts to scale back on the contentious levels of gore – something Valve recently did when its zombie sequel Left 4 Dead 2 was similarly blocked.

Based around the existing movie franchise of the same name, Aliens vs. Predators is being developed by Rebellion and is expected to arrive on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Games for Windows in the early part of 2010.

Around the Web