As reported by Gamespot, Aliens vs. Predator, Sega"s upcoming first-person shooter has been refused classification by the Australian government on the grounds that the game exceeds the maximum rating of MA15+. When a title has been refused classification, it cannot be made commercially available in the country, in an essence banning the game.
The publisher has issued the following statement in response to government"s decision: "SegaAustralia can today confirm that the initial submission of Aliens vs Predator has been refused classification by the Classification Operations Board of Australia. We will continue to investigate all options available to us, including the possibility of appeal."
The game has been refused classification for the following reasons:
"The game contains first-person perspective, 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," said the board"s report."
The refusal comes after the Australian government "banned" Valve"s competitive first-person shooter Left 4 Dead 2.