EB Games backs Australian R18+ rating
Retailer promotes in-store petitions during public consultation period
Retail chain EB Games has begun to promote an in-store petition demanding that the Australian government introduce an 18+ age rating for videogames.
The petition has been posted in all of the company's 350 stores in Australia and on its website, with 50,000 customers adding their name to the campaign in the first ten days.
According to EB Games MD Steve Wilson the petition was begun following requests from customers for the company to become involved in the public consultation paper announced late last year.
"With the release of the government’s discussion paper, we knew as a company that we needed to act on this issue as it continues to cripple our industry and cost local jobs," said Wilson in comments to Australian technology website APC.
“Our customers have sent us a message loud and clear that this is an issue that needs to be addressed and we only get one shot at this,” he added. "Once this Government paper is closed, it could be many years before we get another chance to voice our opinion on this issue. The time to be heard is now."
Although Australia has an 18+ age rating for films and DVDs, the highest rating for video games is 15+. This has led to many games, most recently Left 4 Dead 2 and Aliens vs Predator, either being severely censored before release or refused classification.