The Australian government has amended the final R18+ classification guidelines first released in November last year to coincide with the introduction of the R18+ rating for games in Australia.

The new guidelines have been created to stand outside the current combined Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Computer Games, and will serve to inform the Classification Board of Australia when the R18+ classification is officially introduced on January 1, 2013.

The new guidelines are almost identical to the ones released by the federal government in November last year. The most notable difference in the new set of R18+ guidlines--the ones that will be used officially--is the strengthening of the restrictions on sex and sexual violence in the MA15+, R18+, and Refused Classification (RC) categories. (See below for a breakdown of what's new).

Analysis

It is important to note that nothing in regards to violence and almost nothing in regards to drug use has been changed from the old guidelines to the new guidelines in the MA15+, R18+, and RC categories: both the old and new guidelines deemed that games will be refused classification in Australia if they contain:

a) illicit or prescribed drug use related to incentives or rewards; and
b) interactive drug use which is detailed and realistic.

However, the new guidelines have added the following restriction in the R18+ category:

"Interactive illicit or prescribed drug use that is detailed and realistic is not permitted."

Despite this addition, it's worth keeping in mind that while some games have been banned in Australia in the past for depictions of drug use, the majority of banned games have been refused classification due to violence.

The same can be said for the mention of the interactive nature of video games, in both the old and new guidelines:

"Due to the interactive nature of computer games and the active repetitive involvement of the participant, as a general rule computer games may have a higher impact than similarly themed depictions of the classifiable elements in film, and therefore greater potential for harm or detriment, particularly to minors."

Again, it's important to keep in mind that this is not a judgement. The guidelines say that "as a general rule", video games "may" have a higher impact than other media. The interactive nature of games and how this affects human behaviour has been the subject of a long and drawn-out debate, and while there is no conclusive evidence that interactivity does have a higher impact than passive media, the guidelines are very clear on why this had to be mentioned:

"Interactivity is an important consideration that the Board must take into account when classifying computer games. This is because there are differences in what some sections of the community condone in relation to passive viewing or the effects passive viewing may have on the viewer (as may occur in a film) compared to actively controlling outcomes by making choices to take or not take action."

Indeed, the Australian federal government has no agenda to hide on this matter: in November 2010 it undertook a review of existing research into the effects of violent games on behaviour and found no conclusive evidence that violent games have more impact than any other media.

What's changed (November 2011 edition vs. September 2012 edition)

MA15+

In the old guidelines, this category allowed for implied sexual violence under the condition of it being non-interactive and justified by the context.

In the new guidelines, this category will no longer allow for any kind of sexual violence, implied or otherwise.

R18+

In the old guidelines, this category allowed for implied sexual violence under the condition of it being non-interactive and justified by the context.

In the new guidelines, actual sexual violence is not permitted. Implied sexual violence is permitted only in cases where it is not visually depicted, interactive, or related to incentives or rewards. Implies sexual violence is not permitted if not justified by the context.

In regards to sex, the new guidelines specify that while sexual activity may be realistically simulated, depictions of actual sexual activity or simulated sexual activity that is explicit and realistic are not permitted.

RC

The new guidelines specify that depictions of actual sexual violence (compared to simply "sexual violence" in the old guidelines) are not permitted. Similarly, the new guidelines add that depictions of actual sexual activity and simulated sexual activity that is explicit and realistic are not permitted in the RC category.

Industry reaction

The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (iGEA) expressed "a reserved and qualified welcome" to the announcement of the new R18+ guidelines today, saying that they have been written to try and balance the concerns of two opposing sides.

"The new guidelines released today show that they have been crafted to try to balance the concerns of those who have resisted an R18+ classification and adults who want to play video games designed specifically for mature audiences and that are readily available in other developed democracies," the iGEA said.

"As we have previously stated, we are concerned with the acknowledgment in the guidelines that interactivity has greater impact on players, despite the Federal Attorney-General's office publishing a literature review in September 2010 that found no evidence to support these claims. Ultimately, we will need to wait to see how the Classification Board interpret and administer the new R18+ and revised M and MA15+ categories. We trust that they will reflect the standards of morality, decency and propriety accepted by reasonable adults, not just the vocal ones."

The creative director of NetherRealm Studios and co-creator of fighting game franchise Mortal Kombat, Ed Boon, will be headlining at this year’s EB Expo in Sydney. He will be showcasing Injustice: Gods Among Us, a fighting game featuring characters from the DC Comics universe.

The co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series, Ed Boon.

The game will be presented by Boon on Friday, October 5, at 11 a.m., with show attendees having the opportunity for hands-on play with the game at the Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment booth.

EB Games Expo 2012 is dedicated to gaming and geek culture, and will be open to the general public who purchase tickets. The event officially opens on October 5 and runs until October 7, and gives Aussies a chance to check out some of the big-name games that will be shipping later this year and further into the future.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is set for release in 2013, and will feature a pantheon of DC staples, with the currently revealed roster already including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, Catwoman, Nightwing, and Cyborg.

For more on Injustice, check out GameSpot's coverage of the game.

Treyarch’s first person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops II is to see release this year with an accompanying hardware bundle. Just in time for Christmas, the bundle will include the game and a 250GB Xbox 360 with a controller and be available for sale on November 13.

Call of Duty Black Ops II will have an Xbox bundle available for purchase

The Call of Duty Black Ops II bundle has a recommended retail price of $499.00. Call of Duty: Black Ops II is due out on November 13 and is a sequel to 2010's original Black Ops.

Black Ops outsold the most recent entry in the series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, during July 2012. For more on the upcoming game, check out GameSpot's latest preview.

In late 2011, three gamers embarked on a 24-hour marathon to play 15 of the poorest-rated games of all time, with the goal of raising money for charity. Dubbed the Lame Game Marathon, their efforts resulted in an A$5500 donation to UNICEF. This year, the trio is returning for the appropriately titled Lame Game Marathon 2.

Looks like fun!

Like its predecessor, the event will be live streamed for its duration on September 22. All funds raised will go towards the Sahel Emergency Appeal. Audiences will be able to watch Dan and James Camilleri and Mark Dawes play through “15 of the worst games ever made”.

The show's hosts will interact with viewers through Twitter and Facebook, as well as the stream chat. For additional information, or how to watch the action and donate, check out the Lame Game Marathon website.

Professional fighting game player Ryan "Filipino Champ" Ramirez has called out Australian fighting game organisation The Shadowloo for running a tournament with a late-changing cash prize. The moment occurred during Wakeup SRK, a live-stream for the fighting game community that features more than 2,000 subscribers.

Ryan "Filipino Champ" Ramirez is a professional Ultimate Marvel vs.Capcom 3 player.

The following can be heard at the 18-minute mark during the stream:

"The prize was supposed to be $10,000 in [Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3]. You know what happened? They announced this on winner's finals … We're about to play on winners finals and they said, 'Oh, you guys, the prize is only $1,500 now, plus, maybe we could add $600 from the raffle'."

Filipino Champ was discussing the issue during a conversation on the larger topic of tournament standards. The Shadowloo Showdown tournament was hosted in April this year with several international players travelling to Australia to compete.

"It was like, you guys just heard about it and you just figured it out right now? You guys didn't tell me that before the tournament, so I could've just cancelled? What's up with that? But you guys never told me about that," Filipino Champ said during the stream.

His comments sparked support for Shadowloo on Twitter from major fighting game personalities, such as Justin Wong and Mark "MarkMan" Julio, who both tweeted their support for the organisation.

Ryan "Filipino Champ" Ramirez recently took out first place in the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournament at the 2012 Evolution Championship Series (EVO).

Shadowloo declined to comment when contacted by GameSpot.

The Australian Centre for Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne has announced two all-ages competitions to coincide with its Game Masters exhibition, which honours some of gaming history's greatest developers.

The first competition, Game Masters Super Chef, opens today. Entrants will be tasked with creating a gaming-inspired dish, savoury or sweet, that will appeal to a hungry gamer. The competition is all about food styling, so entrants are encouraged to make their entries look good, as well as taste good. Entries can be submitted in the form of a photograph, which will then be judged by food critic, co-host and judge on MasterChef Australia, Matt Preston, who will pick a winner.

There's also a competition for entrants under the age of 16. The winner of each category (both junior and senior) will receive a Game Masters prize pack, which includes a Sony PlayStation Vita console and game, a double pass to the exhibition and a Game Masters book signed by Tim Schafer and Warren Spector. A bonus prize will go to the winner of the Audience Award, for each of Game Masters Super Chef and Junior Game Masters Super Chef, judged by ACMI's Facebook fans (determined by number of "likes").

Entries for Game Masters Super Chef (junior and senior) open today and close Monday, September 17. Winners will be announced Monday, October 1.

Know how to bake this? You could win stuff if you do!

The second competition, Sonic Sensations, challenges entrants to create and record their own original video game-inspired composition (either a song or a tune). ACMI is looking for .wav files between one and three minutes in length.

The competition will be judged by game composer and designer Steve Fawkner (Warlords, Puzzle Quest series). The winner will receive a Game Masters prize pack, and there are also prizes for the runner up, who will win a Game Masters t-shirt, Game Masters book (unsigned) and an ACMI Membership.

Sonic Sensations opens on Friday, August 24 and entries close Monday, October 8. The winners will be announced on Monday, October 15.

For more information and competition details, check out ACMI's Game Masters website.

Square Enix has announced that it is launching a nationwide competition to celebrate the local release of the Hitman: Sniper Challenge stand-alone minigame for PCs.

Created as an exclusive title for players who pre-order Square Enix's upcoming Hitman: Absolution, the game's global online leaderboards have been active since May 15, but PC gamers have not had a chance to participate until now.

The Australian competition will launch today in partnership with video game retailer EB Games. Monthly prizes will be awarded to each of the highest Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and PC leaderboard scores for those who have pre-ordered Hitman: Absolution at EB Games Australia, and registered their details at the Hitman: Sniper Challenge website.

Do you have the right kind of scoping skills?

Prizes in the competition include Sennheiser headphones and Hitman merchandise.

The online leaderboards are supported by various challenges, and include rewards like score multipliers, secret extras, and the ability to unlock equipment upgrades. Some of these upgrades can be unlocked and carried over into Hitman: Absolution.

For more information on the competition, and updates on the Australian leaderboards, visit EB Games for details.

Hitman: Absolution is scheduled for a global release on November 20, 2012 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

For the first time ever, Australia will be sending a representative to compete in the fighting game Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 at the Super Battle Opera (SBO) tournament taking place in Japan, over August 4-5 this year.

Antony "Antman" Nguyen will be representing Australia in UMVC3 at the SBO tournament.

Last Saturday, a qualifying tournament was held at Shadowloo Headquarters in Melbourne to determine which player would be victorious and claim top spot as the Australian representative. Antony "Antman" Nguyen took first place; winning a fully paid ticket to Japan to compete.

He went undefeated throughout the tournament, which had a total of 28 players competing.

SBO is an annual tournament that invites qualifying players and teams from all over the world to compete in various fighting games. This year marks the first time SBO has included console games as part of its competitive line-up.

Blizzard Entertainment and the Australian Cyber League have partnered to host the Australian National and Oceania Starcraft II World Championship Series finals. The event marks the largest eSports competition Blizzard has hosted in the region; but if you were hoping to head along and watch the action live, you're already out of luck.

Two finalists will represent the region internationally.

A total of 600 tickets, 300 each for Saturday and Sunday, were made available at 9am AEST today, and were quickly snapped by fans.The entire allocation was exhausted within 15 minutes of going on sale. No additional tickets have been confirmed for the tournament.

Scheduled for the weekend of August 11-12 this year at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney, the Australian Nationals will kick off on Saturday to determine which players will compete in Sunday's Oceania Finals.

The event will showcase the top 18 players from Australia and New Zealand, and offer a combined prize pool of A$25,000. The two finalists will then go on to represent the region in the Battle.net World Championship, in China later this year.