AUSTRALIA'S video game industry body has slammed a decision to review the MA15+ rating given to 12 games in Australia, which could cost more than $300,000 and cause nationwide recalls.
The Classification Review Board confirmed it would review the 12 games late today after an application by South Australian Attorney-General John Rau.
The games, all of which have been classified in Australia this year, include Gears of War: Judgment, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, The Walking Dead, and Borderlands 2: Add-on Content Pack.
Mr Rau had previously argued classifications given to 13 video games in Australia be reviewed as the games were given more restrictive ratings in the United States.
"These particular games have been assessed as having intense violence, blood and gore, nudity and suggestive themes," Mr Rau said in September.
But Interactive Games and Entertainment Association chief executive Ron Curry slammed the mass review, calling the action unnecessary and expensive.
Mr Curry said a comparison of New Zealand classifications for the games in question gave similar ratings, with some rated for play by 13-year-olds and others for adults, and American game classifications were only guidelines and not legally enforceable.
"What's really concerning is that these reviews are happening not because there are certain parts of a game that have been identified as contentious or troublesome," he said.
"To take a lump of games and say, 'we've compared the games ratings to the US' is not a fair comparison. It does set a bad precedent."
Mr Curry said the reviews would also be expensive for Australia, costing as much as $336,000 according to previous classification fees.
The individual games, if reclassified, would also face nationwide recalls and repackaging at a significant cost.
The Classification Board will hold five meetings to discuss the classification reviews, with the last on December 5.
