I’ve talked about Fallout 3 a few times here, and each time has been a full-on geek fest. This time will include a rant. Just so you know.

Now, Australia has a very long history of banning and/or censoring controversial media, which has an impact on video games like Postal and Grand Theft Auto. Usually though, the game is edited only for the version that is released in Australia, while the rest of the world enjoys the full game as intended. Changes were required by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification to give Fallout 3 a MA15+ rating and avoid banning entirely, and here’s what the report stated:

The game contains the option to take a variety of “chems” using a device which is connected to the character’s arm.

…

Corresponding with the list of various “chems” are small visual representation of the drugs, these include syringes, tablets, pill bottles, a crack-type pipe and blister packs. In the Board’s view these realistic visual representations of drugs and their delivery method bring the “science-fiction” drugs in line with “real-world” drugs.

One other reason cited was the use of the real-world drug name “Morphine”. Bethesda explains what they did in response:

Edge has been told by Bethesda vice president of PR and marketing Peter Hines that there will be no differences between the version that releases in Australia and the versions that will release in other territories, including Europe and the US.

Calling the idea of an Australia-specific version of the game a “misconception,” Hines told us, “We want to make sure folks understand that the Australian version of Fallout 3 is identical to both the UK and North American versions in every way, on every platform.”

He continued, “An issue was raised concerning references to real world, proscribed drugs in the game, and we subsequently removed those references and replaced them with fictional names. To avoid confusion among people in different territories, we decided to make those substitutions in all versions of the game, in all territories.”

Hines stated, “I didn’t want people continuing to assume the version in Australia was some altered version when it’s not.” Finally, he explained that, “There are no references to real world drugs in any version of Fallout 3.”

What really irks me, besides the obvious censorship, is that Bethesda is trying to spin this. I mean, from both a financial and business standpoint, I can totally understand wanting to keep just one version of the game for everyone. Less cost. But don’t say that it’s to “avoid confusion”, when gamers are already used to different versions of games depending on what country you live in. Dealing with different laws and regulations for ratings around the world has to be frustrating, but don’t decide for me that the censorship decided in a different country is what you will give me, just because it’s more convenient for you.

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