ARMA 2 : 18+ rating vs Arma 1 : 16+

Just noticed on 505 site that Arma 2 was labelled as 18+ whereas Arma 1 is just 16+. Not that it matters much to me, since I'm way past that, but I'm wondering...

Given that the game mechanics is mostly the same, what do you think motivates this stricter classification ?

Apart from the inclusion of animals and women (some of them with sexy outfits, though mostly the women ;)) I don't see how much more "adult" it can be...

As far as violence is concerned, weapons are just as lethal as in Arma1, but it's still a lot less gore than many other games around, and you don't get drugs, explicit sex etc... either.

Could this be just to prevent virtual animal cruelty and virtual Granny manslaughter by a few retarded individuals ? It's not as if deviant behaviour is part of the core gameplay as in GTA or other Rockstar Games.

Could that also be a impediment for Arma 2 sales ? I remeber I was barely 18 when I played Flaspoint for the first time...

Just a thought...

I'm guessing the inclusion of civilians in the campaign could be a contributing factor in this.

But then again, why was the Delta Force: Black Hawk Down videogame, with fighting in towns full of civilians, only rated 16+?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Force:_Black_Hawk_Down

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Wasn't there a "prostitute" somewhere in the game..?

Boom - 18+

And maybe it's just the rating standards changed during those few years ;) . (Of course for better ones ;) ).

It might be that the story delves into the atrocities and horrors of war or political events that are not suitable for younger audiences.

Hi, that could reply to the fact that now there's "more concern" about the games

content in many EU countrys that are making stronger laws vs what we may call

"adult content", for example in germany, poland or france; where a game called:

Six Days In Fallujah. Won't be released because of it's content.

The campaign story line may have something to do here too, but i don't know it,

i haven't seen it; some war crimes here and there and the kind of sad historys that

happens in a war, but that was already present in the ArmA and no one said nothing

about it. So i vote for the sell it in countrys with more restrictive laws or just where

they look more closely to the game's content with the eye of the censorshit. Let's C ya

I think that a another big factor is the ongoing discussion about so called "killer games" which became actuall again after the latest amok-runs in USA and Germany (Winnenden). It's the easiest way for Politicians to blame it all on those games.

I guess most of the newer games with any kind of violence in them will be rated 18+ abt the moment....................just to prevent a game being pointed at when a pre-mature runs amok...............

In my opinion rating a game 18+ doesnt prevent ANYTHING!

Drugs are forbidden => Are there no addicted people?

Alcohol is forbidden under 18 => how many teens go to hospital because of drinking excessively?

I even go a step further: Rating / forbidding such games makes them even more interesting to the pre-mature..........and there's always a way to get them!

Btw: I'm far over 18, just if anyone cares....... ;)

Hi, i never bought any game based on the age rating, i've always bought the games for the

content, the history, the capabilitys and the graphics; here in spain i always was able of

buy games that had an age rate superior to my age on that time, from when i was happy

Amiga 500/1200 user until this day.

As i'd said... i think that what motivates that +18 rating, it's the political factor and the

changing laws on many EU countrys motivated by specific facts and the public opinion that

swallows anything that comes from the media and belive in what they see on the TV news

and talk shows as if it were the Lord's word. Let's C ya

fight against censorship! Like Mel Gibson said in Braveheart movie : Freedom!!!!!

Geee why is it only the people can think themselves and politicians and big organizations try to pass laws to level the people and remove democrazy :P

Due note that this 18+ is a BBFC emblem and does not directly effect other European countries using PEGI or other ratings. But the rate could be the same in the end, we just don't know yet.

I dont know if this have nothing to do with games (and this game) but here in Finland we have some tv series for children marked as 18+, because today its very expensive to get the classification with official outside checking. If the tv serie/movie/game(?) isnt checked then it gets automatically 18+.

I would agree that it be likely to do with the story, and the fact that your 'moral compass' will be a factor in the direction it takes, much the same as in Bioshock. Probably the combination of that, the implied violence, strong language and greater civilian presence...

...oh and to pacify the 'Great British nanny state'.....

but ultimately 16+/18+... it makes not the slightest bit of difference.

Is that rating going to prevent anyone from getting the game? Ofc there are some crazy parents but I hardly doubt that killing as a soldier puts off many parents.

"but ultimately 16+/18+... it makes not the slightest bit of difference. " - exactly :)

The far bigger problem are that games, that get tons of content taken out, only to get an 16+ rating.

What we get in that case, is not worth the price on it.

On the other hand, here in Germany even 18+ titles are often "cut-versions", and only an unofficial patch gives you all the content that belongs to the game.

I'll wait for the German USK raiting, since I expect it to be the strictest one but I can't think of any reason that causes the difference.:confused:

By intelligently classifying games in this way, at least the publishers have done their due dilligence to try to keep inappropriate content out of the hands of children. After this recommendation, it is in the hands of whoever is handling the game thereafter. The responsibility is ultimately left with the parents, where I think it should be.

Wasn't there a "prostitute" somewhere in the game..?

Boom - 18+

Yes - a civilian woman in some video she clearly look... well you can see more skin than usuall and when the player moused over her it said "Hooker"

Don't see a problem with a 18+ rating.

Wargames are nothing for children .(now that i am old i can finally say that :cool: ).

There is some wisdom in making some games/media only available to adults.

Especially if it means cutting gore and realism out of the game to get a 16+ rating.

I'll wait for the German USK raiting, since I expect it to be the strictest one but I can't think of any reason that causes the difference.:confused:

Unless there are Nazis in the game, I think the worst would be the Aussies - they seem to ban just about everything...

The 16 vs 18 thing kinda reminds me of the huge controversy over GTA San Andreas which caused the game to be boosted from 17+ to 18+

Actually, I dont think you can even sell 18+ videogames to anyone in Australia.

Would be cool if a Australian could confirm this, as I don't trust Wikipedia without a source. Wiki:

Video games in Australia cannot be rated R18+ as the rating only exists for film. This has led many games to be edited (to obtain an MA15+ rating) or refused classification.

So yes, they banned videogames, and they banned handguns. So now there is no longer crime in Australia, as illustrated by this graph^^

Assaults from 1995 to 2007 in Australia (number per month)

http://www.aic.gov.au/topics/violence/stats/assault/

On the other hand, here in Germany even 18+ titles are often "cut-versions", and only an unofficial patch gives you all the content that belongs to the game.

Happily, I don't remember that any game has been censored in Norway, and I do think it's a thing of the past even for movies (?).

I find it hard to believe that computer games can lead to aggression and violence IRL, however if I'm wrong, there sure will be a lot of dead cows after ArmA II is released.

Don't see a problem with a 18+ rating.

Wargames are nothing for children .(now that i am old i can finally say that :cool: ).

There is some wisdom in making some games/media only available to adults.

Especially if it means cutting gore and realism out of the game to get a 16+ rating.

This I agree with. Children shouldn't play games/sim of this tpye. For me its bad to deal with them online in the games. Let alone in this genre. But that due to my age also. And having sons & daugthers of my own. I wish not to have my son or daugther exposed to violent acts. Plus the negetive effects of team play. But understandble when it come to violence in the EU. Where as in the US. Sex is the big negetive when it come to gaming. In the US. You can kill millions of people, animal etc. But please don't show my son are daugther a pair of tits on screenare in game. Ok. Rant over.

The 16 vs 18 thing kinda reminds me of the huge controversy over GTA San Andreas which caused the game to be boosted from 17+ to 18+

Here in the USA when GTA:San Andreas came out, it was rated M(18+). Then, after the entire "Hot Coffee" stuff, it was rated AO(Adult Only). But then Rockstar released an edited version 2 which contained none of it and got it a rating M again. But, I don't find ArmA II a big deal being rated M here in the USA, compared to ArmA 1 being rated T for Teen.

Here in the USA when GTA:San Andreas came out, it was rated M(18+).

Assuming we're talking about ESRB ratings M is 17s, and AO is 18s. Maddox had a great article on the whole affair.

Happily, I don't remember that any game has been censored in Norway, and I do think it's a thing of the past even for movies (?).

There seems to be a rather lax attitude amongst the Scandavian countries towards censorship in general. I remember visiting Denmark a few years ago and noting that hardcore porno DVDs only had a 15s rating on them!

Uh-oh...there is no 18 rating in Australia. We simply don't get those games instead.