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Risqué Video Game Gets PG Rating

9:39am Friday, 4th March 2011

Joshua Maule: How do you think this game has been able to achieve a PG rating?

Collett Smart: The game appears to have achieved a PG rating, as the Classification Board believes that the ‘impact of the classifiable elements is mild' and that ‘Material classified as PG may contain material which some children may find confusing or upsetting, and may require the guidance of parents or guardians.'

We believe that this indicates a complete lack of understanding with regards to the harms to children, created by the exposure of sexualised material. As stated on the Collective Shout website, "The sexualisation of children refers to the imposition of adult sexual themes on children at a developmentally inappropriate stage and in a way which may compromise child psychological development." Also, ‘that exposure to themes which a child is not developmentally ready to cope with can have a detrimental effect.' This compromise on children's psychological development has the potential of occurring as it will be compared to movies for children such as ‘Tangled' or ‘James and the Giant Peach' that also have a PG rating. This rating assumes little or no harm will be done to children.

The board also makes a decision regarding classification by using information supplied to them in writing. They never actually play the game.

JM: The Collective Shout blog suggested the game involved "group sex" and "pornified behaviour". From your understanding does the game actually encourage players to have intercourse? Can you provide specifics about what explicit behaviour the game involves?

CS: ‘Group sex' does not always involve intercourse. Sex involves many forms of sexual contact. We believe that the encouragement and allowance of this type of behaviour places girls at risk of inappropriate and unwanted sexual touching and attention.

‘Pornified behaviour' is encouraged right from the cover of the game. This includes strewn clothing and underwear and an indication of more than one couple, due to the odd pairs of shoes. The pink chair also displays a set of padded handcuffs. These are elements which stem from the porn industry. The rubber duck, which is also a child's bath toy, is added to the image.

The trailer itself shows two couples involved in stripping, spanking each other and male-female and female-female simulated kissing using the Wii remote.

During the game players engage in games such as ‘The More you Dare' that involves stripping of clothing. The winner of the stripping game is determined by how much weight is lost due to the amount of clothing taken off during 15 seconds. Avatars on the screen perform pole dancing demonstrations during the stripping game. (People have argued in the media that this is about weight loss, even though the mini game has nothing to do with physical exercise or long term weight loss effects).

A further mini game involves the imitating dance moves of one's on-screen avatar to songs with sexual references such as, ‘You sexy thing', ‘Super Freak' and ‘Sex bomb'.

At the beginning of each mini game, avatars provide information in speech bubbles about adult relationships. Examples being, "Married men are just as likely to have affairs when they are happy.' and ‘Married women tend to have affairs when they are unhappy in their relationships.'

We believe that this content, much like the ‘Have an Affair while in Sydney' billboard that we protested about. Our complaint was upheld by the ad standards board last year, as inappropriate for young people.

JM: What has been done to object to this game's release or call for its reclassification?

CS: This has appeared in the news so far, but as far as we are aware, Collective Shout is the first to call for a reclassification.