"Silent Hill f Banned in Australia"

Konami's much-anticipated Silent Hill f has encountered a significant hurdle in Australia, having been refused classification (RC rating), which means it cannot currently be sold in the country. This rating was assigned by an automated tool managed by the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), rather than by actual members of the Australian Classification Board. Given past precedents, it's unlikely that this will be the final word on the matter.

Konami does not handle its own distribution in Australia; instead, it relies on a third-party distributor, which IGN has reached out to for comment.

The specific reasons behind Silent Hill f's RC rating have not been disclosed. Since the introduction of an adults-only category (R18+) for games in Australia in January 2013, games are typically refused classification due to content involving sexual activity with minors, depictions of sexual violence, or linking incentives to drug use. A previous Silent Hill game, Silent Hill: Homecoming, faced a similar issue in 2008 because of a high-impact torture scene. However, that was before the R18+ rating was introduced, which now allows for higher levels of violence. Silent Hill: Homecoming was eventually released in Australia with modified camera angles for the contentious scene, receiving an MA15+ rating.

It's important to note that Silent Hill f's RC rating was determined by the IARC's online tool, which is designed for mobile and digital games. This tool involves a questionnaire about the game's content, and based on the answers, it automatically assigns ratings according to the standards of participating countries. In Australia, this tool is limited to digitally distributed games and was adopted in 2014 to address the overwhelming number of games released annually on platforms like the iOS app store. There have been cases where the IARC's automated ratings have been higher than those assigned by human classifiers, leading to misconceptions about game bans, as seen with Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few in 2019.

The IARC tool is free, making it advantageous for smaller publishers and developers. However, physical game releases still require a review by the Australian Classification Board, which has the authority to override IARC decisions. If Silent Hill f plans a physical release in Australia, it would need to be submitted to the Classification Board regardless.

In Australia, game publishers can employ accredited classifiers or authorized assessors. Accredited classifiers are trained in-house staff whose decisions are considered official Classification Board decisions. Authorized assessors, on the other hand, can only make recommendations to the Board, which then makes the final decision.

At this point, it's premature to determine if Silent Hill f's RC rating will stand after further review. Notably, Silent Hill f has received an 18+ rating certification in Japan, marking a first for the Silent Hill series.