Modern Warfare 2 is R18 in New Zealand

Overmind writes "Well, this is strange, isn't it? I have a relative, who is 17 years old and enjoyed the first Modern Warfare so much, he decided to Pre-order Modern Warfare 2. Now, as he went to Pre-order it this afternoon, he was asked for ID. He handed it over, assuming that the assistant thought he was under 16, but he was handed his ID back, and was told "I'm sorry, you're not 18.""

[Pandamobile]

I would have assumed New Zealand would have the same rating board as Australia.

[Donutta]

Why? They are different countries.

[jhoang]

new zealand is a country now?

[Pandamobile]

So? Most rating systems are for areas. ESRB for Canada and the USA, PEGI for Europe, etc.

[JonnyBadfinger]

your commenting on a country which you nothing about. Im actually envious of their R18+ classifications.

But i wonder what was so horrific in the game that made them bring up their breakfast. From what i have read it has none of the gore that W@W had, and i dont think anyone gives a rats-arse that Washington DC gets nuked in the game. So yeah seems a bit odd to give it an absurd rating

but atleast it means less NZ 15 year olds running their mouth on CoD6,
you yanks wouldnt hear em but since just about every Aussie and Kiwi play/search 'Locale Only' but they sound exactly as i spell this "Ey Brew, time for sum fesh and cheps". so now apply that to insults (or as they would say, "ensults") and it can get more irritating than crabs.

[Hato-kun]

Hey man, that's offensive. We don't sound like that, common misconception. Plus, every Call of Duty game (Well, now bar MW2) has been rated R16. It's been consistent for years, so it must be something massively violent, or something that the censors thought was wrong, because an R18 rating is rather hard to come by here.

[NewZealander]

hell no, aus has the most stupid rating system for games in the world!

[LordStig]

we say it like this "Chur Bro, time for some fush and chups" :D remember that people the next time you can't tell the difference between an aussie or kiwi accent just ask them to say fish and chips.

[micro_invader]

Let me refer you to this educational video on the differences between the Australian and Kiwi accent.

[tdogchristy90]

It's probably due to the blood splatter that appears when you get shot. This was not in mw1 and thus it makes mw2 more gory?

[Hato-kun]

That was in MW1....

[krouse93]

No the screen just flashed red in MW1 in 2 it drips blood

[mastiffchild]

It's not that. When you watch any of the trailers for MW2 you'll see the ratings screen at the start and I was surprised to see among the "severe violence", "scenes with blood/gore", "scenes with adult langueage" etc the line about "some drug use".

IIRC NZ has taken an increasibly hard line on depictions of drug use over the last decade or so and feel it could well be that there are some drug scenes in the game. I don't quite see how unless the terrorists are using mules to carry bombs AND drugs or something similar but usually they only list the actual things found in the film/game/dvd on these sreens.

Australia can be hard on drugs scenes too but I'm told by a Kiwi friend(well he's English but his missus is NZ and he moved there ages ago)that they';re even more draconian over them there-whcich he thinks is odd when they're prety soft on other stuff. Anyway-my moneys on the drugs! I say this even though I have no idea about the article as it would work for me!

[loslonelyman]

That Blood Splatter effect is really gonna piss off parents and ratings boards lol, its the only thing to date i've seen that would warrant a raising of age requirements from MW1.

[Close_Second]

...won't be long before MW2 is swamped with under age players. At least you can mute them...unlike in Battlefield 1943.

[-DeathWraith-]

At least our games don't get banned like a certain other country, lmao.

Cough "Aussie" cough.

[Digitaldude]

Just order it online, even though I ain't getting it.