Construction title pulled from Steam

The latest story from the wild 'n' wacky world of Australian Classification sees strategy management sim RimWorld pulled from Steam after it bagge??d a "Refused ??Classification" rating from the official board.

Unfortunately for Ludeon Studios, the notoriously stringent Australian Ratings Board has not only brought the hammer down on the application, but has also retroactively removed RimWorld from the Steam platform in Australia. "Refused Classification" is a status decreed for titles that contain "matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena." Oddly, there have been titles in the past that received an "RC" rating on consoles, but still remained available for purchase on PC, so this incident is very much a raw deal for RimWorld fans.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tDrxOASUog

"I'm sorry this news was so sudden and for anyone who is frustrated by this," an ?understandably frustrated Ludeon Studios wrote in a blog po?st. "We are working to resolve this situation and make RimWorld available to everyone again as soon as possible, but we don't yet know what that might require or h??ow long it may?? take."

RimWorld, (previously known as Eclipse Colony), is a sci-fi indie builder from indie outfit Ludeon Studios. Originally launched on PC/Steam back in 2018, the game sees players build and manage a city of colonists across an intergalactic frontier. RimWorld received praise from critics and players for its rich mechanics and interesting stellar setting. While RimWorld is yet to receive a console port, the fact that it was put forward to ratings boards afresh suggests that the developer/publisher is looking to transition the title onto new platfor?ms.

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Will we see it com-ing?

A mysterious new Atlus title has popped up on the Australian Government Classification website �The as-yet-unannounced game is known as "Project Pen" and?? is currently in development as a "multi-platfo??rm" title.

Little has been confirmed about Project Pen, except we do know from its classification page that it received an "MA 15+" rating from the Australian classification board for its "strong violence and sexualised imagery". Additionally, the new title will also feature in-game purchases and will be published in English-speaking territories by Sega of America. Curious. Stranger still, the USA is also listed as the? new title's point of origin, potentially implying that Project Pen will be developed in the west, which is quite uncommon for Atlus releases.

Atlus/Sega is, of course, best known for its collaborative efforts on the beloved JRPG franchise Persona �which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. An announcement pertaining to the slick series is expected in December, but whether that announcement and this new rating are?? linked remains guesswork for now. Either way, Atlus has something up its sleeve, and we'll just have to hold on with bated breath before Project Pen is officially revealed.

Atlus-developed "Pr??oject PEn" game?? rated in Australia [Persona Central]

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Proposed bill to brand loot box games 'Adults Only'

An Australian legislator is drafting a bill amendment that would require every "loot box" video game to be stamped with an "R18+" rating, essentially making it illegal for retailers/publishers to sell any video game featuring the controversial mechanic? to anyone under 18 years of age.

As reported by Kotaku, Australian parliamentary member Andrew Wilkie is expected to present the Classification Amendment (Loot Box) Bill to the House of Representatives in August, where it will be voted on and thus approved or rejected. The new legislation would see all Loot Box-based games on all platforms received the R18+ or "Ad?ults Only" rating, alongside fur??ther descriptive information warnings of said title's in-game purchases.

"We as a country accept that people over the age of 18 can gamble but let's make that for adults and giving parents a warning," Wilkie said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. "To allow very young child?ren to pay cash for a randomised event that may or may not reward them that would meet any definition of gambli??ng."

Australia maintains an incredibly staunch stance against video gaming and its content. In regards to video game censorship, Australia is among the most scissor-happy countries on the globe. Wilkie's proposed bill, however, goes far beyond the hand-wringing over whether a game is too violent or promotes recreational drug use. Should the Classifi??cation Amendment (Loot Box) Bill pass, it could facilitate a re-evaluation of the use of lo??ot boxes in gaming for other countries, potentially changing the industry's trigger-happy application of the mechanic on a global basis.

That's a might?y big "should", however... and an?? even bigger "could".

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Apeeling news

The Australian Classification board dropped a leak for what appears to be a new title in Sega's infuriating but compelling inertia puzzle series Super Monkey Ball. In a listing since removed from the board's website, the governing body approved "Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania" on April 15.

Of course, there are absolutely zero details pertaining to this new title, but the leak ties in with increasing loud whispers from both fans and even SMB's own voice actors that a new Super Monkey Ball was on the horizo??n. In regards to information about the new entry's gameplay, platforms, or release date, we'l?l just have to wait until Sega decides to show its hand.

Imagine if it's a VR game. Yikes...

Super Monkey Ball: Banana? Mania rated in Australia [Gematsu]

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It's time to wake in fright, detective

In annoying but not particularly surprising news, ZA/UM's upcoming release Disco Elysium: The Final Cut has been refused classification? in Australia, effectively "banning" the twisted graphic adventure from sale within continental borders. The new release will therefore not be making?? its console debut in that territory on PS4 and PS5 on March 30.

The Australian Classification Board stamped Disco Elysium: The Final Cut with an "RC" or "Refused Classification" rating yesterday, March 18. Disco Elysium's listing on the ratings board's official website reads as follows:

"The computer game is classified RC ??in accordance with the National Classification Code, Computer Games Table as computer games that 'depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.'"

Disco Elysium is available to purchase on PC, and owners of the original edition will be afforded a free download of The Final Cut's content - including full voice acting for all characters, customizable controls, and an extra environment which houses a selection of all-new Political Vision Quests. But for console owners from Down Under, it appears that Australia's notoriously stringent censor has unfortunately struck once again.

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From the same country that brought you Wake in Fright

Bloober Team's mysterious psychological horror title The Medium has seemingly fallen foul of Australia's notoriously stringent ratings system. A listing on the Australian government's classification database shows that The Medium ?received a "Refused Classification" rating when submitted to the board back in July.

According to a report by Kotaku, Neither Bloober Team nor the Classification Board has come forward with a reason as to why The Medium did not make the grade. While it could be that a simple admin error was made in the title's submission, Australia is notoriously strict on video game ratings, often censoring or outright banning adult video games for minor infractions, particularly the use of drugs. Over the years, many titles have been troubled by Australian censors, including South Park: The Stick of Truth, Hotline Miami 2, Silent Hill: Homecoming, The Witcher 2, and DayZ.

The Medium is definitely one of the most interesting early releases on the new Xbox platform. So here's hoping that this is merely a small submission error, and that Australian horror fans will have the opportunity to enjoy The Medium in all of its mind-warping glory when it launches?, December 10, on PC and Xbox Series X.

An Xbox Series X console exclusiv??e has been ref??used classification [Kotaku]

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Where's it dropping, boys?

Nintendo is collaborating with Epic Games to release a limited edition of its Nintendo Switch hardware, slickly stylised after the latter's phenomenally selling battle royal title, Fortnite.

The Fortnite-branded Switch - currently confirmed for release in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand - features a themed docking unit, emblazoned with the faces of popular Fortnite charact??ers and Joy-Con daubed in exclusive shades of yellow and blue... as "exclusive" as colour shades can be, I suppose.

Pre-loaded with Epic's popular multiplayer title, The Fortnite Nintendo Switch also comes bundled with special in-game skin "Wildcat", new "Back Bling", and 2000 V-Bucks, to help you get your Fortnite wardrobe started. The Fortnite?? Nintendo Switch will launch in Europe Octo??ber 30 and in Australia and New Zealand on November 6, just in time for the Holiday season.

Fortnite is available now on PS4, PC, ?Xbo?x One, Nintendo Switch.

Limited edition F??ortnite Nintendo Switch bundle announced [Nintendo Life]

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Guardians for Australia

Last Friday, we told you about Bungie's charitable initiative to sell a Destiny 2 t-?shirt?? and give the profits to Australia fire relief. Now, that shirt is up for sale and you have the option of chipping in a helping hand while bolstering your wardrobe.

Here's the Destiny 2 Guardians for Australia shirt:

Here's the shirt's product page. It's selling for $25, and Bungie is splitting the profits between WIRES (an Australian wildlife rescue) and NSW Rural Fire Service (which is set in New South Wales where the fires have been particularly bad). Anyone who buys it will also receive the exclusive in-game "Star Light, Star Bright" emblem.

The Guardians down under need our help.

Preorder: Guardians for Australia T-Shirt [Bungie Store]

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A worthy cause

It's hard to wrap your head around the scope of a crisis like the one Australia is facing. Numbers on a page – no matter how wide-spread and terrifying they sound – can't fully capture the devastation.

This week, Humble Bundle and around 30 developers are showing their support with the Humble Australia Fire Relief Bundle, a special vide?o game bundle intended to "help t??he wildlife and animals affected by the Australian bushfires." It's selling for $25, and all of the proceeds will go to charity.

H??ere's the list of games, many of which are excellen?t:

• Void Bastards
• Hollow Knight
• Armello
• Euro Truck Simulator 2 + Australia Paint Pack DLC
• Duck Game
• Hand of Fate 2
• Paradigm
• Crawl
• The Adventure Pals
• Regular Human Basketball
• Satellite Reign
• Hacknet + Hacknet Labyrinths DLC
• Mr. Shifty
• Primal Carnage: Extinction
• Assault Android Cactus+
• Frog Detective
• Framed Collection
• Think of the Children
• Feather
• Tower of Guns
• Rising Dusk
• Death Squared
• Paperbark
• Quest of Dungeons
• The Stillness of the Wind
• The Gardens Between
• Paper Fire Rookie
• Masquerade: The Baubles of Doom
• Machinarium

You probably own quite a few of these if you're a deal-hunt??ing PC gamer, but it's a worthy cause.

If you decide to support the bundle, you'll be able to split your money between three (very relevant) organizations: the World Wildlife Fund, WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service), and RSPCA?? Australia (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

The Hum?ble Australia Fire Relief Bundle will be sold until January 23, 2020, at 11:00am Pacific.

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The fireteam needs your help

Australia is in dire need of help right now as it's ravaged by bushfires that threaten both the human and animal population. Since September, an estimated 10.3 million hectares have burned, resulting in the deaths of 27 people and the estimated deaths of approxima?tely half a billion wild animals. There's no sign of the fires slowing down, as this weekend's primary threat in the southeastern portion of Australia is a "mega blaze" w?here two fires merged into one.

Bungie is doing its part by selling a new Destiny 2 t-shirt and sending the proceeds to Australia fire relief. Bungie says "The first half of all profits generated by the?se t-shirt sales will be donated to WIRES, ??Australia's largest w??ildlife rescue organization. The other half will be donated to NSW Rural Fire Service, which services the state of New South Wales, where the fires have been especia??lly devastating and are i?n dire need of containment."

The shirts aren't yet for sale. For that matter, they aren't even finished yet. Bungie plans to share the ??design early next week. It'll be available to buy between January 1??6 and February 18. For anyone who needs some extra incentive, the Australia relief shirt will come with? an exclusive in-game "Star Light, Star Bright" emblem, which can be seen below. 

This Week at Bungie -- 1/9/2020 [Bungie]

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Groundbreaking title to make a return?

One of the most genre-defining video games of all time, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto III, has been mysteriously re-rated by the Australian Classification b?oard, leading to speculation of a re-release in the near future.

Released in 2001 on PS2, Grand Theft Auto III re-invented not only the GTA series, but essentially built a template which has been a staple of hundreds of quest-filled open-world adventures and sandbox games since. With its "Do what you want" gameplay, mix of on-foot shooting and vehicular mayhem, and cool integration of radio, GTA III is a genuine?? innovator, even if its elements have been much improved in the following 8 years.

The new rating sees Grand Theft Auto III classed as "R 18+" by the land down under (a country that initi??ally banned the game on its original release). But as to the specific implications of this rating - whether a remaster, a Switch port, or merely finally giving the devil its due from its orig??inal banned status - we'll just have to wait and see for now.

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DOOM still a MOOD

There has been a run of news related to titles in the groundbreaking first-person shooter series Doom. These tidbits are mostly pertaining to older titles in the franchise, which recently found new life in the f??orm of re-releases on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

First up, Bethesda's re-release of Doom and Doom II are to receive a new update. According to?? a tweet posted on th?e brand's official twitter, the update will improve sound and lighting to add further authenticity to the audio/visuals of the original '90s releases. The update will also bring unspecified "game performance improvements", but there ?is currently no date for this patch.

Also of interest, the Australian Ratings Board is the latest classification body to add a new listing for 1997 release Doom 64, which was developed for (naturally) the Nintendo 64 by Midway Games back in 1997. This rating ??follows up a similar posting by PEGI for the same title back in July, further suggesting that the N64 port is headed to PS4 and PC at some point in the future.

Of course, alongside all of this classic news, fans are currently feverish for the release of the newest entry in the series, Doom Eternal, which launches?? on consoles and PC November 22. So keep your chainsaw oiled and?? your visor polished, as it looks like there's plenty of Doom action crawling out of the gawping mouth of hell. Have a nice day.

Doom 64 rated in Australia [Gematsu]

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Just Say No

It looks like DayZ's troubles Down Under might have come to an end. Following the MMO's recent ban in Australia, developer Bohemia Interactive has resubmitted a modified build of the game to the Australian video game classification board, which has earned DayZ a ??new MA15??+ rating with, presumably, reinstatement on digital storefronts to follow.

For those of you who missed it, DayZ was banned in ?Australia earlier this month after references to marijuana were ??found within the game's code. Marijuana itself hadn't been implemented into the game yet, but this pre-emptive appearan??ce was enough for the Australian censor to bring down the banhammer on the open world surviva??????????????????????????l title.

One would assume that the offending code has since been removed, as the new ratings page does not feature any reference to Drug Use in its checkbox (despite both morphine and codeine also featuring as regular use items in DayZ). Under its new MA15+ rating, DayZ will go back on sale in?? Australia at some point in the very near future.

Modified version of DayZ has been rated MA15+ [Kotaku AU]

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Could you hear it?

While Lyle continues to showcase his art gallery across time and space, here's what's been happening in video games this past w??eek:

• Team Fortress 2 might be switching engines!
• DayZ has been banned in Australia thanks to that pesky jazz cabbage!
• Fight Crab is out in early access and more!

Ah yes, the?? age-old discussion of art and what qualifies as it. I've long since given up trying to categorize what should or shouldn't be "art" in my own head since that time I read about Clint Eastwood's dau??ghter burning a $100,000 handbag as an art-thing.

So, if that's art, then I applaud Lyle for dipping into the realm of avant-garde art that aims to shame people across space and time. Who am I to judge a man tr?ying to judge others across the known universe?

Discharged question of the week: what would ?you do with $100,000? This may or may not be a trick question meant to be displayed as Lyle's next art piece (which aims to shame you).

The post In this episode of Prega??me Discharge: DayZ was banned down under for being too dank! appeared first on Destructoid.

Gone-ja

Marijuana (a/k/a "weed," "pot," "the devil's lettuce") is becoming increasingly accepted and decriminalized in va??rious parts of the world. Not Australia, though and that has caused some significant pr??oblems for an already-released game.

DayZ has been refused an age rating by the Australian Classification Board ahead of the launch of the physical edition. It's all because marijuana has been found in the game files. It's important to note that DayZ hasn't actually yet implemented marijuana as an in-game system; it's equally important to note that DayZ features codeine and morp??hine use as a pain relief/h??ealing mechanic.

However, this no longer applies solely to the physical edition. Saying that the situation has "escalated," developer Bohemia Interactive confirms that the issue now affects digital versions. DayZ&n??bsp;has been pulled from the PlayStation Store and the Xbox Store in Australia. It's seemingly still available on Steam.

Bohemia Interactive plans on bending over backward to appease the Australia Classification Board. In a statement to PC Gamer, the developer says "The Australian player base?? is a big and very important part of ou??r community. At the moment we are looking for the best solution to keep the game on the Australian market and pass the classification according to all regulations. We will do everything in our power to keep the game playable and available for Australian gamers."

DayZ's ban in Australia now extends to digita??l sales [PC Gamer]

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Causing further distress

Aussie outfit Screwtape Studios has announced that their frantic platform shooter Damsel is head??ed to Xbox One and Nintendo Sw??itch soon, following on from its 2018 PC release.

If this title is new to you, then allow me to bring you up to speed. Set in an alternate future where humans and vampires live in a questionable alliance, Damsel is the story of a mysterious capital??ist corporation, who are taking the world by storm with t??he production of a drink called "Red Mist". This popular drink hit the market, quite conveniently, at the same time as hundreds of missing persons cases started hitting the inbox.

Out of options, The DSA (Department of Sanguinarian Affairs) unleash their best agent, Damsel, who must blast her way through a series of single area stages, blasting suits, saving abductees, hacking computers and disarming bombs. Damsel is a skill-progression title, the kind popul??ar with the speed-running community, wherein the goal is to simply to become quicker and more efficient in your takedown of each level, finding the most effective route to completing all objectives and hitting the exit. Staying alive would be a nifty bonus too.

The Xbox One and Nintendo Switch ports of this wild arcade title will feature three episodes of boom-schlack-lack-boom action, comprised of around 75 levels. If you fancy checking it out, then you can pre-order Damsel now over at X??box Store and Nintendo eShop for a 15% discount.

Damsel is available now on ??PC and hits Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on August 7.

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Daemon X Jealousy

European and Australian Switch fans will have a limited edition Daemon X Machina bundle to look forward to. Nintendo of Europe has announced that a special edition package will be launching alongside the game on September 13, 2019. Dubbed the "Orbital Limited Edition," this package will include the ga??me special packaging, a steelbook case, a 100-page artbook, and an 18 cm Arsenal s?tatue.

While there is no confirmation of a North American release, do remember that the Switch is region free. If you absolutely have to have this, importing is always an option that won't leave you screwed out of a game. There??'s currently no price for the set, but I'd expect something around $100 USD (as is typical of these bundles).

Nintendo of Europe [Twitter]

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Time to dust off the 'Bart vs. Australia' header images!

On the ??29th of May, Australia’s consumer watchdog launched legal proceedings against Sony’s European division -- the branch of the company that operates within Australia -- over allegedly misleading consumers of their legally protected rights regarding refunds of digital games on the PlayStation Store.

A??ccording to the? ACCC (the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), around the time of September 2017, Sony informed consumers seeking refunds for digital games that they could not receive one if the game had already been downloaded to a user’s console, or 14 days after purchase. It also claimed that refunds would only be provided if the developer specifically authorised it, or stated that the game was irreparably faulty.

The Australian Consumer Law clearly states that customers are legally entitled to a refund, repair, or replacement if a product is either misleadingly advertised or sold under false pretenc?es, not of acceptable quality, or unfit for purpose. If a product matches any of these criteria, it is up to the manufacturer (as far as video games are concerned, the developers or p??ublishers) or the supplier (the storefront -- in this case, Sony) to provide a remedy for the situation.

Companies must also offer refunds in the form of the original payment method. Essentially, store credit is only seen as an acceptable form of compensation if that’s what the product was bought with in the first place, or if the consumer explicitly opts for it. In its statement, ?the ACCC alleges that Sony misled consumers over this fact,?? informing them that they were only entitled to store credit.

These r??ights do not discriminate between physical and digital goods. Even if a product was bought from a digital distributor, consumers are still entitled to the same legal protections that they’d have if it were acquired from a physica??l brick and mortar retailer. In the case of digital goods, they also do not expire after a product has been downloaded.

According to ACCC chairman Rod Sims:

“Sony Europe’s alleged conduct may have caused Australian consumers to not seek a refund, replacement or repair for a faulty game when the Australian Consumer Law gave ??them a right to ?do so.”

This move closely mirrors the recent legal battle between the ACCC and Valve, which ended with the Washington-based company being ordered to pay three million Dollarydoos. Valve was also ordered to prominently feature a notice on its Australian storefront informing users of their legally protected consumer rights. Said legal battle firmly established that foreign corporate entities are still subject to Australia’s consumer laws if they actively do business within the count?ry or sell to its consumers.

Al??legations Sony Breached Co?nsumer Law for PlayStation Games [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]

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I'd die for a double shot

A few years back on the fabulous Play Dead podcast, host Gabby DaRienzo spoke with Justin Kuiper of Route 59 games about their in-development game Necrobarista. Right from the start, it felt like a ?great mix of the visual novel and adventure genres set in an alterna??te Melbourne where the dead can talk with the living for 24 hours after their death. While I was immensely excited about the concept of the game, I knew it was a ways off so I put it out of my mind.

Thankfully we won't have to wait long for Necrobarista as it will launch on the Steam storefront on Augus??t 8. This is ahead of a planned launch for PlayStation 4 and Switch sometime in 2020. Accompanying this news, Route 59 also put out a new trailer to acquaint players with the world they will be able to explore.

Ever since Grim Fandango, I've loved the setting of a land between life and death. No one knows what's going to happen after we die, so the storytelling possibilities are endless. It's such a ripe landscape to tell stories of love, loss, and in the case of Necrobarista, coffee. I can wholeheartedly say that this looks to be one of those games? that ticks some very niche boxe??s for me and I can't wait to play it this August.

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You new to The Yabba?

As a part of this weekend's Rainbow Six Siege Six Invitational festivities, Ubisoft finally officially revealed what fans have known for quite some time now. Soon, our favourite counter-terrorist crew will be headed Down Under, when t??he "Operation: Burnt Horizon" update brings us two new operators - and a new map - from the beating heat of Australia.

Our first operator is Queensland farm-girl Tori Tallyo Fairous, known by her call-sign "Gridlock." This tech head is an Attacker, and is armed with an invention of her own devious design, "Trax Stingers." These are essentially road spike strips, like the kind police toss out to stop speeding vehicles, but designed for human feet. Ouchies. They sound very much like a d??efender tool, rather than an attacker's, so it will be interesting to see how they come into play in the thick of battle. Gridlock is 1-3 Speed/Armour.

Max Goose, known by his call-sign "Mozzie," is Gridlock's best pal, the two having been inseparable since their teens and during their time with Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). Mozzie is an unstoppable blabbermouth and attention-seeker but, as a paramount Defender, is able to ge??t the job done thanks to his device "The Pest," which can hack and re-appropriate enemy drones to his control. Very cool. Mozzie is 2-2 Speed/Armour.

Alongside these buddies comes the previously revealed new map, Outback. This is an abandoned service station, situated out in ??the middle of nowhere. Featuring a garage, a cafe and a gift shop, as well as various rusted containers and a musty old gas station, this close-quarters locale looks set to provide fast and furious action, all taking place under the torturous outback sun.

Operation Burnt Horizon is expected to drop on test servers soon, although no strict launch date has been announced. Rainbow Six Siege is available now on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Grab your mask and your popcorn

The Australian Ratings Board has given an "M" rating to chibi-RPG sequel Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth. You remember, that game I reported about 60 trailers for? This rating basically confirms a w?estern release for the Nintendo 3DS title, although we have no specific date just yet. I don't think anyone doubted this happening, but at least we now know the whee??ls are in motion.

Persona Q2 sees the Phantom Thieves of Persona 5 team up with the SEES of Persona 3, and members of Persona 4's Investigation Team, to take on a series of dungeons based on movie genres. Lots of other ancillary characters from these titles are set to make an appearance, as well as the much-beloved "female protagonist" from Persona 3 Portable.

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth - a game which features both Makoto Niijima AND Mitsuru Kirij??o - launched in Japan November 2018. Hopefully we'll hear of an official launch date soon, and said launch won't be too far into the fut?ure.

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For Sunday, October 28

Well, it’s that time of year again. PAX ??Australia -- which will once again be hosted at the Melbourne Convention Centre from October 26-28 -- is just around the corner, and thanks to the lovely folks handling PR for PAX, we’ve got five Sunday badges to give away to a handful of lucky Destructoid readers.

To enter the draw to win one, all you have to do is leave a comment down below with your answer to the following question: If you could base an entry in an ongoing game franchise in Australia, what would it be and why?

Would you want to see an Australian Fallout game just to see how you’d fare against an onslaught of irradiated dropbears? Maybe you’d prefer to see a Final Fantasy game se?t in Australia because you find the idea of potentially naming the protagonist "Squallaby" unreasonably amusing?

Actually, scratch that last one. It’s a terrible idea. Still, feel free to?? get creative, as it’s more fun?? that way. Hooray for completely arbitrary requirements!

You have until 5PM (AEST) on Monday, October 15 to enter. Entrants will have to be signed into a Destructoid account when they post their comment, too, as winners will be notified via a private message on the site with instructions on how to redeem their prizes.

It should also go without saying that this contest is for Aus??tralian residents -- specifically, those who already reside in, or can make it to, Melbourne on October 28 -- only.

Good luck!

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Oh joy!

We Happy Few is a self-described "game of paranoia and survival, in a drugged-out, dystopian English city in 1964." Back in May, the Australian Classification Board took a look at the title and refused classification, meaning We Happy Few was effectively banned from sale in the country.

Developer Compulsion Games and publisher Gearbox sought to appeal the board's decision, and as confirmed today, We Happy Few has ?now been re-r?eviewed and classified at the R18+ level due to "fantasy violence and interactive drug use." It'll be available for purchase in Australia after all.

Context matters. Here's how Compulsion publicly defended the game after the original ruling:

"We Happy Few is set in a dystopian society, and the first scene consists of the player character redacting material that could cause offense to 'society at large,' as part of his job as a government 'archivist.' It's a society that is forcing its citizens to take Joy, and the whole point of the game is to reject this programming and fight back. In this context, our game's overarching social commentary is no different than Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, or Terry Gilliam's Brazil."

It's reassuring to see this sorted out. If We Happy Few hadn'?t been classified, Compulsion would've offered refunds. With Kickstarter involved in the game's funding, that would've been a whole mess.

We Happy Few coming to Australia [Compulsion Games]

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Ret-2-Go as soon as next week?

[Update: A tweet from Shantae co-creator Matt Bozon confirms that Shantae and the Pirate's Curse launches on Switch eShop March 20. It will include a HD rumble feature and a new "Super Shantae Nab" ?mini-game]

Various sites are reporting that a listing, which popped up on Nintendo Switch's Australian eShop today, appears to show WayForward's platform-adventure Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is set to drop anchor on the console next week.

Pirate's Curse, the third game in the beloved Shantae series, sees the then no-genie-hero team up with her arch enemy, notorious pirate Risky Boots, in order to take down the evil-er Pirate Master, who has returned to envelop Sequin Land in Dark Magic. The game features vast, colourful leve?ls, inventive enemies, genuinely touching and witty dialogue and an amazing score.

The 2014 title is already available on ?a whole host of formats, from Nintendo 3DS and PS4 to PC and Wii-U. If the listing, an image of which can be seen below, is both legitimate and correct, then we will hopefully see the game making its Switch debut March 20. As of this writing, no such listing has been reported for the U.S., Japanese or European territories.

The post (Update) Australian eShop lists Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse for Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

AU $5.95 and NZ $6.55

For those of you who haven't been following along, Nintendo's online service plans for the Switch were confirmed some time ago, after nebulous word that some form of premium online service would arrive by the end of 2017. It's now confirmed for September, and will run you $3.99 a month or $19.99 a year in the US.

Other regions will have their own pricing schemes that may or may not match up with that though, and this week Nintendo unveiled their pricepoints for Australia and New Zealand -- it's going to be AU $5?.95 and NZ $6.55 per month or AU $29.95 and NZ $32.95 for a year.

As a reminder it'll be required for online play (mostly Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) and will? come with the small bonus of a limited "classic gam??e selection."

Online [Nintendo]

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Another game gets the ban hammer

[Update: PQube responded to our request for?? comment with the following?? statement:

Regarding the situation with Omega Labyrinth Z in Australia, we’re not really s??urprised, unfortunately. Australia has always been one of the more conservative territories and we knew it was a distinct possibility due to the contents?? of the game. 

We’ll always try to get games through classification regardless of the possibility of it being denied, as we feel that everyone should have the right and the access to play the games they want to play. It is our opinion that disliking the content in a piece of entertainment or art, and voicing that? disl??ike, is totally fine and even encouraged, but denying that work the right to exist in a market based on personal opinions and prejudices, is something we strongly disagree with. 

Sadly, this is not the first game of that type that we’ve had similar issues with. It’s quite unfortunate and we feel for the gamers in Australia who were interested in this title, however, we will have to acce?pt and respect the decision of the Australian Classi?fication Board.

So??mething tells me, given the games PQube ??chooses to localize, this won't be the last time this statement is sent out.]

I'm starting to think Australia -- arguably one of the sexier countries in the world -- is really ashamed of its body. The island nation best known for Crocodile Dundee, Hugh Jackman and trying to murder Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's dogs is no stranger to banning fun, sexy Japanese games. They did it with Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni, they did it with MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death&?nbsp;and now they'??re doing it to another booby game.

Omega Labyrinth Z, the upcoming soft-core dungeon crawler from Matrix Software and PQube Games, was denied classification on Nanny Island today. The reas?on being is... well just watch the trailer. I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself.

Officially, the game is being refused classification under National Classification Code, Computer Ga??mes Table, 1(a)(b), which states:

(a) as computer games that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in? such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified," and (b) "describe or depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, a person who is, or appears to be, a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not).

We have reache??d out to PQube Games for comment and will update this story sh??ould the publisher reply or if the Australian Classification Board suddenly decides to stop being such goddamn prudes.

Omega Labyrinth Z [AU Classification Board]

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But does it have a Shining Finger attack?

The Australian Classification Board has rated Shining Resonance Re:frain, the latest game from the long-running Shining franchise. The game has been given a classific??ation of Mature, which is only suitable for aud??iences 15 or older. The application is listed under Sega of America.

Needless to say, it's a goo??d sign that an international release may be i?n the works.

To give a brief rundown of the game itself, it's a remaster of Shining Resonance, which releas??ed on the PlayStation 3 in Japan during 2014. The PlayStation 4 exclusive remaster will be including all of the original game's DLC as well as enhanced graphics and additional content. You can check out a trailer of the game below, but obvious warning, no subs exist since it is intended for Japan?? only.

I don't have a horse in this race since I've never played any games from the franchise. However, can we just take a moment to appreciate that we're lucky enough to have a situation where games that have never left Japan, or retreated back into the country, are slowly gaining English releases again? Whether it's by an internat??ional release as a result of companies like Atlus or XSEED or in a smaller region like Bandai Namco has been doing? Plus, having all three major consoles region free means you can still import if it never reac??hes your region.

Hopefully we hear more in the near future, but? for now, keep your expectations tempered in case it's a false flag.

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A mystery bigger than Mysterion's identity

Another day, another retailer leak. This time it's Ubisoft's turn with rumors circulating that South Park: The Fractured but Whole might be getting a Nintendo Switch port.

Australian retailer Sanity posted a placeholder listing for South Park on Switch under its "coming soon" section along with a March 13 release date. All ??the typical retailer leak precautions are in play: It could be a mistake, the info could be wrong, and any and all details are subject to change. But these kind of things have a decent track record in recent years, so there's that too.

South Park on the go is an intriguing proposition, and Ubisoft hasn't been especially shy about supporting the Switch since its debut. There's Mario + Rabbids, some Just Dance titles, and a Rayman re-release. However, we are still waiting on that Steep port that supposedly isn't dead but could very well be dead. If this South Park thing comes to fruition, it might beat Steep to store shelves.

South Park: ?Fractured But Whole Coming to Swit?ch on 13th March, says Aussie retail listing [Nintendo Life]

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It's a hard-knock life

It takes a lot to stand out as an indie developer these days. Even if your game actually makes it to major platforms, there’s no ?guarantee that you’ll even make any money from it. Despite offering iterations of what essentially amounts to the same damn game every single year, AAA publishers have a solid chokehold on the?? majority of gamer’s wallets, and the rest of the industry is left to fight over the scraps like rabid dogs.

While many choose to follow the same old song and dance that publishers have been using for ages, or hope that their game is good enough to garner positive word-of-mouth press, there are others out there who have decided to do things a little bit differently. One of them, Jacob Janerka, is the creator of the point-and-click adventure game Paradigm.

This guy is one charming motherfucker, and I’ve fallen in love with his Twitter account over the past few months. Seriously, look at this Rick and Morty homage he posted recently! This shit is gold!

So I made a facial tracked Rick using @Live2D and @facerig @JustinRoiland @danharmon @RickandMorty pic.twitter.com/bna6wr3g7I

— Jacob Janerka (@ParadigmGame) October 12, 2017

When he’s not busy creating amazing passion projects like that, he’s been known to pop up in the comment sections of major torrenting sites like The Pirate Bay and offer up free game keys in the comments. Just last year, he created a mock-up for a Stranger Things adventure game which received a ton of positive press. He’s also been building assets for a point-and-click Seinfeld tribute that he&rsq??uo;s been hinting may even see a playable demo someday. 

That’s just the tip of this (very sexy) iceberg too. The man has created a Tinder profile ??for the main character of his game, and even made an official Twitter sexbot. These types of guerilla marketing tactics may not be insanely effective, but they are absolutely fuck?ing hilarious! How can I? not love a man who advertises his game shamelessly on Pornhub?!? 

It's important to be on as many platforms as you can to help promote your indie game @pornhub #indiemarketing //t.co/XIGC1PAqlK pic.twitter.com/6MNADoyXKz

— Jacob Janerka (@ParadigmGame) August 25, 2017

None of this would mean a goddamn thing if Paradigm wasn’t any good, but it’s done remarkably well with critics. Our own Dennis Carden gave the game a score of 9 out of 10 during his review, and it’s currently sitting in 4^th place on Open Critic's 2017 Hall of Fame list. 

I had a chance to speak with the delightful Australian man via email to get some insig?hts into just what t?he hell is going on in that twisted head of his…

Kevin: How has Paradigm done in terms of sales? Was it profitable?

Jacob Janerka: At this point in time, Paradigm has done around 10k sales. I'd say it's almost brok?en even from the perspective of a dude who sat in his room for three years at his parent’s house while covered in over-salted foods on weekends and weekdays. From a perspective of a regular ??human being who has a yearly salary and human interaction, it has a little to go. However, it's one of those long tail things that keeps growing, which is really awesome. I look forward to building from this to bigger and doper things.  

Kevin: What inspired you to start advertising your games like this, and what dri??ves you to create all of this amazing fanart?

Janerka: Watching re-runs of Mad Men and trying to emulate Don Draper? without the debauchery. Although, I generally really like making things which are a little different. To me, it’s more creatively fulfilling and fascinating, and the payoff can be exponentially higher than if you did something which is the standard. And also, let’s be real, I didn't have the budget, so I had to think of alternative ways to get the game out there. It was either buy that family pack of Cheetos or pay a marketing company.  

As for the fan art, I just like making things. It's super fun to remix things I love into different styles, and there's less pressure to design something really cool from scratch. And, of course, the byproduct of this i?s that people can resonate with it, and maybe check out your original work. Or send you sexually charged emails that you weren't prepared for.

Kevin: Any advice for?? up and coming devs look??ing to release a game? 

Janerka: Take every advice you read and get from other devs with a grain of salt. Consider their position, their location, their lifestyle, check if th??ey are a lizard person etc. Your journey is probably going to be different, so try to use this to your advantage when you ca??n. While there are some things you should be doing, there aren't true and set rules how to get there.  

With all this talk about healthy work practices with #gamedev, please, use my post-mortem video as a point of reference of the horrific dangers of game dev. Game dev responsibly. pic.twitter.com/VNz8y8TjOQ

— Jacob Janerka (@ParadigmGame) October 2, 2017

Kevin: Do you ever see yourself teaming up with a publisher in the future?

Janerka: Ideally, I'd like to stay fully independent, personally answering to abusive emails. However, I'd definitely consider pub??lishing deals for sure, especially now, since there are a lot of publishers doing a lot of cool things, and I'd love to have more resources to make really cool weird shit. 

I love, goofy, creative stuff like this, and it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Mr. Janerka. A??lso, I swear I wasn’t the person sending those abusive, sexually charged emails, but I also can’t promise that I won’t be the one sending them in the future. 

If you're interested in finding out more about Paradigm, you can check out the official website.

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The event itself takes place from October 27-29

So, did you want to check out PAX Australia later this month, but were bummed out when you noticed on PAX's website that the 3-Day passes were completely sold out? Well, fret no more! Thanks to the fine folks at PAX, we've got fifteen of these 3-Day Weekend Passes to PAX Aus?trali?a to give away to our readers.

If you want a chance to get your hands on one of these passes, all you have to do is leave a comment down below prior to October 16 (Monday) at 11:59PM AEST saying what your favourite Australian-made video game is and why. It could be any game from any era and by any publisher, so long as it's by an Australian development team.

Are you a fan of L.A. Noire? Would you rather play Framed — the game ?that Hideo Kojima referred to as his game of the year?? back in 2014? Do you have anything else in mind? Let us know!

Soon after the deadline hits, we’ll start notifying contest winners via the comment section with instructions on how to red??eem their PAX Australia passes. It's reall??y that simple.

Oh, and I guess it goes without saying that this contest is for our Australian readers. If you won't be in Melbourne — or if you're unable to make it to Melbourne — on the weekend of October 27-29 (when PAX Australia takes place), please don't bother entering.

Good luck!

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