The Australian government released its draft guideline for an R18+ rating for video games released in the country. Adult themed games will be allowed to show nudity and more explicit violent content.

The R18+ rating would allow games to show more violence and sex simulations. The rating would also lift restrictions on language or themes for adults in video games. The current highest rating for games is the MA 15+ classification. Under the new rules adult content could be removed from children's eyes and the MA 15+ rating will be more stringent in terms of content.

These new guidelines are a blessing to gamers who have long protested the government's treatment of games as an entertainment medium. The previous MA 15+ classification allowed the government to edit games that were deemed to adult or even ban them from the country entirely. It appears that the government has finally decided to acknowledge the existence of adult gamers.

As reported in the Herald Sun, the R 18+ rating will allow classification for content that had been previously considered to be too adult such as realistic sex simulation, drug use without context for justification, sexual violence and nudity. If the games are too offensive in its description of violence or if they promoted criminal activity they could still be refused classification.

Home Minister Brendan O' Connor said that these new guidelines will "provide better guidance for parents and remove unsuitable material from children and teenagers". The guidelines will allow virtually no restriction on language and sexual activity should be restricted to simulation and not the real thing.

To determine which classification a game will fall to there will be an "impact test". The guidelines will still be reviewed by attorney-generals in July. Government hopes that they will agree to the new classification.