Ahhh Aion, the pain. The agony. The EXCRUCIATING annoyance.

I love my MMOs. Really, I do. I was a WoW head for 2 years before I finally kicked the addiction that was almost as relationship damaging as crack. Well, I assume it is anyway having never gone near the stuff. *chuckle*. I tried Warhammer online and found it a bit dull and lacking in the palette department.

So when Aion Online came out, I was THRILLED. For over 12 months my MMO itch had been screaming for a scratch and I tell you what, was I ever ready to scratch that horrid, festering little bump.

UK developer Rebellion have officially stated that they will not create a watered down version of Aliens Vs Predator to cater for Australian censorship rulings.

Rebellion's CEO, Jason Kingsley, has said that whilst disappointed their position is that they agree with the ruling as the game is clearly intended only for those who fall within the 18+ age bracket;

"“Rebellion is disappointed that its upcoming title Aliens vs. Predator has been banned in Australia. However, as we understand the law in that country the authorities had no choice as we agree strongly that our game is not suitable for game players who are not adults," he said.

"The content of AvP is based on some of the most innovative and iconic horror movies, and as such we wanted to create a title that was true to the source material. It is for adults, and it is bloody and frightening, that was our intent.

Whilst giving the impression of respectful understanding, it would appear that there is a certain amount of frustration involved for the developer, as Mr Kingsley added;

"We will not be releasing a sanitised or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices."

A direct stab at the OFLC shows the annoyance that they cause for the gaming community and their beloved creators alike. Reactions like this may very well help to improve the lighting for an R18+ rating, we salute you, Rebellion. Stay true to your name... But please don't leave us in the dark ages!

Aliens Vs Predator (momentarily, we hope!) dead in the water.

It's been revealed that Alien Vs Predator has been refused classification in Australia and is unlikely to be reviewed for appeal before the new year unless the UK developer Rebellion already holds a tamer version of the FPS.

Sega have released the following statement:
"SEGA Australia can today confirm that the initial submission of Aliens vs Predator has been Refused Classification by the Classification Operations Board of Australia. We will continue to investigate all options available to us, including the possibility of appeal".

Sega apparently decided it wasn't even worth the trouble to attempt classification in Germany and therefore didn't even put it forward to be classified. However in Australia, AvP has been relegated to the "too hard" pile along with (the uncensored version of) Left 4 Dead 2, Necrovision, and Risen. Many Australian gamers are frustrated, as the original game (released in 1999 on PC and Mac platforms) was classified MA by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification.

A not insignificant amount of gamers will be holding their breath when the game is resubmitted for classification as memories of the previous original release are often fond. With Sega's own website requesting that you confirm your age before allowing access to their online review, the game has promise for gamers and fans of the franchise alike. Sega are likely to update as soon as there is more news, so keep your eyes on this space.