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.