Singapore has a track record of having a no-nonsense approach to video game classification and censorship. Although there have not been many games banned, before the 2008 implementation of Video Game classification it was a rather arbitrary affair. Remember, Half-Life was banned because of excessive violence for a week upon release. Mass Effect was banned for the depiction of a lesbian scene (which isn’t strictly true according to game lore). Even The Darkness, released in 2011 after the guidelines were implemented, was banned for a brief period of time. I could list countless other films, art exhibitions and others that have faced the Media Development Authority (MDA) banhammer, but let’s stick to games.
A masterpiece nearly denied us. Image courtesy: gamespot.com
Nowadays most games pass through the regulatory body without too much difficulty. However, this could potentially change with the arrival of Virtual Reality. Last month the regulatory body in New Zealand wrote in a blog about the difficulty of classifying VR games. Given the shaky start we had with Video Games as a whole, there is a chance there might be some difficulty getting VR games past the censors.
The Sticking Points
image courtesy: moddb.com
At least the MDA is open about what they consider during the classification process. Guidelines for the Video Games Classification is readily available on their site. Looking through, most points make sense and are very similar to other classification boards. Separating sexual activity from homosexual activity is somewhat eyebrow-raising, but a different topic for a different time.
An M18 game. Image courtesy: quotesgram.com
The main concern which could impact VR games, in particular, is a repeated phrase, or selection of words. These are “promote,” “instructional,” and “encourage.” In a normal game, this is very easy to step around. In real life, for example, you do not take magic mushrooms by running into them after hitting your head on a brick.
Mind you, this could be considered encouraging drug use. Image courtesy: theverge.com
With VR however, that line becomes a bit hazier. Remember that although MDA does have these guidelines, what they consider suitable for publication and what is not can be entirely up to individual interpretation. So what if using an HTC Vive controller to point and shoot is considered to be promoting violence? What if a game comes up that tries to explore a controversial topic and the MDA finds it too explicit? After all, the New Zealand classification board worried about age ratings.
hmmm hmmm. Image courtesy: roadtovr.com
A final point to consider is the main selling point of VR: immersion. Traditional video games are definitely immersive if they are good, but there is always going to be a certain point of disconnect. With VR, even terrible ports have that extra level of connection that makes you feel like you are in the game world. More immersion means more connection to the game. See the issue?
The Silver Lining
Likely to be censor-friendly. Image courtesy: polygon.com
Whilst how the MDA is going to treat VR titles is definitely a cause for concern, it is not all that bad. For example, they make an allowance within their classification for game mods. So if you really want to add that extra bit of grit to your VR experience, just wait for the mods to come out. Likewise, even if there is an exploit within the game that contravenes the guidelines, the developer is not considered at fault. So at least there is that.
The many VR experiences on Steam
Furthermore, remember that we now live in a digital age. Steam is most likely the first place anyone looks when buying their next game. Game classification is much harder to achieve on this platform. After all, MDA’s rating system is designed to be put on the game box when being distributed. There are simply too many games online for MDA to realistically comb through. If you only get your VR titles through online stores, you will probably not have to worry. Even the PlayStation VR will likely distribute most titles through its online store. It is local game developers who are still subject to the rating system that needs to be concerned.
Oh, and any games like these. Image courtesy: polygon.com
So really, so long as the current state of affairs remains the same, there should be nothing to worry about. However, should VR take off in a big way in Singapore, the MDA will have to respond. Let’s just hope it’s the right way this time.
