Earlier today, news broke that Syndicate had been Refused Classification in Australia. Now the Classification Board’s report has been released and we can finally start to understand why Starbreeze's upcoming revival of the classic cyberpunk franchise won't be hitting our shores.

As outlined in the report, Syndicate was Refused Classification as the nature of its content was deemed "unsuitable for a minor to see or play” due to “violence that is high in impact”.

The report gives numerous reasons for the classification, which essentially means that it is prohibited to import or sell the game within Australia. The combat is described as "intense", with “decapitation, dismemberment and gibbing” commonplace.

“Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated or bisected by the force of the gunfire. The depictions are accompanied by copious bloodspray and injuries are shown realistically and with detail. Flesh and bone are often exposed while arterial sprays of blood continue to spirt from wounds at regular intervals"

A lot of the board's criticism seems directed at the game's defenseless NPCs: Civilians and also corpses.

“Civilians can be shot, accompanied by copious bloodspray, but it is not possible to decapitate or dismember them. It is noted that in cooperative play, points are awarded for civilian casualties"

Guess the board didn't play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 then huh?

“It is possible for a player to decapitate a corpse with a headshot before individually blowing off each of its limbs. Depending on the weapon used, it is also possible to bisect a corpse, with realistic ragdoll effects noted. The depictions are again accompanied by arterial sprays of blood and detailed injuries that include protruding bone"

Wait... Not even Soldier of Fortune?

We will need to wait and see how EA handle the news. Whether the game will be censored and resubmitted for local approval remains to be seen.

An R18+ category for videogames was approved at the last Attorneys-General meeting although there is no indication as to when this will see introduction and could possibly take years before we see an R18+ title on store shelves.

How do you feel about the board's decision?

Thanks VG 24/7.