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New Zealand also gets GTA IV censored version; $50,000 worth of preorders cancelled!

April 28, 2008 in News comments 11

We all knew that GTA IV was going to be censored in Australia to get a 15+ rating, as there is no 18+ rating in the Australian game rating system. Rockstar has now decided that New Zealand will also be recieving the same censored version of the game.
$50,000 worth of preorders placed by Australians at GamePlanet NZ has been cancelled due to this censorship.

A video game in which players can buy cocaine, visit strip clubs, shoot police and set people on fire has been censored for New Zealand - but thousands are still expected to queue up when the game goes on sale at midnight tomorrow.
The censorship of Grand Theft Auto IV has forced the country's largest online retailer of games to cancel $50,000 worth of advance orders.
Gameplanet Store's website was inundated with orders from Australia this month for the violent gangster epic after it was revealed a censored version would be sold there to conform to the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification's M15+ game rating.
But game publisher Take 2 Interactive soon confirmed New Zealand would receive the same toned-down version of the game even though Grand Theft Auto IV will debut here with a R18 rating.
StarJet via nzherald.co.nz »
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  • 0
    Miss Razz Apr 28, 08
    $50,000 worth of preorders cancelled? Does that mean that all those people had ordered the game just to see the "naughty" parts?
    Even if it's edited, it'll still be a great game. It's not worth completely cancelling a pre-order just because some parts have been taken out.
    • 0
      MusiKon Apr 28, 08
      It's not so much that. I'm sure people wanted a full game as Rockstar intended it to be, and in most cases, censorship can turn into a watered down experience.
    • 0
      Final Blade Apr 28, 08
      One of the reasons for the game being highly acclaimed with its score is the story dialog, cursing and the like. Taking things out of the game while another person has the full GTA4 experience will be pissed off.

      GTA is the Drugs, sex, and violence of games. If GTA in that version didn't have the blood or some related thing than its just a watered down version, as MusiKon stated.
      Similar to manhunt2, i don't want a watered down version i want the full version they intended on releasing.
      • 0
        StarJet Apr 28, 08
        Good old Rockstar decided to leave the gore content hidden in Manhunt 2.
        Lucky for me, I had CFW on my PSP, so I got the whole experience.
  • 0
    BradSK Apr 28, 08
    Sucks for Australia, not getting the full experience. I'm sure it will still be a great game, though.
  • 0
    kik36 Apr 28, 08
    I would have backed out too. It costs too damn much to get a watered down censored version.
  • 2
    Tock Apr 28, 08
    arent ps3 games region free?
    • 0
      Final Blade Apr 28, 08
      Yes so is PSP games, which is why them cancelling their pre-orders so they can get the full version is a bonus for is Sony Fans

      Yeah Im probably going to import it Star.
  • 0
    joshuam Apr 28, 08
    most ps3 games are but idk why this aint
    but oh well im in the UK so i get the full content
  • 0
    Twisted Apr 29, 08
    That's just plain stupid, give them the full version. I'm sure the Rockstar is furious with those countries, something should be changed.
    • 0
      Ameer Apr 29, 08
      Why would they be furious? They'd have been expecting this from the start. It's the people who should be furious with the government organisation's censorship board, which they are, but in which little movement has been made to quell.

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