Konami's upcoming game, Silent Hill f, has been refused classification (RC) in Australia, which currently prohibits its sale in the country. This rating was assigned by an automated tool from the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), rather than by the Australian Classification Board members themselves. Given past precedents, it's unlikely that this will be the final decision.
Konami does not handle its own distribution in Australia; IGN has reached out to their third-party distributor for comments on this matter.
The exact reasons for Silent Hill f's RC rating have not yet been disclosed. Since the introduction of the R18+ category for games in Australia in January 2013, games are typically refused classification due to content involving sexual activity with someone appearing to be under 18, visual depictions of sexual violence, or linking rewards to drug use. A previous Silent Hill game, Silent Hill: Homecoming, was initially refused classification in 2008 due to a high-impact torture scene. However, this was before the R18+ rating was introduced, which now allows for higher levels of violence. Silent Hill: Homecoming was eventually released in Australia with modified camera angles for the controversial scene, receiving an MA15+ rating.
It's worth noting that Silent Hill f's RC rating was assigned by an IARC online tool designed for mobile and digitally delivered games. This tool involves a questionnaire about the game's content, and it automatically assigns ratings based on the classification standards of participating countries. In Australia, this tool is used exclusively for digitally-distributed games, a system adopted in 2014 due to the overwhelming number of games released annually on platforms like the iOS app store. There have been instances where the IARC tool has assigned higher ratings than those given by human classifiers from the Australian Classification Board. For example, in 2019, Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few were mistakenly reported as banned in Australia due to their IARC ratings.The IARC tool is free and especially beneficial for smaller publishers and developers. However, all physical releases must still be rated by the Australian Classification Board, meaning that if Silent Hill f plans a physical release in Australia, it would need to be submitted for a formal classification. The Australian Classification Board has the authority to override any IARC classification if it deems it necessary.
In Australia, game publishers can employ staff as accredited classifiers or authorized assessors. Accredited classifiers undergo training from the Classification Board and can make official classification decisions. Authorized assessors, after similar training, can only make recommendations to the Board, which then makes the final decision.
At this stage, it's uncertain whether Silent Hill f's RC rating will be upheld following further review. Notably, Silent Hill f is the first game in the Silent Hill series to receive an 18+ rating in Japan.
