Australia’s Office of Film and Literature Classification have revoked GTA: San Andreas’s current rating as a result of the Hot Coffee modification. Originally the game had the classification MA15+, therefore it could only be sold to those over the age of 15.
The game is now banned in Australia from being sold, rented or advertised. The board have stated that any existing stocks of the game should be removed from shelves immediately.
The board also advised to parents that caution is required if they choose to allow their children to continue playing the game, and that care should be taken particularly if they potentially have access to Hot Coffee.
All this has happened only days after the re-rating of the game in the United States after the uproar caused by US politicians and Jack Thompson. Many US stores have already refused to sell the game as a result of it’s re-rating to Adult Only.
Rockstar Games are still working on producing a version without the content regarded as offensive. The issue has been taken more liberally on the internet however, many people stating that re-rating a game that simulates crime due to a modification makes little sense.