Games
Video games fall under the definition of 'film' in the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993. This means that all games with restrictable content (eg, violence) must carry New Zealand labels showing their classification. Unrestricted level games are currently exempt from classification, but they have usually been rated elsewhere, such as in Australia or the US, and carry classification labels from those countries that can act as a guideline for parents.
There is debate as to whether unrestricted video games should be required to carry New Zealand classfication labels. This was not a requirement in the Classification Act because when the law was drafted in the early 1990s video games were very basic, with simple and unrealistic graphics.
In other respects, video games are treated like films, for example, restricted games cannot be supplied to anyone underage. This law applies to retailers supplying games over the internet, in stores, and to parents or caregivers supplying games in the home.
Find out what games have been classified in New Zealand
Classifying Video Games
There is a lot of debate in the media and in academic literature about video games and their potential effects on players. When a video game is classified, the criteria applied to it is the same criteria used to classify films.
Classifying online games
Online games, such as Counter Strike and World of Warcraft, are popular in many countries. The fact that a game is hosted online, and its content changes depending on how players behave, creates challenges for traditional censorship systems.
games research
The Classification Office has done research about video game use by younger people, and on adult and parental attitudes towards violent games. We've also found some research into video games from overseas organisations.
More on our video game research from the Classification Office
