Press Start has found that VR games are going to receive slightly new content warnings. The site points to a filing by the Australian Classification Board for the upcoming Batman: Arkham VR game. The game was rated M, containing mature themes, violence, and – curiously – “VR interactivity”.
This is the first time we’ve seen the Classification Board use this new descriptor. It’s likely being used as an advisory regarding the technical aspects of being a VR game. Many people are subject to motion sickness when using VR, so it’s likely that using this as a general heads-up functions as a consumer warning.
Press Start itself believes that VR interactivity will change the way in which games are rated; for example, a non-VR game with graphic violence that may have received an MA 15+ rating, would instead receive a higher R 18+ rating due to the immediacy of VR making that violence appear even more graphic. This is not beyond the realm of possibility, but there’s currently not enough examples to determine anything further.
Batman: Arkham VR was originally revealed at E3 earlier this year during Sony’s press conference. Its launch date is currently unknown, but being a PlayStation VR exclusive, it’s likely to be around the same time as the PlayStation VR launches on October 13.
