Konami's eagerly awaited Silent Hill f has hit a snag in Australia, receiving a Refused Classification (RC) rating, which currently prevents its sale within the country. This decision was made by an automated rating tool rather than the Australian Classification Board itself, suggesting that this might not be the final verdict based on previous cases.

While Konami does not directly distribute its games in Australia, IGN has reached out to their third-party distribution partner for further insights. The specific reasons behind Silent Hill f's RC rating remain undisclosed. In Australia, games have been refused classification post-2013 mainly for depicting sexual activity involving minors, sexual violence, or linking rewards to drug use. Notably, Silent Hill: Homecoming faced a similar issue in 2008 due to a high-impact torture scene but was later released with modifications and an MA15+ rating after the introduction of the R18+ category.

It's important to note that Silent Hill f's RC rating was assigned through the International Age Rating Coalition's (IARC) online tool, which is designed for mobile and digital games. The IARC system involves a questionnaire about the game's content, leading to automated ratings based on each country's classification standards. In Australia, this tool has been in use since 2014 for digitally distributed games, primarily because the Australian Classification Board could not keep up with the sheer volume of games released on platforms like the iOS app store.

There have been instances where the IARC's automated ratings have been more stringent than those given by human classifiers. For instance, games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few were incorrectly reported as banned in Australia due to their IARC ratings. The IARC tool, being free to use, is particularly advantageous for smaller publishers and developers. However, physical releases still require a direct submission to the Australian Classification Board, which has the authority to override IARC decisions.

In Australia, game publishers can employ accredited classifiers or authorized assessors. Accredited classifiers, trained by the Classification Board, can make official classification decisions. In contrast, authorized assessors can only recommend classifications, which the Board may or may not accept.

As for Silent Hill f, it's premature to conclude whether its RC rating will stand after potential further reviews. Interestingly, it marks the first Silent Hill game to receive an 18+ rating in Japan, indicating its mature content.