Konami's upcoming game, Silent Hill f, has been refused classification (RC) in Australia, which means it cannot be sold in the country at this time. However, this RC rating was assigned by an automated tool, rather than by members of the Australian Classification Board. Given past precedents, it's unlikely that this will be the final decision on the game's classification in Australia.

Konami does not handle local distribution in Australia, and IGN has reached out to their third-party distribution partner for comment. The specific reasons for Silent Hill f's RC rating have not yet been disclosed. Since the introduction of an adults-only category (R18+) for games in Australia in January 2013, games are typically refused classification only for content involving sexual activity with individuals appearing to be under 18, visual depictions of sexual violence, or incentives tied to drug use. Previously, Silent Hill: Homecoming was refused classification in Australia due to a high impact torture scene, but this was before the R18+ category was established. The game was later released with modified scenes and received an MA15+ rating.

In Australia, the IARC tool is used only for digitally distributed games. It was adopted in 2014 due to the overwhelming number of games released annually on platforms like the iOS app store. There have been instances where IARC ratings have been higher than those assigned by the Classification Board. For example, games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few were incorrectly reported as banned due to IARC ratings.

The IARC tool is free, which is particularly beneficial for small publishers and developers. However, all physical releases must still be rated by the Classification Board, so if Silent Hill f plans a physical release in Australia, a submission to the Classification Board would be required anyway. The Classification Board has the authority to override any IARC classification if it deems it necessary.

In Australia, game publishers can employ accredited classifiers or authorized assessors. Accredited classifiers are trained in-house staff whose decisions are recognized as official Classification Board decisions. Authorized assessors, on the other hand, can only make recommendations to the Classification Board, which then decides whether to apply them.

At this point, it's too early to determine 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.