News that the Australian games regulators had banned Bethesda’s next-gen RPG Fallout 3 from release were not received well by gamers Down Under – so the news that the game now seems set for release will no doubt be celebrated.

Gamerchip reports that both GAME and Electronics Boutique have both opened pre-orders for the title, which is expected to be released before the end of the year.

However, it seems that the game carries some scars from its battle with censors – with all references to drug use completely removed.

Australia shares the same reputations as territories such as Germany for clamping down on unsuitable game content – titles to suffer in recent times include D3P’s Dark Sector and Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV.

Part of the issue with Aussie ratings are that currently the authorities do not offer an adult/mature rating for video games, meaning that anything seen as unsuitable for 15 year olds is liable to be banned.

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Discussions have taken place regarding the introduction of a new higher-tier age limit, but no action has yet been taken.