Mortal Kombat will finally arrive on shores down under: IGN reporting the previously refused title has officially been granted an R18+ classification.

The news comes a week after Injustice: Gods Among Us received an MA15+ rating from the Australian Classification Board. Though less harsh; the Injustice classification carries an equal federal mandate that individuals purchasing the title be ages 15 or older. This is as opposed to the M rating the title may have hoped to achieve, which offers a guideline advisory of 15 and up.

The formal classifcation ends a saga that began in February, 2011. While the process will finally give Australian gamers the opportunity to own domestic copies of Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, the decision can still be seen as a hollow victory.

Mortal Kombat remained a staple of Australian arcades and home consoles throughout the nineties and into the double-ohs. The 2011 reboot was the first time a Mortal Kombat product was refused classification in the country. It reflects a discernable shift in classification standards, which have become significantly more restrictive than in decades preceding.

Australia's grappling with censorship has been well documented, including widely criticized considerations for a national internet filter. The question of whether or not content is being appropriately classified seems to have become secondary to the overdue Adult Classification for video games, but even this has come with its share of critics.

Update (Feb. 24): EB Games are currently advertising a tentative release date of May 29 [PS3, 360]. No official date has been announced, dates may be subject to change. Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition will be released in all Australian states except Queensland. Thanks to MKOmmunity user for sending in the tip. He was told May 28th, in-store. Follow links for pre-order details.

Mortal Kombat Online will be watching for a confirmed Australian release date for Mortal Kombat. Injustice: Gods Among Us arrives down under in a same-day release with the United States, April 17 local.