This is a list of video games that have been censored or banned by governments of various states in the world. Governments that have banned video games have been criticized for a correlated increase in digital piracy, limiting business opportunities and violating rights.[1][2][3]
During the first reign of the Islamic Emirate government in Afghanistan (1996–2001), Western technology and art was prohibited and this included video games.[4][5][6][7] Between 2001 and 2021, no video games were officially banned in Afghanistan, except for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.[8] In April 2022 Taliban spokesperson Inamullah Samangani confirmed that PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds had been banned to 'protect younger generations from a bad influence'.[9]
Albania
In 2016, the Albanian government discussed banning the game Five Nights at Freddy's. The ban was enacted later that year.[10] A few days after the ban of the release of Dead Rising 2's release in Albania, retailer Albagame refused to sell the copies over alleged gambling.[11] In early 2019 Edi Rama, the prime minister, threatened to ban the game after a law was passed by the parliament, banning sports betting.[11]
Argentina
Carmageddon is banned in the capital city of Buenos Aires because it depicts people being killed by motor vehicles.[12]
RapeLay is banned because it promotes and supports the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, as well as the exploitation of young people for sexual purposes.[13][14]
Originally, video games in Australia could only be rated up to MA15+. At the time, the R18+ classification rating could be given to films, but a video game with content deemed fitting for the R18+ rating would be classed as 'Refused Classification' due to an appropriate classification not being available for the medium.[citation needed]
In July and August 2011, all Australian state Attorneys-General agreed to instate an R18+ rating for video games, which would be available by the end of 2011.[15] Many games previously refused classification would now fit into the R18+ rating and, if the publisher chose to pay the reclassification fee, would theoretically be able to sell their game in Australia. The date was later changed to allow the rating to be introduced at the beginning of 2013.[16]
With the R18+ rating in place, it is expected[by whom?] fewer video games will be given the Refused Classification rating. Games may still be Refused Classification if deemed to contain material unsuitable for R18+ classification, such as depictions of sexual violence or the promotion of illegal drug use, as well as drug use that is related to incentives and rewards. More specifically, games which may be Refused Classification include:
Detailed instruction or promotion in matters of crime or violence.
Depiction of rape.
The promotion or provision of instruction in paedophile activity.
Descriptions or depictions of child sexual abuse or any other exploitative or offensive descriptions or depictions involving a person who is, or appears to be, a child under 18 years.
Gratuitous, exploitative or offensive depictions of:
(i) violence with a very high degree of impact or which are excessively frequent, prolonged or detailed;
(ii) cruelty or real violence which are very detailed or which have an extremely high impact;
Gratuitous, exploitative or offensive depictions of:
(i) activity accompanied by fetishes or practices that are offensive or abhorrent;
(ii) incest fantasies or other fantasies that are offensive or abhorrent
Classification is compulsory, and games refused classification by the ACB are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition, carrying a maximum fine of $275,000 and/or 10 years in prison. It is, however, legal to possess RC games (except in Western Australia and prescribed areas of the Northern Territory).
Material that is refused classification is put on the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service list of prohibited items. Any copies of such games found at the border will be seized,[17] and the recipient, depending on the number of copies being imported, may receive up to A$110,000 in fines.[18]
Due to the licensing of the International Age Rating Coalition software for developers to rate their own game, several hundred games have been banned from various app stores as of 2015.[19]
Brazil has banned many video games since 1999, mainly due to depictions of violence and cruelty,[21] making it illegal to distribute and otherwise sell these games.[22][23] Additionally, the Brazilian advisory rating system requires that all video games be rated by the organization, where unrated video games are banned from being sold in Brazil.[citation needed]
Bully is banned for showing violence and harassment in a school setting.[24] The ban was lifted on 23 June 2016; the game can be acquired in physical and non-physical format through Steam.[25]
Counter-Strike is banned because of violence and a map simulating a favela in 2008. The ban was later lifted and the game is available for sale.[26][27]
EverQuest is banned because the player is able to go on quests for both good and evil.[26][28]
A very large number of video games are banned in mainland China. Games that depict drugs, sexualty, blood, organized crime or defamation of the Chinese government are almost always banned. Because of the large size of the Chinese video game market, many studios edit the content of their games to conform to the government's standards.
As of April 2019, after implementing a new mandatory local rating and approval system, any and all games containing depictions of violence, blood, gambling and imperial history are de facto banned from all accessible platforms in the nation (unless otherwise changed to comply with local standards).[34][35][36][unreliable source?][dubious–discuss]
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was banned in mainland China since 10 April 2020. The game was pulled from Taobao as players created and posted anti-government messages in-game with a custom pattern tool. There has been no official announcement whether the ban was enforced by the Chinese government or by Taobao. However, the game is still on-sale on the Chinese grey market.[38]
Banned for "smearing the image of China and the Chinese army", although the game presents China as a protagonist and glorifies the People's Liberation Army.[40] Additionally, the China campaign has the player destroy questionable targets such as the Three Gorges Dam and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in order to snuff out an invading terrorist organization.
Banned because it depicted disputed territories such as Tibet, Manchuria and Xinjiang as independent nations and because the island of Taiwan is shown to be under Japanese control.[37][42][43]
A playable character was removed from the game citing gore and his ability to resurrect upon death.[citation needed] The game was later banned outright for citing overly-revealing female characters, blood, gore and vulgar content.[37]
Banned because it promotes and supports the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes.[citation needed]
No video games have been banned in Cuba, but few games were sold in that country until 2007 when restrictions were eased. In 2010, the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops generated controversy as there is a mission where the player attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro, only to end up killing a double.[46]
A video game can be banned in Germany if it is confiscated by court orders because it violates a section of the Strafgesetzbuch (criminal code). Private possession (and thus playing it) and acquisition (such as downloading a demo from the Internet) are still legal, but any dissemination is not. The seller would break the law if a sale took place, not the buyer. However, on 10 December 2002, an "Oberlandesgericht" (higher regional court) in Hamm decided that a single sale of a single copy does not qualify as dissemination.[47] Unlike indexing by the BPjM, which restricts the sale of all content-equal versions. Versions that are confiscated are enumerated in the court order. Being put on the index by the BPjM or, since April 1, 2003, being refused a rating by the USK, does not equal a ban. Rather, it imposes strict trade restrictions on the title. While only very few games have been confiscated, the list of indexed games is very long.[48]
StGB § 86a outlaws the use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations, StGB § 130 Volksverhetzung (agitation of the people), and StGB § 131 instructions for committing crimes. In the official lists, these three sections are always bundled, so any game that contains swastika flags and/or any depiction of Adolf Hitler is listed alongside racist propaganda pieces.
StGB § 131 outlaws representation of excessive violence in media which "describe cruel or otherwise inhuman acts of violence against human or humanoid beings in a manner which expresses a glorification or rendering harmless of such acts of violence or which represents the cruel or inhuman aspects of the event in a manner which injures human dignity".[49]
StGB § 130 and § 131 make it a criminal offence to do the following with corresponding scriptures:
distribute/sell them
issue in public, demonstrate or otherwise make them available
leave them to a person under the age of 18
produce, buy, deliver, store, offer, announce, praise, import or export them within the meaning of points 1 to 3.
This means that import or purchase and possession for personal use of such games is still legal for persons over 18 years of age.
In the case of video games that contain pornography with minors, where a real or realistic event is depicted, the possession of the video game or working towards possessing it would be illegal under StGB § 184b or §184c. Otherwise, if the work depicts a fictitious event, the distribution of such material is illegal.
Banned by the district court of Kassel in 1999 for violating German Criminal Code section 86a (use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations). A censored version was released.[50]
While the game itself is only on the List of Media Harmful to Young People with a reminder that the game is potentially violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence) a series of 7 walkthrough videos have been banned by the district court of Berlin-Tiergarten in December 2016 for the same criminal code.[54]
Banned by the district court of Munich in 2001 for violating German Criminal Code section 86a (use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations). A censored version was released.[58]
Banned by the district court of Munich in 2007 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). A censored version was released.[59]
Banned by the district court of Frankfurt in 2010 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). A censored version was released.[60]
Banned by the district court of Amberg in 2008 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). A censored version was released.[61]
Banned by the district court of Detmold in 2010 for violating German Criminal Code section 86a (use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations) and section 131 (depictions of violence). A censored version was released.[62]
Since 2018 there have been a few games where the ban has been lifted.
Originally banned by the district court of Hamburg in 2007 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). The ban was lifted in February 2018 but remains on the List of Media Harmful to Young People.[63]
Originally banned by the district court of Berlin-Tiergarten in 2010 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in May 2018 and removed from the List of Media Harmful to Young People in January 2021.[64]
The version for the Sega Mega Drive was originally banned by the district court of Munich in 1994 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). The version for the Super Nintendo was censored and allowed for distribution. The ban was lifted in October 2019 and removed from the List of Media Harmful to Young People in March 2020.[65]
Originally banned by the district court of Munich in 1995 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). The ban was lifted in October 2019 and removed from the List of Media Harmful to Young People in March 2020.[66]
Originally banned by the district court of Munich in 1997 for violating German Criminal Code section 131 (depictions of violence). The ban was lifted in November 2019 and removed from the List of Media Harmful to Young People in August 2020.[67]
Originally banned by the district court of Munich in 1994 for violating German Criminal Code section 86a (Use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations). The ban was lifted in August 2019 and removed from the List of Media Harmful to Young People in October 2019 on grounds of social adequacy.[68]
Guatemala
Roblox is banned in Guatemala because it can violate the safety of children and adolescents.[69]
PUBG Mobile (excluding versions released exclusively in India) is banned because of extreme violence. The move came after a direction from the states of Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir seeking a ban on the game, as it was claimed to affect the minds of youths. It was banned in the cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Rajkot of Gujarat, as well as all of Jammu and Kashmir.[72] Players have been prosecuted for playing the game.[73] The game was later completely banned due to mishandling of data on 2 September 2020.[74][75]
Mortal Kombat 11 is banned in Indonesia because of excessive violence and gore as well as depiction of communist symbolism which is strictly banned in the country.[77][78]
Iran typically bans any game that contains excessive violence, depicts cruelty, features strong sexual content, nudity, or portrays the Middle East negatively.
ARMA 3 is banned due to the game's portrayal of a fictional faction, which includes Iran and is an enemy of NATO.[80]
Battlefield 3 us banned because it presented a fictional U.S. invasion on Iran. Even before the ban, many retail stores were removing copies of the game from their shelves.[81]
Clash of Clans is banned because it encourages violence, tribal war and is extensively addictive, as the government states.[82]
Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni is banned for excessively glorifying homosexuality and immoral values via eroge style animation. However, the ban does not extend to digital distributions.[85]
Iraq
Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds are banned in Iraq because of negative effects caused by some electronic games on the health, culture, and security of Iraqi society.[86]
The IFCO rarely rates video games and leaves decisions to PEGI and the BBFC. Manhunt 2 was banned for "gross, unrelenting and gratuitous violence", but the ban was later lifted and the game was given a PEGI 18 rating.[87]
Italy
In 2006, following the release of the trailer to the game Rule of Rose, the magazine Panorama ran an article claiming live burials of children at the protagonist's hand. Shortly after, then-mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, called for a ban of the game in Italy. The game's European publisher, 505 Games, dismissed these claims,[88] and the game was not banned following Veltroni's comments.
In 2007, following the decision of the governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Minister of Communications Paolo Gentiloni publicly expressed the desire to ban the distribution of Manhunt 2 in Italy, due to the gratuitous violence and excessive cruelty in the video game, but the ban was never put into practice.[89]
Video games are rarely banned in Japan, and it holds the place as one of the top video game producers in the world.[90] However, for some games, usually western, they may edit or censor their games if they appear offensive to Japan; an example being the Japanese release of Fallout 3. "The Power of the Atom" quest was edited to relieve concerns about atomic detonation in inhabited areas and the Fat Man weapon was renamed to the Nuka Launcher due to its relation to the real historic event.[91] Another example is the Japanese version of Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back in which a death animation that has Crash squashed into a head and feet was altered due to its resemblance to the Kobe child murders. Japan's Spike removed all references to Kim Jong-il and North Korea in Homefront, as well.[92]Resident Evil 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Bulletstorm, Gears of War 3, Grand Theft Auto V, Dead Island, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and numerous other violent titles[citation needed], distributed physically and digitally, were heavily edited for excessive violence, but only on the localization level; the games can still be played if the locale is switched from Japanese to English. The Mortal Kombat series was subsequently banned in Japan, including its newest release, due to heavy amounts of violence [citation needed]. On 13 March 2019, the sales of Judgment had stopped producing future sales in Japan, following Pierre Taki's arrest on suspicion of cocaine use. As a result, Sega had replaced both the voice actor and the character model having been subsequently removed.[citation needed] As of November 2022, video game The Callisto Protocol has been banned in Japan. CERO would not be rating due to the game's violent content and the developer refused to make the necessary changes.[citation needed]
Malaysia tends to ban offensive content such as extreme-impact violence, depictions of cruelty, any content considered anti-Muslim, sexual content and nudity. In August 2008, after the Grand Theft Auto series ban in Thailand (see below), head of a Malaysian consumer rights organization, Muhammad Idris, called for the ban of the entire Grand Theft Auto series and other similarly violent video games such as the Manhunt series and Mortal Kombat.[93][94] In February 2010, one week after Dante's Inferno was released, the game was banned by the Jabatan Agama Islam (JAIS), a Muslim organisation in Malaysia, for depictions of Judeo-Christian hell iconography which was against Sharia, as well as cruelty and sexuality.[citation needed]
In 2016, Pokémon Go was banned by the Federal Territory for Muslims for "promoting the search for power"[sic], which leads to gambling and safety issues related to playing the game[citation needed] The ban was later lifted following massive backlashes on social media and an update that slightly modified security measures on the app.[citation needed]
In September 2017, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) blocked access to the entire Steam store following the discovery of a controversial fighting game involving religious deities, Fight of Gods.[95] The ban was lifted one day later after Valve agreed to block the game in Malaysia.[96]
In New Zealand, games are classified by the country's Office of Film and Literature Classification. If they are dubbed "objectionable" in all cases, they are banned. In this case, the game in question is not only illegal to sell, but also to own, possess, or import. Games are typically banned and classified as "objectionable content" when they contain extreme violence, offensive depictions of cruelty, animal cruelty, sexual content involving minors, or graphic depictions of sexual content, including sexual fetishes that are "revolting or abhorrent" (such as depictions of urination, bestiality, necrophilia, urophilia, coprophilia, and/or incest).
Banned because "it tends to promote and support both the exploitation of children and young people, and the use of coercion to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct".[101]
Banned because it "tends to promote and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".[citation needed]
Banned because it "tends to promote and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".[106]
Banned because it "tends to promote and support incest between the two lead focal sisters, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".[citation needed]
Banned because of violence against Muslims, who are portrayed as terrorists.[citation needed] The ban does not extend to digital versions of the game.[109]
In 1981, a presidential decree issued by Ferdinand Marcos outlawed the use and distribution[111] of video game consoles, arcade games and pinball machines, deeming them as a "destructive social enemy"[112] and "to the detriment of the public interest".[113][114]
While no video games are banned nationwide so far since 1986, at least one title, Defense of the Ancients, has been banned at a barangay in Dasmariñas, Cavite following complaints of delinquency issues, and two murder incidents involving youths in the area resulting from brawls in relation to the game.[115]
Russia
In Russia, games are classified by the "On Countering Extremist Activity" federal law and are included in the "Federal List of Extremist Materials".
Media in the United States and Europe have incorrectly reported that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which features a storyline in which Russian ultra-nationalists take control of the country and invade the United States, was banned in Russia. Activision called these reports "erroneous".[116] Instead, a censored version of the game was published, omitting the controversial "No Russian" level. This also presumably prevented the game from being released on consoles in Russian, with only a PC version officially available.
Not officially banned, but the "No Russian" mission was censored out by the publisher. No PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions were released.[citation needed]
Not officially banned, but Sony Interactive Entertainment refused to sell the game digitally on PlayStation 4.[117] The game also never released in Russia on discs.[citation needed]
For Freedom Ichkeriya: BAMUT
Banned because of "justifying the implementation of extremist activities: incitement to ethnic and religious hatred, intended to form a hostile attitude towards soldiers of the Russian army as "occupants", "aggressors", and towards Russians by nationality as invaders. has signs of inciting ethnic hatred: Chechens are contrasted with Russians"[118][119]
Not officially banned, but Xbox Game Studios decided[120] to not release it in Russia because of one of the main protagonists of the game being transgender, which would likely be offensive to local audiences.[citation needed] The game was also not released in several other countries for the same reason, including Turkey,[citation needed] Singapore[citation needed] and China[citation needed].
Saudi Arabia
Most banned games can be found in many stores due to a lack of government enforcement of bans (often at a substantial price). However, not all major stores will stock banned titles.[121]
Banned for a few weeks due to the presence of interactive sex scenes, partial nudity, and sexual themes, as well as the word "God" in the title. In 2018, the newest game in the series was approved for release.[citation needed]
Banned due to frequent use of sexual expletives, sexual activity with visible genitals, and the motiveless killing of innocent human characters.[citation needed]
Singapore has banned games in the past and still occasionally does (including a ban on arcades nationwide from 1983 to the 1990s). With the implementation of the Video Game Classification in 2008 by the Media Development Authority, most games are widely available for purchase to their respective age group, such as those containing full frontal nudity or strong graphic violence under an "M18" rating. Games that were previously banned such as Mass Effect were re-rated either "Age Advisory" or "M18" after the implementation of the classification system.
Banned because of violence.[124] The ban was met with uproar as the local gaming community and retailers scrambled to start petitions to save the game. The government decided to lift the ban after a week, as the game had been released for more than a year and the ban would impact the local LAN gaming and retail market.[125]
The Game Rating Board requires that all video games be rated by the organization. Unrated titles are absolutely banned from being sold in the country, and websites selling them can be blocked.
The September 2017 release was cancelled because of a March 2017 case in South Korea where a 17-year-old girl killed and dismembered an 8-year-old child.[132] The game was banned to prevent controversies.[132]
No games have officially been banned, but many requests and recommendations were made to ban certain bestseller games featuring violence (such as those against women) since as early as the 2000s, but none took place and the games were left untouched.
Though on March 10, 2015, the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services recommended a ban on Minecraft, specifically after online trolls sent videos (Made to make it appear as if it was featured in the original version of the game) of a modded Minecraft session featuring mods that included violence "not suited for such a game aged for young children" to big media outlets and television channels in Turkey, which then they made news covering the sent reports, and later catching the attention of the ministry and parents, resulting in such a recommendation. [133][134]
Minecraft has quite a large player-base in Turkey, and the ministry seeing such a game supposedly featuring violence being played by most of the young people in the country saw it as a big problem. However, the ban never took place, but the investigation stood on halt for sometime without any progression, later being dropped and forgotten.[135][136]
The case was widely joked about not just across the country but globally by both Turkish and foreign gamers, commentators, online media outlets, and television news too.[137]
Although certain online games are unavailable in the Turkish region, and some are unavailable to be purchased digitally, but are available physically.[example needed] The availability is mostly set by the publisher's decisions and not directly by the government (except site blockings), though unlikely, some may be to avoid trouble with the current conservative government in any-way.[citation needed]
Thailand will typically ban any games with excessive violence and sexual content, such as many eroge from Japan, for the same reasons as its ban on any pornographic films.[citation needed]
Additionally, since August 2008, all video game titles of the Grand Theft Auto series have been completely banned in Thailand,[138] because of a case where an 18-year-old Thai player supposedly influenced by Grand Theft Auto killed a taxi driver from Bangkok.[139] The ban, however, does not extend to the digital PC versions of Grand Theft Auto V.[140]
Tropico 5 is yet another banned title. The ruling military junta claims that it could "affect peace and order" within the country.[141]
United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, a branch of the government called the National Media Council (NMC) works to control the media and entertainment industry in the country, and they have the authority to issue bans on any specific media products, including video games, to comply with the country's legal and cultural values. Usually, the NMC do not explicitly state their actual consensus for any kind of issued ban on a product, so official reasons behind their bans remain unclear. However, bans issued by the NMC apply only to the sale of those products through local outlets; they do not make private ownership illegal. There are certain exceptions, notably for Spec Ops: The Line (see below). Some banned games may be available and sold on the nation's grey market.[citation needed]
In 2018, the NMC introduced a localised rating system for various media, including video games.[142]
The following titles are banned from mainstream physical retail. However, unlike Saudi Arabia, most of these games can still be seen on digital storefronts such as the PlayStation Store.
Banned likely due to suggestive and revealing outfits on some characters.[143] However, the ban did not extend to digital versions of the game.[citation needed]
This game was banned after players in the GCC noticed that the picture frames in some maps had quotations from the Qur'an, which were very offensive to Muslims.[citation needed] The ban was lifted after the developers removed the text on the frames.[citation needed]
Banned likely due to contradicting with customs and traditions.[144] However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.[citation needed]Its sequel, Darksiders II, which features similar themes, was released without issues, and even had a localised print release for the PlayStation 3 version.[citation needed]
Both banned likely due to "extreme depictions of violence and scantily-clad game characters".[145] However, the ban did not extend to digital versions of the games.[citation needed]
Banned likely due to sexual themes, including possible homosexual relationships.[147] The ban has since been lifted for the digital versions of the game.[citation needed]
The first title in the series was banned after complaints were filed regarding religious and sexual content in the game, and subsequently, the next seven games in the series were banned for similar reasons[citation needed] The 2018 title God of War was the first entry to be legally approved for release in the U.A.E.[152]
Banned likely due to violence, cruelty and sexual content.[citation needed] For unknown reasons, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has been available via Steam ever since the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V was launched, which itself is openly available on Steam from the debut.[citation needed] Shortly after Steam introduced the dirham as the official currency for U.A.E. user accounts on 10 November 2015,[153] the majority of Rockstar's games became available for purchase for those user accounts, including most Grand Theft Auto titles (For unknown reasons, almost all of Rockstar's games were regionally locked out on Steam, whether banned or not.).[citation needed]
Despite being initially marketed for Middle Eastern distribution under the title of Injustice: The Mighty Among Us, the game failed to surpass the NMC's censors for a period of time,[156] and was banned likely due to the case package and on-disc software title itself being identical to its European release, with the term "God" retained (the official reason was not given).[citation needed] The game had been demonstrated at various events in the U.A.E. without incident for many months before the official release date.[citation needed] However, the ban on the title has since been lifted.[156] The expanded Ultimate Edition was released on schedule and distributed regularly.[citation needed]
Both banned likely due to possible homosexual relationships.[147] However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.[citation needed]
Banned likely due to excessive violence and sexual themes.[158] The ban was issued roughly three weeks after the official release. The ban has since been lifted for digital versions of the game.[159]
Banned likely due to violence against Muslims, as well as excessive violence, sexual themes and other highly questionable content.[citation needed] However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.[citation needed]
Both banned because of sexual themes, excessive violence, and use of drugs and alcohol.[165] However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.[citation needed]
Banned likely due to the game's fictional depiction of the UAE's real-life city of Dubai in a state of ravage and destruction. Unlike other banned video games, the NMC had extended their focus for this title going far as to issue the TRA to block the game's official website[166] and subsequently prevent the title from being distributed throughout the rest of the GCC, as well as Jordan, and Lebanon.[167] Even local retailers, such as Geekay Games, are unable to sell the game via their online shops to UAE residents.[168] The game remains unavailable via digital platforms such as Steam and PSN.[citation needed] However, the game is still available on PSN in Qatar and Kuwait.[citation needed]
Banned likely due to homosexual relationships between characters and high-impact sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.[85]
Unknown reason for ban, possibly due to hacking and nudity.[citation needed]Watch Dogs' ban did not extend to the DLC,[169] and is only available on non-Steam distributors, furthermore, this version of the ban extends throughout the GCC[170] while the ban for Watch Dogs 2 has been lifted.[citation needed]
Games in the UK usually only receive a ban when they contain real sex scenes and/or gratuitous violence. BBFC age ratings are compulsory and backed by legislation, taking effect 30 July 2012.[171] It is illegal to sell, buy or rent, but not import, a game that has not been classified by an approved age rating organisation in the UK. This only applies to games stored on physical media, not downloadable media.[172]
Was threatened with being refused certification in its uncut form. Was subsequently altered to replace pedestrians with zombies.[173] The restriction was later lifted, and a patch was released to restore the original human content.[citation needed]
The uncut version was the only game to be refused classification by the BBFC (therefore banned), due to excessive graphic violence and cruelty.[174] After this, a modified version was made and submitted for certification – this was initially refused classification as well, but was allowed to be sold after an appeal (despite a successful challenge to this ruling).[citation needed]
The version of the game that had been edited for the American market was further censored for the British release.[citation needed] The interrogation scenes were deemed graphically controversial and edits were made at the request of the BBFC to further mask these scenes.[175] The edited version received an 18 certificate.
Not submitted to the BBFC, but in 1989, official shipments of copies were seized by customs and destroyed in order to "protect the youth of today".[176][177][178]
However, games can still be recalled as the result of court orders; a nude model featured in The Guy Game sued its developer and publisher over use of her likeness, as she was underage at the time of filming and thus could not personally consent to her depiction. All remaining copies of the game that contained her likeness were recalled from stores.[182][183] In 2012, a court found that Silicon Knights had plagiarized Epic Games' proprietary Unreal engine, and had used it in Too Human and X-Men: Destiny, along with other unreleased projects. The studio was ordered to recall and destroy all remaining copies, materials, and source code relating to the games.[184][185]
The ESRB's highest rating, "Adults Only", has been considered a total ban on the mainstream sale of certain games, as most retailers refuse to stock games carrying the rating, and they cannot be published on major video game consoles due to company policies.[186][187][188][189] The release of Thrill Kill, an AO-rated fighting game with extreme violence and strong sexual themes, was outright cancelled by Electronic Arts (who had acquired its developer) due to objections over its content.[190] Following the discovery of an incomplete sex minigame that was not included in the final game but was still present in the game's code and could be accessed using a modification or cheating device, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was re-rated Adults Only and recalled by Rockstar Games, in favor of a new revision of the game that omitted the offending content entirely and carried the original Mature rating. Custer's Revenge has been banned in Oklahoma City because it is offensive to Native Americans, which a large number of residents identify as.[191][192][193]
Ukraine
Mortal Kombat 11 is banned in Ukraine due to high-impact blood and gore and depictions of communist symbolism, which is banned per Ukrainian law.[77]
Uzbekistan
Authorities in Uzbekistan banned a number of games over concerns that they could be "used to propagate violence, pornography, threaten security and social and political stability", most notably first-person shooters such as Call of Duty: Black Ops and Doom, horror games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat and even relatively non-violent simulations such as The Sims. The ban was condemned and ridiculed for taking precedence over more important societal issues and a waste of time and effort.[194]
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings to consumer video games in the United States and Canada. The ESRB was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association, in response to criticism of controversial video games with excessively violent or sexual content, particularly after the 1993 congressional hearings following the releases of Mortal Kombat and Night Trap for home consoles and Doom for home computers. The industry, pressured with potential government oversight of video game ratings from these hearings, established both the IDSA and the ESRB within it to create a voluntary ratings system based on the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system with additional considerations for video game interactivity.
Manhunt is a 2003 stealth game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The first entry in the Manhunt series, it was released for the PlayStation 2 in November 2003, followed by Microsoft Windows and Xbox releases in April 2004. Set within the fictional Carcer City, the story follows James Earl Cash, a death row prisoner who is forced to participate in a series of snuff films, earning his freedom by murdering criminal gang members sent to hunt him on camera.
Video game censorship are efforts by an authority to limit access, censor content, or regulate video games or specific video games due to the nature of their content. Some countries will do this to protect younger audiences from inappropriate content using rating systems such as the ERSB rating system. Others will do this to censor any negative outlook on a nation's government.
Ermac is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Debuting as an unlockable character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), he is an amalgam of the souls of deceased warriors and possesses telekinetic abilities.
Mortal Kombat is a 1995 American fantasy martial arts action film directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and written by Kevin Droney. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, it is the first installment in the Mortal Kombat film series. Starring Linden Ashby, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Robin Shou, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto, and Christopher Lambert, the film follows a group of heroes who participate in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to protect Earth from being conquered by malevolent forces. Its story primarily adapts the original 1992 game, while also using elements from the game Mortal Kombat II (1993).
Mortal Kombat II is a 1993 arcade fighting game originally produced by Midway for the arcades in 1993. It was later ported to multiple home systems, including MS-DOS, Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and PlayStation only in Japan, mostly in licensed versions developed by Probe Entertainment and Sculptured Software and published by Acclaim Entertainment.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game in the Mortal Kombat series, developed and released by Midway to arcades in 1995. It is a standalone update of 1995's earlier Mortal Kombat 3 with an altered gameplay system, additional characters like the returning favorites Kitana and Scorpion who were missing from Mortal Kombat 3, and some new features.
The Videogame Rating Council (V.R.C.) was introduced by Sega of America in 1993 to rate all video games that were released for sale in the United States and Canada on the Sega Master System, Genesis, Game Gear, Sega CD, 32X, and Pico. The rating had to be clearly displayed on the front of the box, but their appearance in advertisements for the video game was strictly optional. It was later supplanted by the industry-wide Entertainment Software Rating Board.
Mortal Kombat is an American media franchise centered on a series of video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a video game starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, but when that idea fell through, a science fantasy-themed fighting game was created instead. Still, the developers paid homage to him with Johnny Cage, a fictional film star whose personal style resembles Van Damme's. The original Mortal Kombat was the first fighting game to introduce a secret fighter, reached if the player fulfilled a set of requirements.
Manhunt 2 is a 2007 stealth game by Rockstar Games. It was developed by Rockstar London for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2, Rockstar Leeds for the PlayStation Portable, and Rockstar Toronto for the Wii. It is the sequel to 2003's Manhunt and was released in North America on 29 October 2007, and in the UK on 31 October 2008. Set in the fictional city of Cottonmouth, the game follows Daniel Lamb, a mental patient suffering from amnesia as he tries to uncover his identity, and Leo Kasper, a sociopathic assassin who guides Daniel in his journey.
Manhunt is a stealth video game series developed by Rockstar North, as well as several other Rockstar studios, and published by Rockstar Games. The series began in 2003 with the release of Manhunt, and concluded in 2007 with Manhunt 2. The name of the series and its games are derived from the term "manhunt" as used in law enforcement, where it refers to an intensive search for a dangerous fugitive. As of 26 March 2008, the Manhunt franchise has sold 1.7 million copies worldwide.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a 2008 fighting video game, developed and published by Midway Games. The last entry in the franchise before the company went bankrupt in 2009 and sold the franchise to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Is a crossover between Mortal Kombat and the DC Universe, is also the eighth main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise, set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3 and despite the story not being connected to the first seven games or any other game that was released after this one. The game was released on November 16, 2008 and contains characters from both franchises. Its story was written by comic writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. The game was followed by a Mortal Kombat reboot in 2011 and by Injustice: Gods Among Us in 2013.
Mortal Kombat is a 2011 fighting video game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the ninth main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a reboot of the series. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems in April 2011, and a PlayStation Vita port was released in May 2012. An expanded version of the game, titled Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2012 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2013.
Liu Kang is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as Earthrealm's greatest warrior and champion, he is generally the main hero of the series. He debuted in the original 1992 game as a Shaolin monk, and has since appeared in nearly every main series installment. He is also a protagonist of the action-adventure beat 'em up spinoff game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).
The video game industry in Australia is worth $2.96 billion annually as of 2017, inclusive of traditional retail and digital sales. A report in 2022 by Austrade estimated that 3,228 Australians worked in the video game industry. In fiscal year 2016–17, revenue from Australian game developers was approximately $118.5 million, 80 percent of which was from overseas sales.
The Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, has been the subject of various controversies since its creation in 1992. In particular, Mortal Kombat has often been criticised from a broad spectrum of politicians and other critics for its unrestrained use of graphic and bloody violence, both in the game's regular combat scenes and its Fatalities—finishing moves which allow the player to kill or otherwise maim the defeated opponents.
Hatred is an isometric shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Destructive Creations that was released on June 1, 2015 on Microsoft Windows. The player character is a misanthropic mass-killer who begins a "genocide crusade" to kill as many human beings as possible. The developer described Hatred as a reaction to video game aesthetic trends such as political correctness, politeness, vivid color, and games as art. Its October 2014 announcement trailer was characterized as "controversial" by multiple video game journalists. The game was shortly removed by Valve from their Steam Greenlight service due to its extremely violent content but was later brought back with a personal apology from Gabe Newell. It was greenlit for a second time on December 29, 2014 and released on June 1, 2015.
On December 7, 1993, and March 5, 1994, members of the combined United States Senate Committees on Governmental Affairs and the Judiciary held congressional hearings with several spokespersons for companies in the video game industry including Nintendo and Sega, involving violence in video games and the perceived impacts on children. The hearing was a result of concerns raised by members of the public on the 1993 releases of Night Trap, Mortal Kombat and later Doom which was released after the first hearing. Besides general concerns related to violence in video games, the situation had been inflamed by a moral panic over gun violence, as well as the state of the industry and an intense rivalry between Sega and Nintendo.
↑ "Classification decision snapshots". Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand). Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
↑ "Gal*Gun: Double Peace". Film & Video Labelling Body (New Zealand). 2011. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
↑ "التصنيف العمرى للألعاب"[Age rating for games] (in Arabic). General Commission for Audiovisual Media (Saudi Arabia). Archived from the original on 16 June 2018.
↑ Elsa Baxter (24 February 2010). "UAE bans latest Playstation 3 game". Arabian Business.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
↑ Fakhruddin, Mufaddal (14 June 2012). "Max Payne 3 Banned in UAE". IGN Middle East. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
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