Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon because I DON'T KNOW! Versions
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Agony A gony is a 2018 US survival horror by Madmind Studio Cut for worldwide release so that developers could obtain a US M rating from the ESRB. An uncut version is set for release as Agony
Unrated.
Promotional Material Players begin their journey as a tormented soul within the depths of Hell without any memories about their past. The special ability to control people on their
path, and possess minded demons, gives the player the necessary measures to survive in the extreme conditions they are in
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Agony Unrated | Unrated | Worldwide: See
article from steamcommunity.com MadMind Studio first announced: It is with a great
pleasure that we want to inform you we have found a way to publish the unrated version of Agony! Agony Unrated will be a separate title produced and published by Madmind Studio and without the involvement of any publishers. It features additional
content and changes suggested by you -- our community
See article from steamcommunity.com . MadMind
Studio later announced: We regret to inform you that our company is currently struggling with financial problems. Due to technical and legal reasons, Madmind must cancel the development of Agony Unrated.
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| Worldwide: Cut for a US ESRB M rating See
article from kickstarter.com . April 2018 The publishers of the Kickstarter funded video game Agony have been explaining that release
delays are down to censorship problems at the ESRB. The game features nudity which does not sit well with the M (17yo+) rating needed to avoid the commercial ban on adults only games in the US. PlayWay explains: In order to be able to publish the game, we had to make some compromises. Otherwise, we would have had to to delete the whole project and never release it. With that in mind, we have spent a lot of time to make sure that censorship will not affect the perception of the game. That is why for many months we have been conducting interviews with age-rating companies in order not to cut out entire scenes from the game but at the same time modify it enough (e.g. just slightly changing the camera's frame) to get an M (Mature) rating instead of AO (Adult-Only) rating. AO rating means that the game could not be released on PS4 and Xbox One, and we would not keep the promise made on the Kickstarter.
We also want to confirm that we are preparing a special, optional patch for PC that will remove the aforementioned censorship. We would love to do something similar for consoles but from a technical and legal point of view it is
simply not possible. Many of you ask us what exactly we had to censor, fearing that the game you have been supporting for years will not be the same experience you hoped for. We do not want to list exactly what's been censored due
to possible spoilers, but it is important for you to understand that none of the elements you have seen in Agony's promotional materials (gameplay, trailers, screenshots, GIFs) have been censored. Do not be afraid, the full version of Agony is much
heavier than what you've seen so far anyway.
See article from
game-debate.com , May 2018 Madmind have now cancelled the patch citing legal issues. The company have said not quite so much material has had to be cut as first thought. The company said: The censorship now
affects only several seconds from two endings (out of seven) and some scenes that may be unlocked only after the end of the game.
Madmind have said that they will at least explain the cuts in a documentary video that will show the
material that had to be cut for an M rating in the US. Update: Agony's censored scenes published in a video
1st June 2018. See article from oneangrygamer.net , See
video of deleted scenes from vimeo.com Madmind Studio kept their word and released a video showcasing the original Adults Only content they had to cut in order to secure a
Mature rating for the game Agony. The NSFW video clocks in at 4:48 minutes. It features the content that Madmind had to trim in order to secure the Mature rating, this includes scenes of genital penetration, a couple of seconds of butt physics,
various forms of infanticide, as well as a sequence involving demon sex and a succubus giving birth to a demon baby through a mutilated vagina.
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Assassin's Creed Valhalla Assassin's Creed Valhalla, is the latest 2020 release in Ubisoft's longest-running franchise. News November 2020: Patched Ubisoft is issuing a fix to
Assassin's Creed Valhalla following the revelation that Japanese versions of the game had depictions of blood censored. A Japanese Ubiblog post has now acknowledges the problematic censorship, stating that blood cannot be depicted in-game and that the
development team is preparing a patch to solve the issue releasing sometime in December. Ubisoft goes on to apologize for the inconvenience to its customers. News November 2020: Ubisoft censors the Japanese release
See article from gamerant.com It seems that not all versions of the game are equal to others. Japanese
players say the game isn't what was promised, and further that it was censored egregiously compared to western versions of the game. The Japanese release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is censored in several significant ways. It removes or alters
violent gameplay and animations related to severed limbs, torture involving inner organs, decapitated heads and female nudity, including nipples. The game features a worldwide option to turn blood spurts during combat on and off. However,
presumably because the game is already censored in Japan, the option then does very little. Japanese buyers have also complained that the availability of the option implies that more violence is available than actually is, and so feel misled.
With the usual corporate bullshit, Ubisoft claimed that the removal of blood spurts was necessary for ratings purposes. But CERO, Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization, said that that blood spurts comparable to previous Assassin's Creed
releases in Japan were included when it did its rating.
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Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland is a 2010 Japan RPG from Gust Cut for international release. Uncut in Japan
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Batman: The Enemy Within Batman: The Enemy Within 4 is a 2017 action game from Telltale Slightly cut for all releases.
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banned | Pegi |
Worldwide: Cut See article from bbc.com
A photograph of assassinated Russian diplomat Andrei Karlov has been removed from the video game Batman: The Enemy Within , made by Telltale. Telltale said it regretted the inclusion of the image of Karlov, who was shot dead at an art
exhibition in Ankara in December 2016. Telltale apologised in a statement and said the game had been updated to remove the picture across all platforms. The company said: We regret this incident occurred, and we
are taking appropriate action internally to ensure that we continue to maintain our high standards in production and quality assurance.
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Battlefield 4 Battlefield 4 is a 2013 shoot 'em up action game from EA Versions
cut | China |
China: Banned See article from slashgear.com
: Following a newspaper campaign and due to the supposed discrediting of China's national image in the futuristic plot line of the game, Battlefield 4 has been banned from sale as of this week. The Chinese Ministry of Culture said the game is
to be removed from physical shelves as well as all China-based online sales channels. Those that've already downloaded the game in China will be unable to access any online content and are encouraged to delete the game from their consoles and PCs.
The Chinese Ministry of Culture suggests that Battlefield 4: Is an illegal game, with content that endangers national security, and is all about a cultural invasion. Battlefield 4 relevant
available downloads, patches, news, and other requirements [shall be] deleted within 24 hours.
Apparently the bit in the game where American soldiers must march into China to help in a state of social instability is not entirely
welcome as a possible futuristic outcome in the country at the moment. |
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Batlefield 4 Battlefield 4 is a 2013 shoot 'em up action game from EA Versions
cut | China |
China: Banned See article from slashgear.com
: Following a newspaper campaign and due to the supposed discrediting of China's national image in the futuristic plot line of the game, Battlefield 4 has been banned from sale as of this week. The Chinese Ministry of Culture said the game is
to be removed from physical shelves as well as all China-based online sales channels. Those that've already downloaded the game in China will be unable to access any online content and are encouraged to delete the game from their consoles and PCs.
The Chinese Ministry of Culture suggests that Battlefield 4: Is an illegal game, with content that endangers national security, and is all about a cultural invasion. Battlefield 4 relevant
available downloads, patches, news, and other requirements [shall be] deleted within 24 hours.
Apparently the bit in the game where American soldiers must march into China to help in a state of social instability is not entirely
welcome as a possible futuristic outcome in the country at the moment. |
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Blood II: The Chosen Blood II: The Chosen is a 1998 first person shooter by Monolith Productions Cut for strong language in the UK.
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cut | | UK: Cut for strong language Not cut by the
BBFC but the UK release has been irritatingly censored. Every time a character swears it is irritatingly bleeped out totally spoiling the atmosphere of the game. Apparently the distributors, GT Interactive asked the
designers, Monolith USA, to remove or bleep out the harsh language. They chose to bleep it out.
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Blood and Guts Bundle Blood and Guts Bundle is a 2020 trilogy of arena fight games from Digerati The Blood and Guts Bundle for Nintendo Switch has been banned in Australia under the automated International Age Rating
Coalition (IARC) system. Decision was in March 2020, but has only recently been added to the National Classification Database. The automated system is pretty much a random rating generator, so perhaps the delay is down to going back to the old
manual way of rating games. In the US the game is M (17) rated by the ESRB for blood and gore, use of drugs, violence. The Promotional Material gives a flavour of the game: Satisfy your lust for carnage
with three gloriously gratuitous games! This bundle contains: Slain: Back from Hell . A heavy metal inspired arcade combat game with stunning pixel art visuals, challenging old school gameplay and gore galore. Plus the most
metal soundtrack you've ever heard! Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut : A killer puzzle game and darkly comic homage to 80s horror movies where you control Skullface, a homicidal slasher hell-bent on revenge.
Super Blood Hockey : Arcade sports gaming gets a shot of adrenaline in this violent homage to classic 8- and 16-bit ice hockey games. Use fast-paced skills and bone-crunching brutality to dominate.
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uncut |
| US : ESRB M rated for blood and gore, use of drugs, violence. |
banned | Australia
| Australia: Banned in July 2020 |
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BMX XXX BMX XXX is a 2002 sports video game developed by Z-Axis and published by Acclaim Entertainment Notorious at the time for its nudity, foul language and adult humor. The game allows the
player to create female characters that are fully topless and view live-action video clips of real life strippers, also with bare breasts. After a bit of a hoo-hah it was available in a clothed version, but as the game was a bit naff then this offered
little.
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Bravely Second 2016 adventure game Versions
cut |
| 2016 adventure game Costumes have been censored for US and European release to make them less sexy, seemingly to ensure a
lower age rating. |
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Bug Butcher Bug Butcher is a 2016 shoot 'em up computer game from Awfully Nice Studios. Banned in Australia
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banned |
Australia | Australia: Banned in July 2016 It has just been banned by the Australian Censor
Board for reasons which are not yet apparent. The censors have provided just an uninformative stock statement on the website noting the game as 'Refused Classification'. The description of the game does not really make the game sound very
bannable: You play Harry, an exterminator who gets tasked with slaughtering bugs in a futuristic research facility, in order to buy the surviving scientists time until the total decontamination process is complete.
It's a simple game where you face wave after wave of enemies, picking up new weapons and power-ups in order to enhance your slaying skills.
From an
article from refused-classification.com. Awfully Nice Studios explained a little more about the ban:
We have been in the age rating process for our upcoming console release in Australia. Seem like this triggered the ban from Steam as well. The reasoning behind is, is sad but at the same point also funny. We have a powerup called
Speed powerup where Harry injects himself a syringe. Looks like the combination of the injection with the word Speed someone could assume that it's a drug. We are shocked but are trying to get in touch with Australia to see if we can fix this.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a US 2009 combat simulation game by Activision Versions
cut |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is combat simulation game
Modern Warfare 2's Favela map was temporarily removed after users discovered Islamic text on a bathroom painting. The presence of such text within a bathroom environment is apparently offensive to Muslims, prompting Activision to take
action. Apologising for the error, a spokesperson for the Modern Warfare 2 publisher told Kotaku that the map would be taken offline while the team issues an update to remove the texture: We apologise to anyone
who found this image offensive. Please be assured we were unaware of this issue and that there was no intent to offend. Activision and our development studios are respectful of diverse cultures and religious beliefs, and sensitive
to concerns raised by its loyal game players.
The scene later re-appeared with the picture frames blacked out |
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered is a US 2020 reboot of the 2009 US combat simulation game by Activision News April 2020: Sony refuses
a release in Russia The video game designer Activision has announced that Sony's Russia branch is refusing to release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered on the PS Store. While the publisher did not give an
explicit reason for this decision, it is more than likely because of the No Russian mission, which centered around a mass shooting perpetrated by Russian terrorists and the player. The content subsequently caused a massive debate, garnered widespread
criticism, and originally led to a disclaimer and an option to skip the mission being added. |
Call of Duty: Black Ops II Call of Duty: Black Ops II is a 2012 US combat simulation game from Activision. Banned in China
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Call of Duty: WWII Call of Duty: WWII is a 2017 US combat simulation game from Activision. Cut in Australia
Versions
uncut | | Rest of
the world: Uncut UK: PEGI 18 rated. US : ESRB Mature M rated | cut |
Australia | Australia: Cut in October 2017 On the first submission to the Australian Censorship Board the game was passed R18 uncut for
high impact violence and threat of sexual violence. The distributors didn't want the reference to sexual violence so made cuts to the game and resubmitted it. The game was then duly passed R18+ this time for high impact violence.
[ Spoilers! hover or click text below]
According to the Classification Board, the original version contained a reference to sexual violence: In one section of the game, the player controls Rosseau, a female spy, as she infiltrates a German
building. While inside, she witnesses a woman as she is dragged by a Nazi soldier into a closet, against her will, screaming, You're all pigs! Rosseau opes the closet door, as the soldier says, Leave. This is none of your
business. The player is then given the option to kill the soldier or leave. If the player chooses to leave, the player closes the door, as the soldier is heard unziping his fly and viewed advancing towards the woman. She screams,
Ah! Get away from me! as Rosseau leaves. It is implied that the soldier is going to sexually assault the woman, but at no time is the assault depicted.
The board then described how the cuts made a difference:
In the Board's opinion, the modifications to this game - which include the change of dress for the female prisoner (was in a skirt and top, now in a pants and top) and the removal of audio that implies a soldier is
unzipping his pants - do not contain any classifiable elements that alter this classification or exceed a R18+ impact level. In the Board's opinion, the removal of the audio track means that consumer advice of threat of sexual
violence is not required. Therefore, this modified computer game warrants an R18+ classification with consumer advice of high impact violence [and] online interactivity.
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Carmageddon Carmageddon is a 1997 driving combat game by Stainless Games Cut for strong language in the UK.
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Conan Exiles Conan Exiles is a 2018 Norway online survival game by Funcom Cut for an ESRB M rating in the US but uncut and PEGI 18 rated in Europe.
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uncut | |
EU: Uncut and PEGI 18 rated in Europe, including Germany | cut |
| US: Cut in the US for an ESRB M rating See
article from windowscentral.com : Many months ago,
windowscentral.com reported that the American ESRB might give Conan Exiles an AO for Adults Only rating which could prevent it
from coming to consoles. To avoid this, Funcom had to censor some adult content like exposed penises and testicles for release in countries using ESRB ratings. A Funcom spokesperson clarified the situation. On consoles, full nudity is only
available in PEGI (Albania, Bulgaria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and more) and USK (Germany) territories. You can activate it by downloading the Nudity add-on which come with the game purchase. Unfortunately, only partial nudity is available in
ESRB (Bahamas, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, United States, and more) countries.
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Criminal Girls 2: The Party's Over Criminal Girls 2: The Party's Over is a 2016 Japan RPG adventure game. Cut for western release. Uncut in Japan
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uncut | |
Japan: Uncut | cut | | International
: Cut NIS America explained the changes made prior to submission to the US Entertainment Software Ratings Board,.
- Some artwork, especially during the motivation scenes, were altered over their explicit nature. It seems NIS America worried the ESRB would take issue with women tied up against the their will.
- Swapping the term punishment
for motivation. In the Japanese version of the game, the motivation scenes are actually punishment.
- There won't be any English voice overs. All of the text will be displayed in English, but the voice tracks are staying
Japanese.
- All dialogue has been removed from the motivation scenes.
- The stated ages of some the girls have been changed
| banned |
Germany Australia
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Germany: Banned in August 2016 Computer games censors from USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle) have banned the game. The USK is self regulating trade group rather than an official state censor.
Australia: Unavailable It is reported that the game wont be distributed in Australia but there is no indication that this is due to the official state censors, Australian Classification Board.
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Criminal Girls: Invite Only Criminal Girls: Invite Only is a 2015 Japan RPG adventure game. Banned in New Zealand, PEGI 18 rated in Europe, ESRB M rated in the US.
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uncut |
| EU : PEGI 18 rated for:
US: ESRB M (mature 17+) rated | banned |
New Zealand | New Zealand: Banned in June 2017 The OFLC explained their ban:
Firstly, the Classification Office called the game in due to concerns that the sexual content found within the game focuses on young persons and involves elements of sexual violence. However the Motivation sequences themselves do not
encourage the player to focus on the girls as young persons, and instead concentrates on presenting their embarrassment, powerlessness and humiliation in a sexualised manner. The dialogue clearly establishes that the girls are either unwilling to
participate, or naive about the player character's intentions. Then, once the Motivation is finished, the girls' reaction is positive. The lack of consent presented here - and the idea that Even if you have to force her 203 she'll end up enjoying it - is
a narrative that justifies rape and is presented solely for titillation. This game requires players to engage with the female characters in sexualised situations where consent is not only absent, but where the protestations of the
female characters are part of the attraction. There is a strong likelihood of injury to the public good, including to adults from the trivialisation and normalisation of such behaviour, so the game is banned. |
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Custer's Revenge
Custer's Revenge is a 1982 Atari single player arcade game by Mystique An early adults only controversial game that ended up being replaced by a heavily censored games, Custer's Retreat.
Summary Notes
The player controls the character of Custer, depicted as a man wearing nothing but a cavalry hat, boots and a bandana, sporting a visible erection. Custer has to overcome arrow attacks to reach the other side of the
screen. His goal is to rape a naked Native American woman tied to a pole.
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uncut Custer's Revenge | | Worldwide : Released with an adults
only warning The game was sold with an adults only warning on the cover and also the logo of the famous Swedish Erotica company, the US producers of hardcore porn shorts. An example of the controversial imagery is found on Wikipedia.
| cut Custer's Retreat | | Worldwide: Cut After the controversy the game was heavily cut and reappeared as Custer's Retreat
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DayZ DayZ is a 2018 Czech first person shooter by Bohemia Interactive The video game DayZ has been banned from retail sale by the Australian Censorship Board, despite having been previously
granted an MA15+ rating under an alternative rating system. It is uncut and PEGI 18 rated in Europe. However the developer says that a cut version to placate the Australian censors will then be distributed worldwide. This cut version was passed MA15+ in
Australia.
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uncut |
PEGI Australia
| Europe: Uncut and PEGI 18 rated Australia: Uncut and MA15+ rated for online release |
cut | Australia |
Worldwide: Cut Developers Bohemia Interactive have responded to the Australian cenors ban of the game saying that the game will be cut for Australia and then the same cut version will then be distributed worldwide.
Presumably the cuts are to remove the references to cannabis by renaming as something less problematic for censors.
Australia: Passed MA15+ after cuts for retail release with the consumer advice that noticeably doesn't
mention drugs: Strong themes and violence, online interactivity | banned |
Australia | Australia: Banned for retail PS4 release in June 2019 See
article from kotaku.com.au The 'Classification Board' first granted an RC rating to DayZ on June 4, following an
application from local distributors Five Star Games to have the game sold in brick-and-mortar stores across the country. According to the censorship report, the game was banned over illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Through general gameplay, the player is able to collect and use a variety of equipment, supplies and weaponry, the report says. One of the options to restore the player's health is a marijuana joint, labelled 'cannabis', which is denoted by a cannabis bud in the player's inventory.
Kotaku Australia also reveals that the Classification Board is also working to have the game pulled from sale digitally in Australia.
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Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Dead or Alive Xtreme 3: Scarlet is a 2019 console game from Koei Tecmo Censored on Sony PlayStation 4 but uncensored on the Nintendo Switch
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Destiny 2 Destiny is a 2017 shared world shooter video game developed by Bungie. A visual reference to a far right flag is set to be deleted
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cut | |
Worldwide: Cut in September 2017 The game has caused a little outrage for a rather complex allusion to an alt-right fictional flag itself alluding to Nazi symbology whilst not actually containing well known Nazi symbols.
The reference comes on a pattern on an optional gantlet available for characters. The pattern on the sleeve resembles part of a fictional Kekistan flag. Kekistan is a fictional nation invented in 4chan's political board. It rose to prominence
after being promoted by a handful of anti-feminism YouTubers. The Kekistan flag is based on a Nazi battle flag, and was created to allow far rights groups to identify and acknowledge one another using a symbol of Nazism that isn't identified as
such by ordinary people. The flag was reported sighted at recent troubles in Charlottesville. Bungie CEO Pete Parsons apologised: Our deepest apologies. This does NOT represent our values, and we are
working quickly to correct this. We renounce hate in all forms.
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Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition is a 2015 re-release of the 2002 original from Team Ninja Versions
cut |
| The developer of the Devil May Cry video game, Ninja Theory has censored a snippet of sexually suggestive
dialogue from the action adventure's Definitive Edition re-release. The original scene sees demon antagonist Mundus discussing his evil plans with fellow demon and mistress Lilith. Mundus : I will control
the world through debt. I have absolute power. Lilith: The world is at last your bitch , as am I. Nothing left but to grab it by the hair, bend it over and - Mundus grunts
Lilith: What's the matter? Wait - what's the matter?
The latter part of the dialogue in bold is cut from the definitive version. Chief creative director Tameem Antoniades
unconvincingly claimed that this wasn't a PC clean up. He said: We did make an edit to the opening cut-scene. It wasn't a case of censorship as there are far more suggestive scenes in the game. We felt that scene in
particular drags on a little bit for the opening sequence and frankly, we didn't like the line.
The edit does not affect the game play. |
| Devil May Cry 5 Released uncut on PC and Xbox, but Sony censored the game for PlayStation. Trish's nude butt was obscured by a flaring light effect.
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Devotion Devotion is a 2019 Taiwan psychological horror game by Red Candle Games Banned from Steam in February 2019. The game's publisher was subsequently banned from operating in China. The game was unbanned for sale in Taiwan in June 2020.
The game continued to be unavailable on Steam but games distributor COG planned to list the game. However it later buckled citing pressure from China/Chinese users.
Summary Notes Set
in Taiwan in the 1980s, with a majority of the game happening in an apartment complex in Taipei. The game also incorporates elements based on Taiwanese culture and folk religion.
Censorship
uncut | Taiwan
| Taiwan: Unbanned in June 2020. | banned |
China | China: The game's publisher Indievent was totally banned from operating in China for including the Winnie the
Pooh meme into the game, Devotion. | banned |
world | World: Banned from steam seemingly under pressure from China. The game continued to be unavailable on Steam but games distributor COG planned
to list the game. However it later buckled citing pressure from China/Chinese users. |
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Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a 2021 role playing game by ZA/UM Banned by the Australian Censorship Board in 2021. The games distributors have appealed the ban and
their case will be heard by the Appeal Board on 11th May 2021.
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Dungeon Travelers 2 Dungeon Travelers 2 is a 2013 Japan Dungeon crawler, role-playing games Cut in western regions.
Summary Notes: The
kingdom of Romulea is in peril. Monsters are leaking out of every nook and cranny in the land, and to make matters worse, they have started an uprising against humanity. Players take on the role of Fried, an adventurer from the Royal Library sent to stop
the uprising. But early in his journey, he discovers a broken shrine along the way. This sets in motion the story of Dungeon Travelers 2, where Fried travels around the kingdom of Romulea, and through rescuing, defeating, or bumping into any of the 16
unique girls that can join his party, Fried is on a mission to save the world! Set in a first-person perspective with turn-based combat, players will encounter normal monsters as well as more powerful mutant girls, who must be sealed away to prevent the
spread of the evil monster scourge.
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The Evil Within The Evil Within is a 2014 horror action game from Bethesda Cut for a 17 rating in Japan but uncut elsewhere Summary Notes: Shinji Mikami, the father of
survival horror, is back to direct The Evil Within -- a game embodying the meaning of pure survival horror. Highly-crafted environments, horrifying anxiety, and an intricate story weave together to create an immersive world that will bring players to the
height of tension.
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uncut | | Worldwide:
Uncut | cut |
17 | Japan: Cut for a 17 rating See
article from siliconera.com
: Bethesida Softworks have delayed Shinji Mikami's upcoming survival-horror game, The Evil Within . ZeniMax Asia general manger Tetsu Takahashi explained how the game will now be cut for a CERO D (17) rating in japan:
If we were to make it the same way as the foreign version, it'd be rated CERO Z [18 and up] and we felt that it'd be best to release it the way the creators make it. However, that would limit the sales and advertising, so
we'd lose the opportunity to reach out to as many customers possible.
However there will be a downloadable upgrade to an uncut CERO Z (18) version. Takahashi said: The Evil Within will have
two types of CERO D and CERO Z, with both of them having passed the CERO inspections, but the retail version will only be done using the CERO D versioni. Those who preorder the game can also get the CERO Z version's representation through the Gore Mode
DLC.
See pictorial cuts details from
kotaku.com |
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Fallout 3 Fallout 3 is a 2009 action RPG from Bethesda Banned in Germany, Australia and India. A cut version was later distributed in Germany and Australia. Unbanned in Germany in 2016.
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Fight of Gods Online 2017 fighting game by PQube A Japanese rail shooter where the player assumes the role of Houdai Kudoki, a high-schooler who has no luck with girls. A
cupid-type angel accidentally shoots Houdai with a laser that condenses all of Houdai's romantic opportunities (for the rest of his life) into the next day. Houdai must use a pheromone shot to give the girls euphoria which subdues them and
allows him to confess to his true love.
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uncut | | Worldwide: Uncut |
banned | Malaysia |
Malaysia: Banned in September 2017 Censors at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) took offence at a game called, Fight of Gods, and took immediate action by denying citizens access to the Steam
store. Apparently Valve, the company behind the Steam website were given the chance to block the offending game from Malaysia gamers but did not respond quickly enough for the authorities. Malaysians who try to access the store get the message in
English and Malay: This website is not available in Malaysia as it violate(s) the National law(s).
Fight of Gods pits mythological deities, Jesus included, against one another. Promotional material
for Fight of Gods reads: Your prayers have been answered! For the first time ever, gods, holy spirits and mythological characters from around the globe and throughout history will clash in an explosive 2D fighter where
the entire world is at stake! Who will prevail in the ultimate battle of gods? Will Jesus, fresh from ripping himself off the sacrificial cross, smite all his foes with the power of his Punishment Fist? Can
Buddha slap his opponents into submission? Harness the power of fire, lightning, water, plagues and more as you pit gods and prophets such as Odin, Zeus, Amaterasu, Anubis, Moses and Athena against one another in one of the most
unique and outlandish fighters ever created.
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Fortnite Fortnite is a 2017 us survival battle royale by Epic Games Fortnite Battle Royale, a free-to-play battle royale game where up to 100 players fight to be the last person standing. Banned
in China and Iraq.
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uncut | | Worldwide: Uncut |
banned | China
Iraq | China: Banned 20 games have been assessed by China's Online Gaming Ethics Review Committee. Nine of these
20 games have been banned including the most popular battle royale games -- Fortnite and PUBG. The cause given for banning Fortnite is its Blood and gore, vulgar content.
Iraq: Banned in April 2019 Iraq's
parliament has voted to ban the popular battle royale games Fortnite and Playerunknown's Battlegrounds because of their supposed detrimental influence on the population. A Reuters report says the ban was put into place due to the negative effects
caused by some electronic games on the health, culture, and security of Iraqi society, including societal and moral threats to children and youth.
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Gal*Gun Double Peace Gal*Gun Double Peace is a Japanese shooter action game from PQube A Japanese rail shooter where the player assumes the role of Houdai Kudoki, a
high-schooler who has no luck with girls. A cupid-type angel accidentally shoots Houdai with a laser that condenses all of Houdai's romantic opportunities (for the rest of his life) into the next day. Houdai must use a pheromone shot to give the
girls euphoria which subdues them and allows him to confess to his true love.
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uncut |
M PEGI
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Worldwide: Uncut US: ESRB M (Mature) Europe : PEGI 16 | banned |
Germany New
Zealand
| Germany: Unbanned in May 2019 The Nintendo Switch version was passed with a 'no youth' rating.
Germany: Banned in February 2018 Gal Gun 2 was submitted
to the USK with the result that the release was banned. An appeal against this decision was also dismissed. Thus, the game joins the slow-filling list of anime games that are not available in Germany. However the game was not indexed by BPjM who
did not concur with the sexualisation claims of the USK. This at least allows for a future resubmission to the USK.
New Zealand: Banned in January 2017 Banned by the film censor of the OFLC. Why was it
banned? See article from classificationoffice.govt.nz : The game tends to promote
and support the sexual exploitation of children and young persons, and the use of coercion in relation to sexual conduct. It depicts young female high-school students in a way that emphasises their sexual availability. For example, doki-doki mode
involves the player touching and rubbing the girls to bring them to a state of euphoria , essentially a sort of orgasm. The game also continuously frames high school students as sexually compliant objects to be fetishized and touched regardless of
their consent. The game's lack of difficulty further supports the idea that the intention of this game is for the titillation and arousal of the player, rather than gameplay mastery. It is therefore likely not only to attract
people with a prurient interest in young persons, but also to reinforce the belief that a sexual interest in young persons is acceptable, which contributes to their sexual exploitation in wider society.
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God of War: Ascension God of War: Ascension is a 2013 hack 'n' slash action game from Sony Censored for political correctness
Versions
cut |
| US: In the course of God of War: Ascension, Kratos has to fight a female boss. When she is
struck down, the gamer gets to see a cutscene where he receives the trophy labelled Bros Before Hos. Sony reacted promptly to a bit of a to do about it and released a Day 1 patch that renames the trophy as Bros Before Foes.
| cut |
| Europe: Beyond the politically correct renaming of a trophy, the European release was cut for violence. From article from movie-censorship.com
:
- After a fight against Castor and Pollux, the player needs to go the mutilated Pollux and kill him by crushing his skull. All the gory details are reframed off screen in the European version, but the sounds are still heard.
- A blood
splatter has been removed European version when it is amputated by an elevator.
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Grand Theft Auto 4 Grand Theft Auto 4 is a US 2008 action adventure game by Rockstar The game was controversial but generally released uncensored around the world. But in Australia it was
initially cut for an MA 15+ rating. The uncut version was released a few months later with the same rating.
Versions
uncut |
PEGI Australia
| Europe: Uncut and PEGI 18 rated Australia: Uncut and MA15+ rated for 2009 release.
| cut | Australia
| Australia: Passed MA15+ after cuts for initial 2008 retail release. The 2008 Australian version included reduced gore effects: When NPCs were killed, no blood would pool under their bodies, and blood effects on the bodies
themselves (i.e. bleeding through their clothes if wounded) were removed. Bloody tire tracks remained in both versions, however. The other major change could be seen when players hired sex workers. In other versions of GTA 4 , players could choose the
particular sex act they wanted to purchase, then adjust the camera to watch the animation from outside protagonist Nico's car. In the Australian version, there were no sex act options, and the camera remained locked to the rear of the car, which would
simply bounce up and down. |
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Harvester Harvester is a 1996 PC role playing Game by DigiFX Interactive Cut by the BBFC for an 18 rating in 1996
Versions
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Hatred Hatred is a 2015 shooter action game from Destructive Creation Hyped via controversy over it being the latest 'sickest game ever'. Notably AO rated in the US but didn't trouble many
censors elsewhere outside of Germany. However many outlets refused to sell it anyway.
Versions
uncut |
| Worldwide: Uncut US: AO (Adults Only) |
banned | | International: Banned
Banned by outlets GOG.com and Twitch
Germany: Banned in Germany and implemented by geo-blocking on Steam |
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Hotline Miami Hiotline Miami is 2012 US shooter from Dennaton Games Rated MA15+ in 2013, R18+ in 2015 and belatedly banned in 2019.
Versions
banned |
| Australia : Banned in June 2019 Bizarrely banned in 2019 seemingly in the run up to a
re-release of the Hotline Mimi Collection on eSwitch.
| uncut |
| International: The game didn't seem to cause any trouble anywhere but Australia. The Hotline Miami Collection was reissued in 2020
on Nintendo Switch and XBox
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Hotline Miami 2 Hotline Miami 2 is a 2015 US arcade game Banned by the Australian censor.
Versions
banned |
| Australia : Banned in January 2015 The censors were offended at an implied rape featured in the game. The
censors wrote in a report: In the sequence of game play footage titled Midnight Animal, the protagonist character bursts into what appears to be a movie set and explicitly kills 4 people, who collapse to the floor in a
pool of copious blood, often accompanied by blood splatter. After stomping on the head of a fifth male character, he strikes a female character wearing red underwear. She is knocked to the floor and is viewed lying face down in a pool of copious blood.
The male character is viewed with his pants halfway down, partially exposing his buttocks. He is viewed pinning the female down by the arms and lying on top of her thrusting, implicitly raping her (either rear entry or anally) while her legs are viewed
kicking as she struggles beneath him. This visual depiction of implied sexual violence is emphasised by it being mid-screen, with a red backdrop pulsating and the remainder of the screen being surrounded by black.
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Kingdom Hearts 2 Kingdom of Hearts 2 is a 2002 adventure game from Square Enix Cut outside of Japan Summary Notes: KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX is an HD remastered
compilation of KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX and KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX. Previously exclusive to Japan, both games will be available for the first time across Europe and PAL regions for the PlayStation3 system. HD remastered cinematics
from KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded will also be included in the compilation. The game is a sequel to last year's KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX and will lead into the highly anticipated KINGDOM HEARTS III.The KINGDOM HEARTS saga continues with three magical
journeys in one package!
Versions
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Kingdom Hearts 3 Kingdom of Hearts 3 is a 2019 adventure game from Square Enix Likely to be cut or banned in China
Versions
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The Last of Us Part II The Last of Us Part II is a US 2020 action-adventure, survival horror by Naughty Dog Banned in UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Summery Notes
Set five years after the events of The Last of Us (2013), players enter the role of 19-year-old Ellie, who comes into conflict with a mysterious Christian cult in a post-apocalyptic United States. The game contains
survival horror elements and is played from the third-person perspective. Players can use firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus.
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League of Legends League of Legends is a 2009 online multiplayer battle game by Riot Games Hyped via controversy over it being the latest 'sickest game ever'. Notably AO rated in the US but
didn't trouble censors elsewhere. However many outlets have refused to sell it anyway.
Versions
uncut | |
Worldwide: Uncut US: ESRB Teen T rated | cut |
| South Korea: Cut
The Korean version of the League of Legends has been censored after a software update on the Korean server for the game. Artwork for the character Evelynn has been changed to cover up her bare midriff and also to reduce her cleavage (in
visibility rather than size). The game is 12 rated in South Korea, and has a Teen T rating from the ESRB in the US. The South Korean Game Rating & Administration Committee has a recent history of censorship of games in regards to
artwork, especially in mobile games. The change to Evelynn's artwork has sparked another round of debate about game ratings in Korea and what should be deemed appropriate or not. |
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Manhunt 2 Manhunt 2 is a 2008 Beat 'em up game by Rockstar Games The BBFC famously banned both the original version and then the cut
ESRB M rated version. The BBFC ban of the M rated version was overturned on appeal. The game was cut in the US to obtain an ESRB M rating rather than the uncommercial AO (adults only) Rating.
Cutting Edge
Manhunt Special Edition Rockstar Games are forced to play the
ratings gam
Versions
uncut | Sweden
| Sweden: The GamersGate online store made the uncut version available in 2011. It was widely available across the world but there were some restricted regions. |
cut for M rating | |
US: The games was rated M (17+) after an earlier submission results in a suffocating AO (adults only) rating. The cuts were:
- to introduce a red blurring effect over gory executions
- to delete a scoring system that essentially rewarded players for killing in the most gruesome way possible.
| cut for M rating
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| UK: The cut M rated version was passed 18 without BBFC
cuts in March 2008 but only after a successful appeal to the Video Appeals Committee. The BBFC issued the following press release: The Video Appeals Committee announced that the
result of their reconsideration of the Manhunt 2 appeal remains that the appeal against the rejection of the work by the BBFC is upheld.
The Board’s decision to refuse a certificate to Manhunt 2 was successfully challenged on appeal to the Video
Appeals Committee. The Board challenged the VAC’s decision by way of Judicial Review before the High Court, which quashed the decision on grounds of errors of law. The VAC has now reconsidered the appeal in the light of the High Court’s directions on the
law but has decided, again by a majority of four to three, to allow the appeal on the basis that Manhunt 2 should be given an ‘18’ certificate.
In the light of legal advice the Board does not believe the VAC’s judgement provides a realistic basis
for a further challenge to its decision and has accordingly issued an ‘18’ certificate.
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said: As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of
considerations. We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised
its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an ‘18’ certificate to the game.
The BBFC also provided a statement about the 18
certificate: MANHUNT 2 is a violent action game based on a psychological-horror theme. The player takes on the role of Daniel Lamb, a seemingly disturbed patient in a mental facility, who escapes from the
institution in an effort to discover who he really is. As he progresses through various environments collecting clues and information about his identity, he is confronted by numerous thugs employed by "The Project"; a secretive experimental
organisation, whom he must either evade or kill in order to ensure his own survival.
MANHUNT 2 has been classified '18' for very strong bloody and sadistic violence, which takes the form of stealth executions. In order to successfully despatch a
target, the player-character must creep up behind the victim quietly and kill before he is discovered. The killings are achieved through a number of common items such as syringes, glass shards, pens, crowbars, spades, power-saws, clubs, baseball bats,
axes, pliers and, later on in the game, firearms. Each killing is graphically portrayed as a brief video scene where weapons are seen to impact on various parts of the victim's body coupled to realistic sound effects and blood spurts. The cumulative
effect of these killings creates a very strong impression of almost continuous violence and horror which is too strong to be contained at any category below '18'. The game is entirely unsuitable for anyone below this age.
|
banned cut for M rating
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| UK:
In October 2007 the censors banned the toned down version which is presumably the M rated version as to be released in the US. The BBFC issued the following press release:
The BBFC has rejected a revised version of the video game Manhunt 2. This follows the rejection of the original version of the game in June. The distributor had set in motion an appeal to the Video Appeals
Committee against that decision, and this was suspended while the revised version was considered for classification.
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said: We recognise that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not
consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version. The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in
the visual detail in some of the ‘execution kills’, but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature.
We did make suggestions for further changes to the game, but the distributor has chosen not to make them, and as a
result we have rejected the game on both platforms. The decision on whether or not an appeal goes ahead lies with the distributor.
|
banned |
Ireland
| UK:
The original uncut PS 2 and WII versions were rejected in June 2007 with the following BBFC statement: The BBFC has rejected the video game Manhunt 2 . This means that it cannot
be legally supplied anywhere in the UK. The game was submitted in both a PS2 and a Nintendo Wii version. The decision was taken by the Director and the Presidential Team of Sir Quentin Thomas, Lord Taylor of Warwick and Janet Lewis-Jones.
David
Cooke, Director of the BBFC said: Rejecting a work is a very serious action and one which we do not take lightly. Where possible we try to consider cuts or, in the case of games, modifications which remove the material which contravenes the Board’s
published Guidelines. In the case of Manhunt 2 this has not been possible. Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly
encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game.
Although the difference should
not be exaggerated the fact of the game’s unrelenting focus on stalking and brutal slaying and the sheer lack of alternative pleasures on offer to the gamer, together with the different overall narrative context, contribute towards differentiating this
submission from the original Manhunt game. That work was classified ‘18’ in 2003, before the BBFC’s recent games research had been undertaken, but was already at the very top end of what the Board judged to be acceptable at that category.
Against this background, the Board’s carefully considered view is that to issue a certificate to Manhunt 2 , on either platform, would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors, within the terms of the Video
Recordings Act, and accordingly that its availability, even if statutorily confined to adults, would be unacceptable to the public.
Ireland: The original AO uncut version was also banned in Ireland |
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Mary Skelter 2 Mary Skelter 2 is a 2018 Japan console game by Compile Heart The game was banned in October 2019 by the Australian Censorship Board but it later relented and awarded the game an R18+ rating. It
is reported that all traces of the earlier ban have now been removed from the Australian Censorship Board's online database. The change of heart is typical of Australia's automated games classification scheme This produces random 15, 18 or
banned (refused classification) ratings for games. If the game is of sufficient economic importance then human censors can jump in and sort out the mess.
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Mary Skelter Finale Mary Skelter Finale is a 2021 Japan console game by Idea Factory The game was banned in June 2021 by the Australian Censorship Board. The game is PEGI 16 rated in Europe.
Versions
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Mass Effect Legacy Edition Mass Effect Legacy Edition is a 2021 re-release of the action role play series that first debuted in 2007. Thanks to Daniel See
article from thesplintering.com There was a little controversy at the time
about a marginally sexy 'Hot Coffee' scene that eluded the US games raters. In the UK the BBFC noted the game, including the Hot Coffee scene as 12 uncut, so rather indicating that the controversy was more hype than sexy. Well it seems that even
that 12 rated sexiness is a little too much for 2021 sensibilities and the developers have toned down the 2021 re-release titled as Mass Effect Legacy Edition. In a recent interview with Metro , members of the MELE development team
discussed their approach to updating the games for modern platforms. According to the developers, efforts are being made to smooth out the gameplay experience across all three games in the series. These tweaks include updating animations and unifying the
control scheme. The team noted that a great deal of care is being taken to respect the artistic integrity of the original trilogy... but there's an exception. According to Legendary Edition project director Mac Walters:
Kevin (character and environment director Kevin Meek) actually called out some camera cuts that were just... why was that focusing on Miranda's butt? So in some cases we said, 'Okay, we can make a change there'. But ultimately,
to change an entire character model or something like that wasn't really... it was a decision that was made as part of many creative decisions and just showing it at the best possible fidelity that we could going forward is really the choice for all of
the art that we had. |
The Medium The Medium is a 2020 Polish single player psychological horror from Bloober Team Banned in Australia in July 2020.
Versions
banned |
Australia | Australia: Banned in July 2020 The game has been banned by the Australian
Censorship Board for reasons unknown. Neither the censors nor the developers have specified any reasons for the ban. The censor's database notes that the film was rated as Refused Classification (banned) in July 2020. The database also notes that
the game was submitted under the automated random rating generator process known as IARC. This has a long history of ludicrous ratings that eventually get overturned by human censors. The game's developers, Bloober Team has made a name for themselves
thanks to the line of horror video game titles but it looks like The Medium will be their largest project launch to date. It is claimed that due to computing requirements, it will only run on the latest consoles, notably Xbox Series X. It is reported
that Bloober Team are making cuts to secure a presumably R18+ rating.
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MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death is a Japanese dungeon based role playing console game. Banned in Australia in 2016. Teen (13) rated in the US.
at UK Amazon
Versions
banned |
RC | Australia : Banned by the game censor in June 2016 The Australian
Classification Board banned the game citing a game feature allowing gamers to caress the breasts of the characters. The Australian censors decided that one of the characters depicts a child and so the game was banned. The censors explained:
The game features a variety of female characters dressed in provocative clothing with their cleavage emphasised by their clothing revealing the sides or underside of their breasts. The five main characters in the game are
Machina Mages , females who pair with robot-like guardians in order to do battle. Four of the five, Estra, Flare, Maki and Setia, although of indeterminate age, are all adult-like, with voluptuous bosoms and large cleavage that are flaunted
with a variety of skimpy outfits. The fifth main character, Connie, is depicted as child-like in comparison. She is flat-chested, under-developed physically (such as the hips), is significantly shorter than the other characters
and wears her hair in pigtails. She also has a child-like voice, wears colourful child-like clothing and appears naive in her outlook on life. She is also referred to as a girl by the other main characters. In the Board's opinion, the character of
Connie depicts a person who is, or appears to be, a child under 18. The game features use of the Playstation Vita's touchscreen feature, that allows the player to touch or run their finger across the touchscreen in order to make
any female character's breasts move in response. The chest area of Connie is viewed moving slightly when this occurs, which is significantly different from the greater movement viewed when one of the four adult-like female characters is touched.
| uncut |
| US: Uncut and ESRB Teen (13) rated |
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Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a 2014 Japan combat game The game is as a prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain The Western version
will feature the vocal talents of actor Kiefer Sutherland as Big Boss, while the Japanese version will keep long-time Japanese fan favorite, Akio Otsuka, in his regular role
Versions
cut | |
Japan: Cut by the games censor CERO in 2014 See
article from
kotaku.com : Hideo Kojima, in an interview with Weekly Famitsu , mentioned that thanks to the Computer Entertainment Ratings Organization (CERO) ,
the Japanese video game ratings board, part of the Japanese version has been censored. That part got flagged by CERO so the production was changed that way, but in the North American version [of Ground Zeroes ] you can see
everything, Kojima said when his interviewer expressed amazement of how far the content of Ground Zeroes went. Reports mention that the missing details are from a waterboarding torture scene. other reports mention a candidate
rape scene.
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Monster Monpiece Monster Monpiece is a digital card battle game fro PlayStation Vita Versions
pre-cut |
| January 2014: Monster Censorship A cut version has been rated as M for Mature by the ESRB
for spring 2014 release in the US. It is a digital card battle game in which the player summons various monster girls onto the game's battlefields. Those girls then fight the player's opponents. The girls power-up and become stronger by
stripping through the use of in-game mechanics called First Crush Rub and Extreme Love . This extreme rub system requires the player to stroke both sides of the Vita console on its side in a pumping motion, in order to seal cards.
Rubbing, poking and touching the screen results in the character's clothes being removed, from fully clothed to a skimpy bathing suit. Touching the monster girls also causes their breasts and thighs to jiggle in response. The artwork will be
censored for US and European releases as revealed in a statement emailed from the game publisher: We kept the same number of cards in the game as the original Japanese version, but replaced some of the higher level
Monster Girl images with the less exposed lower level versions of the corresponding Monster Girls due to some intense sexual imagery. The number of censored cards is about 40 out of the approximately 350 card images available in
the game. This means that over 300 cards are left untouched from the original images. That said, each card that has had its image removed will still have the same number of levels for the player to increase, but the higher level card images will be the
same as the lower level, even though they have leveled up and have become more powerful. This was a very difficult decision since we work very hard to satisfy our fans and want to bring the same content being offered in Japan.
However, Western society is not as lenient as that of Japan when sexual images are involved-especially images of humanoids that appear to be younger than a socially acceptable age. The borderline of what is acceptable will always be extremely gray and
vary from person to person, but as a responsible company working in the U.S., we had to make the difficult decision that we did. We sincerely apologize for those who do not agree with any level of censorship, but we greatly appreciate your understanding
with the decision we have made.
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Mugen Souls Mugen Souls is a 2012 Japan fantasy RPG for PS3 by NIS America Versions
pre-cut |
| December 2013. See article
from movie-censorship.com Endured several alterations for its international version. NIS America stated that they censored the game for these markets
because they feared the ESRB's AO rating and that they also wanted to distance themselves from sexual acts that featuring childlike characters.
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| Mugen Souls Z Mugen Souls Z is a 2014 Japan fantasy RPG for PS3 by NIS America Versions
pre-cut | | December 2013. See
article from movie-censorship.com The official message
board reveals that a mini game featuring characters bathing. Players can soap and rub female group members and caress them, as well. This results in characters blushing and/or moaning). It should be noted that there's no nudity involved, even though the
players can certainly create the illusion by choosing a skin-toned color of the bathing suits. The issues is that the characters are involved are rather young looking.
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Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge is a 2012 video game by Team Ninja Not cut but has a place in censorship history as it was the first game given
an R18+ rating in Australia. |
Omega Labyrinth Z Omega Labyrinth Z is 2017 Japanese console game by Matrix Software Banned in Australia and the UK in 2018. Later banned by Sony from all western regions. The Japanese
version is still available.
Summary Omega Labyrinth Z is a dungeon crawler game for the PS4 and Playstation Vita. It was submitted with a provisional PEGI 16 rating for depictions of erotic
or sexual nudity. The game is set at the Anberyl Girls Academy and legend has it that a holy grail exists that can grant any wish. It is hidden in one of the ancient caves that is located somewhere in the school grounds. A group of female students set
out to explore the caves with the aim of finding the grail.
Versions
uncut | |
Japan: The Japanese version is still available. | banned |
|
Europe: Rated 16 uncut for release throughout Europe except the UK and Germany. However Sony overruled the rating and banned the game from playing on PS4 or Vita. US: Banned by Sony from playing on PS4 or
Vita. | banned |
RC
Germany New Zealand
Ireland | UK: Banned in March 2018 by the Video Standards Council See
article from videostandards.org.uk The VSC Rating Board has ruled that the video game, Omega Labyrinth Z, will not be issued a UK
Certificate of Classification. This refusal is relevant to physical product only (disc, cartridge, etc.) Under the terms of the Video Recordings Act (1984), the VSC Rating Board is required to consider the likelihood of any game
causing harm to the user and, subsequently, to wider society by the way in which the game deals with and portrays images of criminal, violent or horrific behaviour, illegal drugs and human sexual activity. The grounds for this decision are as follows: -
The likely harm being caused to a viewer or potential viewer, e.g. children or young people. The game is explicit in its setting within a school environment and the majority of the characters are young girls - one child is
referred to as being a first year student and is seen holding a teddy bear. The game clearly promotes the sexualisation of children via the sexual interaction between the game player and the female characters. The style of the game is such that it will
attract an audience below the age of 18. There is a serious danger that impressionable people, i.e. children and young people viewing the game would conclude that the sexual activity represented normal sexual behaviour. There is a
constant theme of sexual innuendo and activity throughout the game that suggests behaviour likely to normalise sexual activity towards children. As a means of reward gained by successfully navigating the game, the player has the means to sexually
stimulate the female characters by using either a hand held remote device or touch screen software. The VSC Rating Board believes this content in a game, which would have strong appeal to non-adult players, is an issue which would be unacceptable
to the majority of UK consumers and, more importantly, has the potential to be significantly harmful in terms of the social and moral development of younger people in particular.
Germany: Banned by German
game censors
Australia : Banned in February 2018 The Australia censor banned the game with an explanation concluding: In the Board's opinion, the ability to interact with
the character Urara Rurikawa in the manner described constituted a simulation of sexual stimulation of a child.
Ireland: NewZealand: The games distributors stated that the game will not be
available in New Zealand or Ireland.
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Omega Labyrinth Life
Omega Labyrinth Life is a Japanese 2019 dungeon RPG by Matrix Software Japanese RPG with indeterminate age girls with jiggly breasts seems to to be made available for western markets, but as a notable change of direction the
Japanese version will have an English language option.
Versions
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Onimusha: Warlords Onimusha: Warlords is a 2001 Japanese action adventure game by Capcom A cutscene was edited for the international version.
Summary
The game's plot is set in the Sengoku period and focuses on the samurai Samanosuke Akechi who fights against the forces of Nobunaga Oda. After Nobunaga's death in battle, Samanosuke goes on a quest to save Princess Yuki
from demons working alongside Nobunaga's forces. The player controls Samanosuke and his partner, a female ninja Kaede, in their fight against Demons.
Versions
uncut | |
Japan: The Japanese version is uncut See uncut version of cutscene from YouTube |
cut |
| International Version: A cutscene has been edited where the female character Hecuba
transforms into a giant insect like demon. The missing section is where Hecuba splays her legs in a slightly suggestive manner as the inset abdomen apparently emerges from between her legs. Mote that the 2019 reworked edition contains both the cut and
uncut versions of the scene. Selecting English results in the cut version but selecting Japanese reveals the full uncut version. See cut version of cutscene from YouTube
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Outlast 2 Outlast 2 is a first person survival horror shooter by Red Barrels Banned in Australia in 2017. The game was then cut for an Australian R18+ certificate and the cut version was
distributed world wide with a PEGI 18 rating in Europe and and M rating in the US.
Versions
cut |
| Australia : A cut version was passed R18+ in March 2017 EU: The Australian cut version
looks set to be PEGI 18 rated US: The Australian cut version looks set to be ESRB M rated (17) Soon after being banned by the Australian games censor, the game was shorn of its implied sexual violence, and was then resubmitted.
The game was passed R18+ and the developers stated that the cut version will now be distributed worldwide. The game producers have now claimed that the version cut to obtain an Australian R18+ was the version that the intended to release all along and
that it should not be therefore be referred to as a cut version when it is distributed worldwide. Red Barrels said: The original submission of Outlast 2 sent to the Australian Classification Branch contained the final
game code and a video file for reference taken from an Alpha version of the game. This video file should not have been sent along with the game code, as its content was not representative of the final game. In the second
submission, the same game code was submitted with a video file reflecting the final game content. The game was then approved for release with an R18+ rating. There will be only one version of Outlast 2 available worldwide.
|
banned |
RC | Australia : Banned by the game censor in March 2017 See
article from kotaku.com.au Outlast 2 has been banned in Australia, predominately for the
depiction of implied sexual violence. Australia's Censorship Board provided a detailed explanation of the reasons to Kotaku. The censors identified multiple scenes where sexual violence is implied in hallucinatory scenes involving the main
character, Blake. One particular scene shows a female creature thrusting against the main character while his wife is tied up in chains. The censors explained: [ Spoilers! hover or click text ]
In one cut-scene in the game ... a female creature prepares Blake for a ritual. She says, I want to see your true face. Your seed will burn this world. Shortly afterwards, he objects to having psycho-active dust
blown into his face, yelling, Nope! Nope! before he stumbles into a forest clearing. His vision blurring, he witnesses what appears to a ritualistic orgy. His wife, Lynn, calls out for his help, saying, It hurts! Oh
god!, as she hangs from chains on a raised platform at the front of the clearing. Humanoid creatures, their skin grey, spattered with blood and scarred, implicity have sex as others pray, or chant, or gesticulate. One creature
has another bent over a rock, thrusting as they implicitly have rear-entry sex, another sits astride the pelvic region of a creature prone on the ground, moving their hips rhythmically as they too implicitly have sex. Two other pairs of creatures in the
clearing are also implicitly having sex. As Blake yells for the creatures to Get away from her! a female creature, her greyish breasts bared, pushes him onto his back, holds his arms to the ground and repeatedly thrusts her
crotch against him. As Blake protests, saying No! Stop that! the creature thrusts again, before placing its face over his midsection and then sitting up and wiping its mouth. Although much of the contact between the
creature and Blake is obscurred, by it taking place below screen, the sexualised surroundings and aggressive behaviour of the creature suggest that it is an assault which is sexual in nature. The Board is of the opinion that this, combined with Blake's
objections and distress, constitutes a depiction of implied sexual violence. In the Board's opinion, the above example constitutes a depiction of implied sexual violence and therefore cannot be accommodated within the R18+
classification category and the game is therefore Refused Classification.
The Board's report also notes that the game could be passed R18+ should the offending scene be cut. |
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Overcooked Overcooked is a 2016 family game by Sold Out The games was never cut but the promotional artwork had to be edited for a US E (all ages) rating from the ESRB.
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| US : The game itself was not cut but promotional cartoon artwork featuring a chef's naked bottom had to be
deleted for the game to receive an ESRB E (Everyone) rating. The original artwork was as follows with the offending chef hanging from the 'o'.
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Paranautical Activity Paranautical Activity is a 2014 first person shooter by Code Avarice developed further by Digerati in 2015 as the Deluxe Atonement Edition Banned in Australia in 2016.
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banned |
RC | Australia : Banned by the game censor in January 2016 See
article from kotaku.com.au See
censorship details from classification.gov.au See
game from desura.com The game was originally release in 2014 but reappeared in February 2015 as a Deluxe Atonement Edition . But this
has now been banned by Australian censors. The Classification Board listing is dated 5th January 2016 and lists the film as banned or 'Refused Classification' The Australian censor does not give reasons for the ban beyond vague words about it not
fitting within the censorship rules. Current distributors Digerati told kotaku they would
look at removing the 'offending item' to comply with the Classification Board's requirements: The reason they gave was 'illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives and rewards' -- the prescribed drug in
game is Adderall and picking up the item gives you a 15% speed increase. I have asked if we can resub [Paranautical Activity] without the item, waiting for a reply.
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Phantasmagoria 2
- Phantasmagoria : A Puzzle of Flesh
- Phantasmagoria II: Fatal Obsessions
Phantasmagoria 2 is a 1996-97 puzzle adventure game from Sierra Entertainment Cut by the BBFC for an 18 rated release in 1997.
See
article from en.wikipedia.org Though
Phantasmagoria was controversial for its use of graphic violence and a rape scene, in A Puzzle of Flesh sex was considerably more explicit: as sexuality plays a major part in the game's plot, which includes four sex scenes featuring bare breasts,
bondage, sadomasochism, public sex and offscreen oral sex. Various death scenes include graphic images of gore, including disembowelment and exsanguination, and A Puzzle of Flesh was also rated harshly for strong language, including two uses of the word
fuck , which in 1996 was a rare occurrence in video games. Due to its amount of sex and violence, A Puzzle of Flesh was heavily censored in UK and banned in Singapore and Australia, although a re-cut version was eventually
made available in the latter. In the United States, the game was given an RSAC Rating Level 4 (of 4) for its sexual content and a Level 3 for its violence and language.
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UK: Cut by the BBFC for an 18 rated release in 1997
- Ending Murder. Reduce violence in scene featuring scantily-clad blonde woman (Therese) in rest-room, as follows: After close-up of woman's chain-bound hands, remove all shots of suspended feet bathed in blood and shaking,
electrocution detail, and woman's head convulsing from electric shock, resuming on ball-gag dropping into pool of blood.
- Bob's Murder. In crime scene interior featuring man in spectacles (Curtis) remove close-ups of
hand being impales, of victim's mouth spewing blood as he is struck, of victim's mouth being stapled with staple-gun and of victim's mouth dripping blood as chest is slashed, resuming on victim inside body bag.
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PlayerUnknown's Battleground PlayerUnknown's Battleground is a 2017 South Korea Battle Royale by PUBG Corporation Banned in China, Iraq and Jordan
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International: Uncut | banned |
China India
Iraq | China: Demonitised Not quite banned but the authorities did not allow the games monitisation. Instead
Tencent replaced it by a bloodless but similar game, Heping Jingying or Elite Force for Peace, which features heroic Chinese forces kicking ass, which the authorities seem to have approved of. 20 games have been assessed by China's Online Gaming
Ethics Review Committee. Nine of these 20 games have been banned including the most popular battle royale games -- Fortnite and PUBG. The cause given for banning PUBG is blood and gore.
Pakistan: High Court asks for a decision
The Lahore High Court has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on May 18 to decide over banning popular online game -- Player Unknown Battlegrounds (PUBG) -- in Pakistan within six weeks. India: Banned
Multiple cities banned PUBG ever since the national child rights commission recommended barring the game for its violent nature. In 2020, at a time of border tensions with China, the government banned PUBG Mobile over concerns
that the app was spying on users and transmitting sensitive user data back to China. In January 2021 it was announced that the Indian ban on PUBG would be permanent.
Iraq: Banned in April 2019 Iraq's
parliament has voted to ban the popular battle royale games Fortnite and Playerunknown's Battlegrounds because of their supposed detrimental influence on the population. A Reuters report says the ban was put into place due to the negative effects
caused by some electronic games on the health, culture, and security of Iraqi society, including societal and moral threats to children and youth. Iraqi media reported incidents of suicide and divorce related to the games during the last year.
Local media reporting on the craze has claimed it has led to nearly 40,000 divorces worldwide and more than 20 cases in Iraq.
Jordan: Banned in July 2019 Jordan's game censors at the Telecommunications
Regulatory Commission (TRC) have banned PUBG. A statement claimed that the action came after a wave of complaints from citizens and authorities alike. However, the TRC said one of its main reasons for implementing the ban was a World Health Organization
study that classified PUBG as a violent game leading to addiction and social isolation, further stating that children who play violent games are more violent than their peers.
Nepal: Unbanned in May 2019 The
Supreme Court of Nepal has issued an interim order to the government to not ban the popular online game. The court observed that PUBG was basically a game used by the general public for entertainment. Since press freedom and freedom of expression are
guaranteed by the constitution, it is necessary to prove that such bans are just, fair and reasonable, and the actions of the authorities concerned are wise and logical, the bench stated in its order. The SC observed that the ban imposed by Kathmandu
District Court on April 10 was not reasonable.
Nepal: Banned in April 2019 Nepal Telecommunication Authority directed all ISPs to ban PlayerUnknown's Battleground, commonly known PUBG, following a court order to
ban the game. The court claimed that the game was having a negative effect on the behaviour and study of children and youths.
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Postal Postal is a 1997 shoot 'em up by Running with Scissors Pre-cut in the UK for 18 rated release in 1997
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Postal 2 Postal 2 is a 2003 shoot 'em up by Running with Scissors Banned in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Malaysia and temporarily in Sweden. Initially released uncut but was later
slightly cut to remove a fake homophobic arcade game.
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International: Cut for later patch releases The original release featured an in-game arcade machine that displayed a homophobic, albeit non-playable, game. This arcade game was changed to a fishing game
called Bastard Fish in patched releases. The developers said that they felt it had been a step too far.
| uncut
| | International: Uncut The game was released uncut with the developers
commendably refusing to make cuts to appease several censorial nations.
| banned |
NZ Australia
Germany Malaysia
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New Zealand: Banned in 2004 New Zealand censors of the OFLC banned the film citing abhorrent content (Urination, High Impact Violence, Animal Cruelty, Homophobia, Racial, Ethnic Stereotypes).
Australia: Banned in 2005
The Australian censors also noted excessive abhorrent content.
Malaysia: Banned in 2007 Malaysia banned the game outright due to very high impact violence & offensive depictions of
cruelty.
Germany: Banned Sweden: Temporarily banned In Sweden, the attorney general took the Swedish distributor of the game to court. He was prosecuted with illegal depiction of violence, a
crime falling under the Swedish freedom-of-speech act. The court dismissed the case on December 12, 2006 and the game was unbanned.
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Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water
- Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water is a 2015 Japan adventure game Skimpy costumes for the Japanese version but head to toe cladding for western versions
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Rainbow Six Siege Rainbow Six Siege is a 2015 tactical shooter by UbiSoft Cut worldwide for the lowest common denominator of censorship, China
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International: Cut In a blog post, Ubisoft explained: A Single, Global Version We want to explain why these changes are coming to the global version of the
game, as opposed to branching and maintaining two parallel builds. We want to streamline our production time to increase efficiency By maintaining a single build, we are able to reduce the duplication of work on the development side. This will allow us
to be more agile as a development team, and address issues more quickly. Ubisoft provided examples of their censorship: Icons featuring knives become fists Icons featuring skulls are replaced Skulls in artwork are fleshed out into faces Images of slot
machines are removed Blood spatters are removed from a Chinese landscape painting Strip club neon nudity is removed
Ubisoft later changed its mind after significant customer backlash and announced that the cuts would be reversed for
the next update: The next update, referred to as Year Three Season Four, will see the majority of these changes returned to their original look. The Moroccan-themed expansion will also feature three new characters and
a new map. It's expected to launch in early December on PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One .
But it wasn't long before Ubisoft tried another tack to justify a censored version (without mentioning the Chinese connection).
Ubisoft are now reporting that parents and consumer groups are complaining that the game has too many references to sex, many violent scenes, and allusions to gambling . It adds that parents say these issues are troubling
in a game intended for teenagers. 'After listening to criticism', the company decided to make some changes to the game. It will remove some of the sexual references and violent content, and make the loot boxes easier to come by.
Ubisoft is hoping the changes will be enough to satisfy the critics and make the customers happy as well. (Especially those in China).
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Rapelay RapeLay is a 2006 Japanes 3D eroge video game by Illusion See article from en.wikipedia.org
Compared to Illusion's previous games, the main story is shorter, it features an improved 3D engine and is mainly played through mouse control. The game centers on a male character who stalks and rapes a mother and her two daughters.
Three years after its initial release, the game garnered international attention and controversy for its content, resulting in it being banned in several countries. |
Raspberry Cube Raspberry Cube is a Japan console game Cut for Sony consoles but uncut on Nintendo Switch
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uncut | Nintendo | Japan: Uncut and Cero D rated on Nintendo Switch |
cut | Sony | Japan: Cut and Cero C rated for Sony PS4 |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 Red Dead Redemption 2 is a 2018 action adventure game from Rockstar Cut for violence in Japan
Promotional Material
After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight
their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
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Resident Evil Resident Evil is a 1996 Japan survival horror by Capcom Pre-cut in the UK for a 15 rated release in 1996
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Saints Row IV Saints Row IV is a 2013 US action adventure game by Volition The game made a little censorship history in Australia when it was the first computer game to be banned after the
introduction of a new law to allow adults only game releases. The game was subsequently cut for a MA15+ rating.
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International: Uncut The game was released uncut
| pre-cut |
Australia | Australia: Cut for an MA15+ rating in 2013 |
banned |
Australia | Australia: Banned in 2013 The Australian censors reported:
The game includes a weapon referred to by the Applicant as an Alien Anal Probe. The Applicant states that this weapon can be shoved into enemy's backsides. The lower half of the weapon resembles a sword hilt and the upper part
contains prong-like appendages which circle around what appears to be a large dildo which runs down the centre of the weapon. When using this weapon the player approaches a (clothed) victim from behind and thrusts the weapon between the victim's legs and
then lifts them off the ground before pulling a trigger which launches the victim into the air. After the probe has been implicitly inserted into the victim's anus the area around their buttocks becomes pixelated highlighting that the aim of the weapon
is to penetrate the victim's anus. The weapon can be used during gameplay on enemy characters or civilians. In the Board's opinion, a weapon designed to penetrate the anus of enemy characters and civilians constitutes a visual depiction of implied sexual
violence that is interactive and not justified by context and as such the game should be Refused Classification. The game contains an optional mission which involves the player obtaining and smoking drugs referred to as alien
narcotics. Smoking the alien narcotics equips the player with superpowers which increase their in-game abilities allowing them to progress through the mission more easily. The ban was challenged by the distributor but the ban was
upheld by the appeal board.
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SENRAN KAGURA Burst Re:Newal SENRAN KAGURA Burst Re:Newal is a 2018 Japanese action game by XSEED Censorship demands were made by Sony prior to release on its platforms.
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International: Cut by Sony in 2018 Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal was recently delayed on the PlayStation 4 as Sony demanded that publisher XSEED removes 'intimacy mode' which effectively allows you to fondle
its cast of indeterminate aged virtual characters against their will.
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Shadow the Hedgehog Shadow the Hedgehog is a 2005 US action shooter by Sega See article from thegamer.com :
Shadow the Hedgehog was originally going to be rated T until the ESRB created a new rating less than a year before its release. The game is far grittier and more real than any other Sonic game to have come before or since. What's more,
Sega originally planned on Shadow being even more detached from every other Sonic game. A year before Shadow was released in 2005, the game was rated T for Teen. It had received this rating for its use of cartoon violence and language. However,
with just eight months go until release day, the ESRB created a new rating a step down from T, E10+. Since achieving that lower rating would open Shadow up to a whole new audience, Sega got to work. A number of scenes previously included in the then
yet-to-be-released version of the game were edited. Most notably, the death of Maria Robotnik. Maria is gunned down by soldiers, and the moment was originally going to be shown on screen. It was removed from the final game to help bring the rating down
to that coveted E10+. The intro video to the game was also changed. Shadow was originally shown shooting police officers. The original game also showed soldiers and officers bleeding, as well as Sonic using the word piss, which is very out of
character for the blue blur. All of those elements were changed so that Shadow was still far edgier than any Sonic game to have come before it, but toned down enough to be suitable for far more people.
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Sims FreePlay Sims FreePlay is a mobile life simulation by EA first released in 2011 Banned in China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt in 2018
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International: Uncut outside of the countries below | banned | China
Saudi UAE Oman Kuwait Qatar Egypt | International: Banned in June 2018 See
article from pinknews.co.uk A representative for games developer EA has announced on an online
forum that The Sims mobile game The Sims: Freeplay would no longer be available in seven countries: China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt. A spokesperson said that in light of regional standards the game
would no longer be updated.? EA did not confirm the exact nature of these regional standards, prompting many fans to speculate that the ban was caused by the game's explicit LGBT content. Users who had already downloaded the game would still
be able to use it, however, the game will not be updated and may eventually be rendered obsolete. Players will also not be able to make in-game purchases. The popular EA life simulation video game includes diverse elements such as same-sex
weddings and gay adoptions, and male pregnancies. The game let players pick whether the sim had a feminine or masculine frame and allowed players to decide whether their sim stood to use the toilet. |
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Song of Memories Song of Memories is a 2018 Japan console game by PQube Banned in Australia
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Soul Blade
Soul Blade is a 1995 Japan fighting game by Project Soul Pre-cut in the UK for a 15 rated release in 1995
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South Park: The Stick of Truth South Park: The Stick of Truth is a 2014 role playing adventure game from Ubisoft Uncut and PEGI 18 rated. Cut in Australia for an R18+ rating
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uncut |
| Europe: PC Version uncut and PEGI 18 rated US : Uncut and M rated |
cut 140s | |
Europe: Console Versions cut and PEGI 18 rated February 2014. See article from
eurogamer.net : Ubisoft has censored the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of 18-rated comedy role-playing game South Park: The Stick of Truth in Europe,
the Middle East and Africa. The PC version remains unaffected. BT.com reported on a note sent to press alongside copies of the game that revealed the changes, which amount to seven scenes of about 20 seconds each:
- A mini-game in which the doctor is performing an abortion on the player.
- A mini-game in which the player is performing an abortion on the character Randy.
- Five anal probing scenes involving someone actively being probed. The scenes
play out as normal before and after the active probing sequences.
Each censored scene is replaced by an image background and a description text selected by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, Ubisoft said. Speculation suggests that the censorship was applied to the entire region to appease the
lowest common denominator of game censors, ie those in Germany.
See article
from escapistmagazine.com
South Park wouldn't be South Park without a healthy dose of controversy, so it should come as no surprise that the just-released Stick of Truth South Park video game has its fair share. Originally, when it was revealed that the game would be censored
in Australia, absolutely no-one was surprised, as Australia censors pretty much everything these days. What was a little more surprising was the news that the same offending scenes would be cut from the European versions of the game.
First up is the anal probe scene , in which the player character is dragged past three other characters who are being actively probed, is
then probed himself, and then has to help rescue Randy Marsh without accidentally probing him. The second sequence, the abortion scene ,
starts with the doctor performing an abortion on the player character, and ends up with the player performing an abortion on, once again, Randy Marsh (poor Randy). See
article from escapistmagazine.com
: De-censorship Mod South Park fans living in Australia, Europe, Africa and The Middle East were somewhat dismayed to learn that their version of South Park: The Stick of Truth . would be
censored . I was able to
upload the scenes so affected users could see what they were missing out on, but now, those
clever PC modders have done one better, creating a patch for the Steam version of the game that allows everyone to enjoy it fully uncensored. Hooray for anal probes! You can find the patch on the Steam community forums
here , and to install it, you simply need to download
this file and extract it into the game's directory. Fans are reporting that the patch works perfectly,
allowing them to see the removed anal probe and abortion scenes, as well as the Nazi zombies for those users in Germany. | cut |
| Germany: Presumably these are further cuts beyond that of the European Version February 2014. See
article from gamespot.com
: The German version will not feature any swastikas, Ubisoft has confirmed: With regards to the German version, all Nazi symbols have been removed from the game in accordance with German law.
| cut |
| Australia : Cut for an R18+ rating February 2014 See
article from
gameplanet.com.au : Cut by 5 minutes Ubisoft said in a statement: A modified version has now been approved for
release, under the guidance of R18+. No full sequences have been removed from the game, only small sections amounting to less than five minutes of game play. These modifications in no way detract from the narrative of the game, meaning the player will
still enjoy an authentic South Park experience.
December 2013. See article from
movie-censorship.com : South Park: The Stick of Truth has been cut by the Australian Censorship Board. The version to be released in Australia
is missing an entire interactive sequence in which the player character, among others, is subjected to anal probing by alien technology. The scene is a homage to the very first episode of the TV series and includes that an alien probe is inserted
anally into various characters within an interactive animated sequence and - mainly - with no indication of explicit or implicit consent . The game was resubmitted in a slightly modified version. The censor's report doesn't exactly
how it was changed cut it seemed that the victims of the anal probe are now sleeping or sedated and thus don't respond painfully to the probe. However this version did not allay the censor's concern about the lack of consent, and so was refused again.
In the third and successful submission, the alien probe scene was totally removed and replaced by a simple text that describes the events. It is framed by a picture that shows crying koala bears and the word CENSORED in big red letters
placed right next to it. The censors also criticised an abortion scene with an amateurishly executed abortion using a coat hanger and a vacuum cleaner. However the censors did not push this point and the scene remained unaltered.
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| South Park: The Fractured But Whole South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a 2017 role playing adventure game from Ubisoft Never censored but the title
was not so subtly changed from the originally conceived The Fractured Butthole.
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Star Wars Battlefront II Star Wars Battlefront II is 2017 US first/third person shooter by EA DICE Cut for greedy monetisation mechanism that caused a stink.
Versions
cut | | International:
Cut See article from en.wikipedia.org During pre-release beta trials, the game's publisher
EA was criticized by gamers and the gaming press for introducing a loot box monetization scheme that gives players substantial gameplay advantages through items purchased in-game with real money. Although such items could also be
purchased with in-game currency, players would on average have to grind for approximately 40 hours to unlock a single player character such as Darth Vader. Responding to the controversy, developers had adjusted the number of
in-game items a player receives through playing the game. However, after the game went into pre-release a number of players and journalists who received the pre-release copy of the game reported various controversial gameplay features, such as rewards
being unrelated to the player's performance in the game. On November 12, 2017, a Reddit user complained that although they spent US$80 to purchase the Deluxe Edition of the game, Darth Vader remained inaccessible for play, and the
use of this character required a large amount of in-game credits. Players estimated that it would take 40 hours of gameplay to accumulate enough credits to unlock a single hero. In response to the community's backlash, EA's Community Team defended the
controversial changes by saying their intent to make users earn credits to unlock heroes was to give users a sense of pride and accomplishment after unlocking a hero. This led to many Reddit users becoming frustrated at the response, which generated more
than 668,000 downvotes, making it the most downvoted comment in the site's history. In response to the community's outrage, EA lowered the cost of credits to unlock heroes by 75%. On the day before release,
EA disabled micro-transactions entirely, citing players' concerns that they gave buyers unfair advantages. They stated their intent to reintroduce them at a later date after unspecified changes had been made. And those changes
commenced in March 2018.
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State of Decay State of Decay is a 2013 US third-person survival shooter by Undead Labs Originally banned in Australia by the Censorship Board but the distributors resubmitted the game with
censor cuts and it was then passed R18+. Thei was the second game to banned in Australia after the law was changed to allow adults only games.
Summary according to the Australian Censorship Board State
of Decay is a modified third-person survival/horror shooter game set in a small American town during the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Players navigate open-world environments, battling zombie attacks, as they scavenge for supplies and collaborate
with other survivors to ensure the survival of the human race. The game contains violence that exceeds strong in impact. Throughout this third-person horror shooter, players battle hordes of zombies using melee weapons, guns and
explosives. The violence is sometimes frenetic and is the primary aspect of gameplay. Zombies (which mostly appear human-like) can be injured with ranged or melee weapons, causing large, stylised wounds to appear on their bodies. It is possible to
dismember, decapitate and stomp on the heads of zombies; these depictions are accompanied by significant wound detail as well as sprays of flesh and blood
Versions
uncut | |
International: Uncut outside of Australia UK: PEGI 18 rated for:
| cut | Australia
banned | Australia: Unbanned after censor cuts The distributor organised cuts to replace the stimulants alluding to narcotics with vitamin
supplements. This seemed to appease the censors and the game was then passed R18+
Australia: Banned by the Censorship Board in June 2013 See
article from refused-classification.com The Australian Censorship Board banned the film over it depiction of drug taking:
The game contains the option of self-administering a variety of "medications" throughout gameplay which act to restore a player’s health or boost their stamina. These
"medications" include both legal and illicit substances such as methadone, morphine, amphetamines, stimulants, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, codeine, aspirin, "trucker pills", painkillers and tussin. Of these, methadone, morphine, and
amphetamines are proscribed drugs and the term "stimulant" is commonly used to refer to a class of drugs of which several are proscribed. Players obtain drugs by scavenging for them in
the environment or by manufacturing them in a "Medical Lab". When players find drugs in the environment the name of the drug appears onscreen and the drug is also represented by a visual icon such as a pill bottle or syringe. Within the
"Medical Lab" players are prompted to make substances such as "Potent Stims", "Mild Stims" and "Painkillers". The laboratory includes a "research library" and "chemical dictionary".
When administering drugs, the player is briefly depicted moving a pill bottle toward their mouth. The sound of pills rattling in the bottle accompanies the depiction. The name of the drug appears
onscreen along with its representative icon. Consumption of the drug instantly increases a player’s in-game abilities allowing them to progress through gameplay more easily. The Applicant has stated that a "player can choose not to make any drugs or
scavenge for them, but it would be very difficult to complete the game without some form of medication". In the Board’s opinion, the game enables the player’s character to self-administer
proscribed drugs which aid in gameplay progression. This game therefore contains drug use related to incentives or rewards and should be Refused Classification.
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Street Fighter V Street Fighter V is a 2016 fight game from Capcom Cut to avoid offence
Versions
cut | | International:
Cut The reported cuts were:
In the previous build for Street Fighter 5, R. Mika would hold her opponents legs in a split during a move, this is not longer the case. Now her opponents legs are much closer together. Maybe coincidently but comparison shots also show some cleavage
being lost in reframing. R. Mika's invaluable butt slap has been replaced with a very different camera angle -- one that shows her upper body, instead of her very robust lower body. See
article from gamepur.com Capcom's Yoshinori Ono in a recent interview to Jogos confirmed cuts to the
game. He explained: Our objective with 'Street Fighter V' is to start over from zero explains Ono. We want the professional players and the casual fans of the series to return, but we also want to reach those who have
never even touched a fighting game. So we can't have something in the game that makes people think, 'This is not acceptable' We didn't make any change because of external influences. Those changes came up internally. We decided to
remove that because we want the biggest possible number of people to play, and we don't want to have something in the game that might make someone uncomfortable Probably we won't be able to remove everything that could offend
someone. But our goal is, at least, to reduce that number as much as possible so that they think 'Ok, there is this issue here, but it is within the limits'. We want that everyone can play and enjoy without worrying about anything else Ono said.
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Super Real Mahjong PV Super Real Mahjong PV is a 2019 Japanese adventure game by MightyCraft Temporarily withdrawn for further censorship
Versions
cut | Japan |
Japan: Temporarily banned The console game Super Real Mahjong PV, originally released on the Sega Saturn and recently released for Switch, has been removed from Nintendo's eShop due to some scenes with insufficient
censorship.
According to a notice from the publisher, Mighty Craft, Nintendo temporarily removed Super Real Mahjong PV from the eShop due to scenes with insufficient censorship as the reason. This is something that was pointed out by Japanese entertainment rating
organization CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization). The publisher says it is currently working on checking and revising the entire game, and are getting ready to have it reviewed by Nintendo. It turns out there are some
instances of the censorship rays being too thin and left some images of female breasts exposed. |
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Super Seducer Super Seducer is a 2018 role playing game Banned by Sony
Versions
uncut | | Worldwde:
Super Seducer has been released for PCs and Macs via Valve's Steam platform. | banned |
| Worldwde: Sony unilaterally banned the game for PS4
in March 2018 Sony has blocked the publication of a video game based upon chat up lines and seduction techniques. Super Seducer was scheduled for release on the PlayStation 4. But feminists have taken issue with the themes of the
game. Sony has confirmed that the game has been banned bit has not explained the reasoning behind its censorship. |
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Tales of Berseria Tales of Berseria is a 2017 Japan role playing game from Banda Namco The western releases are cut for violence to obtain a lower age category.
Versions
uncut | |
Japan: Uncut | pre-cut |
| International: Cut A cutscene was editted to achieve a lower age category for a PEGI 16 rating in
Europe. A murder sequence was changed by substituting a killing by magic instead of the original death by stabbing with a sword. See cut comparison video from YouTube
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Terminator Resistance Terminator Resistance is a 2019 Poland first person shooter by Teyon Games All releases have been cut for nudity to meet the demands of Sony and
Microsoft. According to Teyon , the reason Terminator: Resistance released with censored sex scenes was due to the platform holders, specifically Microsoft and Sony. This was revealed in a tweet reply that Teyon made to a gamer who was eager to
find out exactly why the game had some of its more risque content censored in an M rated title that was already regulated for sexual content. Teyon were asked about the reason for the censorship they replied in a tweet:
We were forced by Sony and Microsoft E -- Teyon (@TeyonGames) December 3, 2019
Summary Notes Terminator: Resistance is set in a
post-apocalyptic 2028 Los Angeles. Players take on the role of Jacob Rivers, a soldier in the John Connor-led human resistance against Skynet's robotic killing machines.
cut | | International:
Cut Sex scenes were obviously censored later in the day by using reframing and a restricted field of view to block the sight of Baron's and Jennifer's breasts. The mod restores the full screen view so that you get to see the boobs as
intended. The scenes were also cut from the PC version but can be restored after some serious modding efforts See
article from oneangrygamer.net
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Tokyo Mirage Sessions Tokyo Mirage Sessions is a 2016 Japan role playing game from Atlus Cut to desexualise the female characters
Versions
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Tom Clancy: Elite Squad Tom Clancy: Elite Squad is a 2020 Canada mobile action game by Ubisoft News September 2020: Clenched fist Ubisoft has apologised for giving fictional terrorists the
symbol of the raised fist, associated with the Black Lives Matter movement, in its new mobile game, Tom Clancy: Elite Squad. The company was visited by the PC lynch mob after the video game's trailer was released. Players have to kill members of
the fictional group, Umbra, which fuels civil unrest with acts of terrorism. Ubisoft said showing the fist symbol at an Umbra meeting in an opening sequence had been insensitive and harmful. 'Extremely disrespectful' We have listened to and
appreciate the players and the broader community who have pointed it out and we apologise. The image was rapidly removed from the Android version of the game and from the iPhone version.
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Tropico 5 Tropico 5 is a 2014 simulation game from Kalypso Promotional Material You, as El Presidente, will first take control of the infamous island of Tropico
during early colonial times and then guide it through the centuries as the world changes and moves ever forward. You must tackle the changing needs of your people, as well as opposing governments and factions, and thus lay the foundations for your own
dynasty. As you move through your years in office you can promote members of your extended family on the island to positions of power: such as ambassador, commanding general or even Supreme Ruler, to ensure your legacy thrives through the eras. As your
influence and wealth grows, so do the threats to your burgeoning island superpower. Can you survive both World Wars, prosper through the Great Depression, rule as an iron-fisted dictator through the Cold War and advance your country to modern times and
beyond? From the 19th to the 21st century, each era carries its own challenges and opportunities
Versions
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Thailand | Thailand: Banned See article from
abcnews.go.com Following a newspaper campaign and due to the supposed discrediting of China's national image in the futuristic plot line of the game, Battlefield 4 has been
banned from sale as of this week. The Chinese Ministry of Culture said the game is to be removed from physical shelves as well as all China-based online sales channels. Those that've already downloaded the game in China will be unable to access
any online content and are encouraged to delete the game from their consoles and PCs. The Chinese Ministry of Culture suggests that Battlefield 4: Is an illegal game, with content that endangers national security, and
is all about a cultural invasion. Battlefield 4 relevant available downloads, patches, news, and other requirements [shall be] deleted within 24 hours.
Apparently the bit in the game where American soldiers
must march into China to help in a state of social instability is not entirely welcome as a possible futuristic outcome in the country at the moment. |
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Until Dawn Until Dawn is a 2015 gory adventure game by Supermassivegames Cut in Japan
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Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkuhni Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkuhni is a 2016 Japan fight game Banned in Australia by the Censorship Board
Promotional Material From the creators of Senran Kagura - Valkyrie Drive is an intense brawler set in a universe where girls turn into giant super-weapons when sexually aroused. Wielded by partner girls called Liberators, players must use this power to take on levels swarming with enemies and giant bosses.
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| International: Uncut outside of Australia UK: PEGI 16 rated for:
| banned |
Germany |
Germany: Banned in 2016 Banned for its sexuality.
Australia: Banned by the Censorship Board in August 2016. See
article from refused-classification.com The Australian Censorship Board claims that the game promotes elements
that offend standards of morality, and also uses sexuality as an incentive and reward. A major factor in the refusal of classification is due to implied sexual violence in the game, especially if they pertain to incentives or rewards.. In
the game, the girls are able to turn into weapons by kissing and touching one another. This may be part of the reason for the ban.
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Vampire: The Masquerade -Bloodlines Vampire: The Masquerade -Bloodlines is a 2004 US role playing game by Troika Cut in the UK and rated 18 by the BBFC
Promotional
Material Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines is a visually stunning first-person role-playing adventure that combines intense first-person action with an open, non-linear world, rich character development and an
immersive storyline. The game plunges players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern day L.A. as a creature of the night, interacting with and battling mortals and other creatures of darkness with an incredible
array of vampire powers, skills and traits.
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uncut |
| Europe: Uncut and PEGI 18+ rated (maybe 16+ later) US: Uncut and ESRB M rated |
pre-cut
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| UK: A pre-cut version was passed 18 without further BBFC cuts See
pictorial cuts from movie-censorship.com . A beheading was cut from the opening video. |
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Wasteland 3 Wasteland 3 is a 2020 US multi-player role playing game by inXile The game was banned by the Australian Censorship Board in February 2020 for unspecified reasons. The game makers
made cuts and the game was then passed R18+.
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We Happy Few We Happy Few is a 2018 Canada survival horror from Compulsion Games Originally banned in Australia by the Censorship Board but the ban was overturned by The Classification Review
Board.
Promotional Material We Happy Few is the tale of a plucky bunch of moderately terrible people trying to escape from a lifetime of cheerful denial in the city of Wellington Wells. In this
alternative 1960s England, conformity is key. You'll have to fight or blend in with the drug-addled inhabitants, most of whom don't take kindly to people who won't abide by their not-so-normal rules. Discover the retro futuristic
city's dark history as you play through the intertwined narratives of three quietly rebellious citizens of Wellington Wells, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, as they face their pasts, prepare for the future, and engage in activities that
aren't exactly status quo in the artificially enthused society. Explore the Dystopian Isles of Wellington Wells Set in retro futuristic 1960s England, you will find a city ravaged by war and rebuilt by delusion ally happy people.
Everything appears to be joyful in Wellington Wells, including the roads, the people, and its omnipresent television personality, Uncle Jack! However, it's a big, idyllic world on the brink of collapse. You will discover the history of this world, and
how it came to be just so beguilingly happy.
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International: Uncut outside of Australia UK: PEGI 18 rated for:
| uncut | Australia
banned
| Australia: Ban overturned on appeal The Australian game censor heard an appeal against the ban on 3rd July 2018 and decided to
overturn the ban, rating the game R18+ for fantasy violence and interactive drug use.
Australia: Banned by the Censorship Board in May 2018 See
article from bloody-disgusting.com In May 2018, the Australian Censorship Board announced that We Happy Few has been banned in
Australia. The censors noted that the game's depictions of drug use related to incentives and rewards, in this case the beneficial effects of using Joy pills, could not be accommodated within the R 18+ category. The Soma-like drug Joy is
used in the game to detract the citizens of Wellington Wells from the Orwellian reality they live in. There's no word yet on if Compulsion Games will make cuts to the game to satisfy the Board, but it s often the case. The game is set for
release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC this summer.
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Wolfenstein 3D Wolfenstein 3D is a 1992 US first person shooter by id Software Versions
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Wolfenstein: The New Order 2014 shoot 'em up game by Bethesda Cut for Nazi references and symbology in Germany
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International: Uncut outside of Germany | cut |
| Germany and Austria: Cut for Nazi references and symbology. The gameplay remains unaffected |
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Wolfenstein II: Welcome to Amerika 2017 shoot 'em up game by Bethesda Cut for Nazi references and symbology in Germany
ersions
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Banned in Australia Australian has a bizarre automated censorship system for small release games that arbitrarily assign ratings based upon some sort of questionnaire style data entry. Under the
IARC, the International Age Rating Coalition system, the same game can get a whole rage of ratings when submitted in variations such as different platforms. If a game has sufficient following then the Australian Censorship assigns some human
censors to go and sort out the mess, but for so many unfortunate games companies a ban becomes the final word. Here are a few of the victims of Australia's random censors: The Grisaia Trilogy , Banned in November 2019
See article from oneangrygamer.net The Grisaia series finally made its way to the Nintendo
Switch as part of The Grisaia Trilogy pack, courtesy of Frontwing and Prototype. The trilogy pack launched on November 7th in the West... except for Australia, where it was banned. In fact the game was banned even in its toned down cut format.
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Adults Only in USA US censors are happy to give out adults Only A) ratings but US retailers are not generally willing to sell them as most see them selves as 'family friendly'. But US ratings organisation try to help out by
proving a 17 rating that is as close as damn to an 18. In the games world this is the Mature M rating, The Adults only rating is shunned for commercial reasons as an M rating is so much more of a commercial proposition. So AO ratings are rae in
the US and this is a list of those granted AO ratings to date:
- Hatred
- ef - a fairy tale of the two
- Seduce Me
- Manhunt 2
- Playboy the Mansion: Private Party
- Lula 3D
- Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Director's Cut: PC CD
ROM
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude Uncut and Uncensored
- Singles
- Peak Entertainment Casinos
- Critical Point
- Tokimeki Checkin!
- Water Closet: The Forbidden Chamber
- Snow Drop
- X-Change
- Thrill Kill
- All Nude Nikki
- Body Language
- Riana Rouge
- WET - The Sexy
Empire
- All Nude Glamour
- All Nude Cyber
- Cyber Photographer
- The Joy Of Sex
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Banned from Steam News, April 2020: Banned Dr. Stone and Senku Games' Waifu For Laifu Strippers VR was recently banned from the Steam store, but no reason was given and no information about
the ban was made public. |
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