The Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games came into effect on the 1st of January this year, before that there was no category for adult grade computer games in Australia. This new guideline has deemed the new Saints Row game unfit for Australian consumption and that in its current form, the game will not be allowed to go on sale in the country.
This of course comes as no big surprise to me, Australia are the censorship equivalent of a giant fun sponge and the list of banded media in the country is ever growing. Not that I blame them of course, I respect their laws and in some ways I even understand why they do it (even if I wouldn’t want to live by those laws myself). But what this does tell me is that Saints Row 4 must have really, really, really, gone pretty far this time.
Australia’s Classification Board said in a statement: “In the Board’s opinion, Saints Row IV, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context. In addition, the game includes elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines.”
“Apart from today’s decision, since the beginning of the year, the Board has classified 17 games R 18+ under the new guidelines.” Added board director Donald McDonald.
The game is set to release, starting with some Special Collector’s Editions on August 20th in North America and August 23rd in Europe.
Thank you CVG for providing us with this information.
Well., that sucks!!