List of banned video games

This is a list of video games that had been censored or banned. Governments have been criticized for banning games for many reasons, in that such bans violate rights, increase piracy, inhibit business opportunities, and that users can still order/download such games online. [Asher Moses and Stephen Hutcheon, " [http://www.smh.com.au/news/games/game-site-skirts-censors-ban/2007/03/14/1173722550955.html?page=fullpage Game site skirts censors' ban] ," "The Sydney Morning Herald" (March 15, 2007).]

Australia

Video games in Australia cannot be rated R18+ as the rating only exists for film. This has led many games to be edited (to obtain an MA15+ rating) or refused classification. There is currently a debate over the need for the introduction of an R18+ rating in video games fueled by research that indicates the average age of the Australian video gamer to be 28 years old. [cite web | author=The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia | title=Top 10 PLayer Facts | url=http://www.ieaa.com.au/research/top_10_player_facts.html | publisher=IEAA | accessdate=2008-08-14]

Germany

A game can be considered banned in Germany if it has been confiscated by court order because it violates a section of the Strafgesetzbuch (criminal code). Private possession (and thus playing it) and acquisition (such as downloading a demo from the Internet) is still legal, but any is not. The seller would break the law if a sale took place, not the buyer. On December 10, 2002, however, one German court (Oberlandesgericht Hamm) decided that a single sale of a single copy does not qualify as dissemination. [" [http://www.medienzensur.de/seite/beschlagnahmung.shtml Beschlagnahmung] ", medienzensur.de] Unlike indexing by the BPjM, which restricts the sale of all content-equal versions, the versions that are confiscated are enumerated in the court order. Being put on the index by the BPjM or, since April 1, 2003, being refused a rating by the USK does not equal a ban. Rather, it imposes strict trade restrictions on the title. While only very few games have been confiscated, the list of indexed games is very long. [" [http://www.cybercafe-software.com/indexlist.html Software for your Internet Cafe - Computer Games on the Index List] ", InterCafe]

In December 2006, Bavaria and Lower Saxony proposed legislation, to be presented to the national parliament, that would make even playing games that feature "cruel violence on humans or human-looking characters" an offense punishable with fines or jail time of up to 12 months. [" [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e98b3a9a-851c-11db-b12c-0000779e2340.html Germany to crack down on violent video games] " by Bertrand Benoit, 2006-12-06.] [ [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12002 Germany Drafts Stringent Anti-Violent Game Law] by Jason Dobson, Gamasutra, 2006-12-06.] [ [http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6163059.html?tag=latestnews;title;1 German gov't considers jail time for gamers] by Emma Boyes, GameSpot UK, December 2006.]

§ 86a outlaws the use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations, § 130 Volksverhetzung (agitation of the people), and § 131 instructions for crimes. In the official lists, these three sections are always bundled, so that action games where the object is to kill Nazis (and thus contain swastika flags or portraits of Adolf Hitler) are listed alongside racist propaganda pieces.

Japan

audi Arabia

*The various "Pokémon" games were banned in Saudi Arabia [ [http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/playstation-3/news/top-10-banned-videogames/a-20070619165925718061/g-20060314115917309058 "Top 10 banned videogames."] GamesRadar.] for allegedly promoting Zionism and (particularly in the case of the trading card game) involving gambling. [cite news | title = Saudi Arabia bans Pokemon | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1243307.stm | publisher = BBC |date= 2001-03-26 | accessdate = 2006-12-18] The Zionism claim is because of a six-pointed star appearing on several of the trading cards (representing unspecified energy card requirements).

United Kingdom

Games in the UK only usually receive a ban when they contain extreme and gratuitous violence; sex and nudity are not the main concern. Games are not 'banned' but are refused classification (RC) by the BBFC. It is illegal to sell (although not illegal to buy and play) a game that has not been classified by the BBFC in the UK. This only applies to games stored on physical media, not to downloadable media. [ [http://www.mcvuk.com/opinion/112/The-digital-download-BBFC-loophole The Digital Download BBFC Loophole] by Phil Lee & Ray Coyle, 2007-11-28, (MCV)]

"Carmageddon" and "Manhunt 2" are among the games that have been refused classification by the BBFC. Both bans were later overturned.

United States

Few games have been "banned" in the United States because of freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, although several have been refused a rating below Adults Only by the ESRB, forcing a sort of self-censoring to obtain a lower rating. "Kakuto Chojin" was pulled off the shelves in early 2003 for offensive religious content, namely that it had verses from the Quran being chanted as part of the background sound effects. It was later re-released with the offending content removed. A rare game called "Thrill Kill" for the PlayStation was banned completely, although with a mod chip a few select people still acquired the game. EA Games refused to release the game once a public outcry made it to the media.

See also

* Video game controversy

References