Just when you thought we’d all grown up, the Classification Board decides to ban its first game under the new Classification Scheme. Sorry Australia: no Saints Row IV for you.
That’s right, Saints Row IV has become the first game under the new Classification Scheme to be Refused Classification due to “interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context”, and “elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards”.
According to the Classification Board, “such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines”. We’re not sure exactly the scenes that got the Classification Board off-side with Saints Row IV, however.
To be fair, Saints Row: The Third was pretty out there in terms of violence, sexual content and language, so doubling down on that for a new sequel was bound to catch the eye of the powers that be.
It’s a disappointing decision, to be sure: I had hoped we were beyond all this “banning games” stuff. [Kotaku]