u/SskepticalWolf

This ban isn’t the first time something like this has happened for the exact same reason.

In all honesty - I imagine illfonic are pooping their pants right about now.

This decision would be massively cutting into their bottom line for the game. Not sure if the rest of the world truely understands how big the Australian / New Zealand markets are for game developers - we’re talking millions of potential customers completely lost for these guys.

What’s ridiculous is that games such as The Outlast Trials are approved here - including gameplay mechanics where you stab yourself with dr*gs for a gameplay/stamina boost. Below is also a list of games initially denied a classification rating, and then later released in the AU/NZ Markets:

“Yes, multiple games initially banned (“Refused Classification”) in Australia have later been released. This happened either after developers submitted a censored/modified version, or after a successful appeal, or following a change/overturn by the Classification Review Board.”

Examples of games banned and later released include:

We Happy Few (2018): Initially banned by the Australian Classification Board due to drug use providing in-game incentives, the decision was successfully overturned on appeal by the Classification Review Board, allowing the unedited game to be released.

Wasteland 3 (2020): Originally refused classification for drug incentives, the developers adjusted the content, and a censored version was later approved with an R18+ rating.

DayZ (2019): Briefly blocked/restricted when it featured cannabis use as a mechanic; the developers altered the code to remove the feature, and it was subsequently approved for an MA15+ rating.