It appears that another game might be joining the list of banned titles not able to be released in Australia, as the country's Classification Board has returned a "Refused Classification" rating for We Happy Few. The game centers around the use of drugs to keep its fictional characters happy, resulting in the depiction of drug additions and related violence, which the Australian Classification Board found not fit for sale. Their full ruling is below.

The computer game is classified RC in accordance with the National Classification Code, Computer Games Table, 1. (a) as computer games that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.

Developer Compulsion Games is free to submit an edited version of the game in an attempt to have it passed by the board, but with how integral drugs are to the game's story and gameplay, it likely will join other AU-banned games such as Hotline Miami 2, Postal 1 and 2, and Valkyrie Drive. Other games to be refused Classification and ended up censoring their games for eventual reclassification and release include State of Decay, The Witcher 2, Saints Row IV, and South Park: The Stick of Truth.

We Happy Few was also a Kickstarted game, which means that any Australians who attempted to fund the project won't be able to receive the game, which is set for a Summer 2018 release.

Source

 

[Hells Malice]

This is idiotic. Are drugs shown in a positive light anywhere in the game? Isn't the setting a town that is on the verge of collapse due to the (ab)use of a hallucinogenic drug? Aren't the drug users shown as little more than delusional drooling idiots? What the hell? Is the entire Australian Classification Board on drugs?

Clearly the board didn't appreciate being depicted like that.

 

[AdamFX990]

Clearly the board didn't appreciate being depicted like that.

It would be the ultimate middle finger to the Aussie classification board if they made an edited version of the game that depicts all the druggies to be members of said board.

 

[DarthDub]

Yay, more censorship. Aussies just pirate banned games anyways.

 

[MadMageKefka]

It would be the ultimate middle finger to the Aussie classification board if they made an edited version of the game that depicts all the druggies to be members of said board.

Heh, it would be funny for them to do something like that. Something that meets their requirements, but is still a slap to the face of the rating system. Maybe change all uses of any words related to drugs (drugs, pills, medicine, etc) and change it to "rating."

"C'mon now Tom, you need to take your ratings for the day."

"HEY!! That man isn't on his ratings! GET HIM!!!" - insert police chase here

While we're at it, change downer to censor.

"Someone call the police! We have a censor!"

Hahahaha, gold.

 

[gamesquest1]

honestly the game has a strong anti drugs theme, it' pretty much the entire point of the game to show how drugs while seemingly good just mask reality, if anything any country with a real desire to not show drugs in a positive light this is their perfect game

Heh, it would be funny for them to do something like that. Something that meets their requirements, but is still a slap to the face of the rating system. Maybe change all uses of any words related to drugs (drugs, pills, medicine, etc) and change it to "rating."

"C'mon now Tom, you need to take your ratings for the day."

"HEY!! That man isn't on his ratings! GET HIM!!!" - insert police chase here

While we're at it, change downer to censor.

"Someone call the police! We have a censor!"

Hahahaha, gold.

I think it would have to be "ARGH AN UN-CENSORED, CALL THE BOBBIES!!!!"

actually thinking about it, it does kinda fit in well with the theme of the game in terms of censoring the bad reality and wanting people to believe the world is all nice and cheerful

 

[MadMageKefka]

honestly the game has a strong anti drugs theme, it' pretty much the entire point of the game to show how drugs while seemingly good just mask reality, if anything any country with a real desire to not show

I think it would have to be "ARGH AN UN-CENSORED, CALL THE BOBBIES!!!!"

actually thinking about it, it does kinda fit in well with the theme of the game in terms of censoring the bad reality and wanting people to believe the world is all nice and cheerful

Hahaha, I think we're onto something here. Some needs to email them this idea asap, lol.

 

[gamesquest1]

Hahaha, I think we're onto something here. Some needs to email them this idea asap, lol.

yeah and maybe just change the "drugs" into government issued reality censoring contact lenses or something

 

[AdamFX990]

yeah and maybe just change the "drugs" into government issued reality censoring contact lenses or something

That sad thing is it'd probably actually improve the game.

 

[MadMageKefka]

yeah and maybe just change the "drugs" into government issued reality censoring contact lenses or something

For anything banned for other reasons, say the scene where the pinata was a dead rat, just make it into something obviously out of place, like a ham sandwich.

 

[The Catboy]

This is what happens when you have aging laws that is so severally detached from current events.
The Board clearly don't know the context of the game(s), they just know that it vaguely sounds like it violates the law and thus ban it. They very clearly only got to the part where a drug was shown and said, "Hey now! That's gotta go!" without actually going any further.

 

[gamesquest1]

That sad thing is it'd probably actually improve the game.

well I kinda see the message of the game is more of an allegory of the slide towards anti depressants being used to mask the depressing reality of life, but I guess the lenses idea has the same effect but a bit more subtle and needing a little extra explanation of them blocking your brain from even acknowledging bad things too, maybe they could just make the "drugs" nano bots or something designed to re-wire your brain to block stuff out, but that would feel a bit out of place and too futuristic for the setting of the game