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Update: It looks like Silent Hill f has been rated MA 15+ in Australia - https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/silent-hill-f.

In response to AUTOMATON’s inquiry, the Australian Classification Board has stated that its “Refused Classification” (RC) rating of Silent Hill f has been retracted. At the time of writing, the game is still under review in Australia.

Konami’s upcoming horror game was initially refused classification by Australia’s rating board. This means that it was not deemed appropriate for any age category and essentially banned from being promoted or released in the country.

However, this decision has since been retracted, according to the classification board. This is also apparent from the official homepage, where Silent Hill f’s “Refused Classification” rating has been deleted. The game will go under review again, the results of which will be announced sometime before Silent Hill f’s launch.

The details behind this turn of events are not known, but it is possible that Konami took some measures in response to the initial rating’s announcement. It remains to be seen whether Silent Hill f will be able to release in Australia and whether this will require censorship of its content. AUTOMATON has contacted Konami regarding the re-examination and will be updating this article if we receive a response.

Silent Hill f ban in Australia retracted, age rating up for review again - AUTOMATON WEST

The Australian Classification Board has retracted its "Refused Classification” rating of Konami's Silent Hill f.

automaton-media.com

 

[Ritsumei2020]

Fucking LOL the drama

 

[bitbydeath]

They pissed someone off.

 

[Nocty]

the world is healing? based?

 

[Loomy]

the world is healing? based?

Nah, the cheque took longer to clear.

 

[kevboard]

do aussies even care if a game gets banned there?

back when this still regularly happened in germany, all it did is make the game seem cooler and more desirable... while not really keeping anyone from actually getting it

I had 2 copies of Manhunt, one on PC and one on Xbox, my cousin had the PS2 version.

and I had the uncensored version of GTA San Andreas 2 days before launch

and I was 14 years old at the time...

 

[Panajev2001a]

do aussies even care if a game gets banned there?

back when this still regularly happened in germany, all it did is make the game seem cooler and more desirable... while not really keeping anyone from actually getting it

I had 2 copies of Manhunt, one on PC and one on Xbox, my cousin had the PS2 version.

and I had the uncensored version of GTA San Andreas 2 days before launch

Once everything is all digital and you need to use an account of the country you reside in to purchase, people will care.

 

[kat_on_the_roof]

Is there a reason why Australia refused classification?
The trailer was a bit weird but nothing so unsettling that it can’t be rated, or am I missing something?

 

[Shockwave_Fox]

I always find it bizarre there's a team of people who can decide what I and other people are "allowed" to watch.
Good to see there's easy workarounds to still get the game though.

 

[Shockwave_Fox]

do aussies even care if a game gets banned there?

back when this still regularly happened in germany, all it did is make the game seem cooler and more desirable... while not really keeping anyone from actually getting it

I had 2 copies of Manhunt, one on PC and one on Xbox, my cousin had the PS2 version.

and I had the uncensored version of GTA San Andreas 2 days before launch

and I was between 14 years old at the time...

Haha I remember having Manhunt and all the GTAs on PS2 when I was about 12-15 maybe!
Actually managed to complete it too, that game was fucking hard.

 

[kevboard]

Once everything is all digital and you need to use an account of the country you reside in to purchase, people will care.

meh, worst case scenario either use a VPN or pirate the game

 

[Panajev2001a]

meh, worst case scenario either use a VPN or pirate the game

Audience of the game gets severely restricted, bye bye console players and most PC ones… :/.

 

[kevboard]

Audience of the game gets severely restricted, bye bye console players and most PC ones… :/.

at least currently on Xbox it's not that hard to buy games from other countries.

Ninja Gaiden 2 never released in Germany for example (Black did tho) and is "indiziert", which means it's not banned, but basically is subject to the same distribution and advertising rules as hardcore pornography.

I still have the digital version on Xbox, which I got by simply setting my console to Austria and buying it...

I did the same with Manhunt, which actually is banned in Germany.

 

[Furozen]

at least currently on Xbox it's not that hard to buy games from other countries.

It's not difficult on PlayStation, either. Just create an account with a fake address and pay with PSN Cash Cards from the region of your choice.

 

[MMaRsu]

Australia needs to stop be fucking babies

 

[San Dan Glokta]

Wonder if they refused because the footage they got wasn't flipped upside-down

 

[consoul]

Why even publish this shit publically before they've made an actual decision on the rating?

They need to SH the f up.

 

[Bond007]

Whats the release on this considering we are already seeing this game get classified?

 

[Closer]

I always find it bizarre there's a team of people who can decide what I and other people are "allowed" to watch.

Ain't that the same in any country that has laws?

 

[Zacfoldor]

Ain't that the same in any country that has laws?

We aren't the same.

What kind of ratings board thinks silent hill is inappropriate for adults? I'm surprised they let them drive over there. Surely there is a clear line between consumer protections for children and being an absolute wussie.

 

[adamsapple]

Crikey, mate.

 

[GHG]

at least currently on Xbox it's not that hard to buy games from other countries.

Ninja Gaiden 2 never released in Germany for example (Black did tho) and is "indiziert", which means it's not banned, but basically is subject to the same distribution and advertising rules as hardcore pornography.

I still have the digital version on Xbox, which I got by simply setting my console to Austria and buying it...

I did the same with Manhunt, which actually is banned in Germany.

You can do the same thing on pretty much every platforms digital store by creating an account set to a country where the game is legal.

But that's not the point, a ban means the game will not end up having any marketing in the banned country, which leads to less awareness.

 

[Closer]

We aren't the same.

What kind of ratings board thinks silent hill is inappropriate for adults? I'm surprised they let them drive over there. Surely there is a clear line between consumer protections for children and being an absolute wussie.

Sure, we aren't the same. But that affirmation was so broad I needed better understanding.

 

[Liopleurodon]

Honestly interested in this game.

 

[Pharaoh 117]

Konami got them to retract the ban after they explained that the naked schoolgirl that appears in the game is actually a demon thousands of years old.

 

[kevboard]

You can do the same thing on pretty much every platforms digital store by creating an account set to a country where the game is legal.

But that's not the point, a ban means the game will not end up having any marketing in the banned country, which leads to less awareness.

depends on the game. I bet some games, especially ones that mainly target a hardcore audience instead of a mainstream one, could actually benefit from stuff like this.

for example, if Postal 2 wasn't banned in Germany, I would have never bought it back in the day. the whole aura of a forbidden extremely violent game made it interesting to my teenage self... even tho it's actually a pretty bad game if we're honest
it being banned made me aware of it, when I probably would have just ignored it otherwise

Silent Hill isn't a mainstream IP, it's mainly an IP that is popular among the core gamer audience. there are Resident Evil games that on their own sold more copies than the entirety of the Silent Hill series combined.
on top of that, Australia isn't really a big market either... so either way, it's not a big loss I'd say

 

[JaxarGT]

Is there a reason why Australia refused classification?

Not officially I don't think, but after reading the following, the child abuse bit would certainly raise concerns.

The game's Steam page mentions "gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence"

Silent Hill f has been pre-emptively banned in Australia, with no reason given for the 'refused classification' rating

The game's Steam page mentions "gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence"

www.gamesradar.com

 

[viveks86]

Why even publish this shit publically before they've made an actual decision on the rating?

They need to SH the f up.

 

[JaxarGT]

do aussies even care if a game gets banned there?

Now that I've gone all digital with the PS5 Pro, it makes it trickier to buy from overseas. Not impossible mind you, just not as easy as it used to be.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

Goddamn Australian classifications board

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Looks like Silent Hill f has been rated MA 15+ in Australia - https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/silent-hill-f.

I've requested a thread title change/update.

 

[DinoD]

fucken cain toads.

 

[viveks86]

Looks like Silent Hill f has been rated MA 15+ in Australia - https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/silent-hill-f.

I've requested a thread title change/update.

And now we can all go back to loving the Aussies again. Right?

 

[Barakov]

Man, Australia seems so weird.

 

[consoul]

Yeah nah we're back ya drongos! Go Aussie!

 

[PauloRoberto]

What s bunch of pussies! I mean, This isn't even the biggest rating they have!

 

[N0S]

fucking ridicilous

 

[Mattyp]

Is there a reason why Australia refused classification?
The trailer was a bit weird but nothing so unsettling that it can’t be rated, or am I missing something?

There’s some old laws about zero drug taking for ‘enhancement’ in video games. Which need to get changed, it’s why we have an R18+ video game rating now.

Games used to be banned decades ago because we had no classification stopping sale to minors of any game, as there was no R18 rating available even then it was very few and far between.

Nudity and violence you can help yourself to as much as possible, smoking meth to get your health back not so much.