Hotline Miami 2 has been refused classification in Australia. The Australian Classification board did not specify the reason, but their decision seems to imply it is due to violent sexual content.
First off, this is what the board’s guidelines are for refusing classification for any media:
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.
Now, based on a report by Kotaku Australia, there is a scene which strongly implies that the playable character had raped a woman.
Note as well that being refused classification limits a game’s prospects of being distributed at retail, but this does not mean Australian gamers are out of options. In fact, Steam doesn’t participate in Australia’s classification program so Australian gamers will be able to buy the game there.
How do you feel about this news? Is Australia right or wrong to limit the game’s distribution for these reasons? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
