Australia Bans Award-Winning PC Game For Being Too Offensive
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Featured Image Credit: Studio ZA/UM
Studio ZA/UM's upgrade of hit RPG Disco Elysium will not go on sale in Australia after the classification board has deemed the game too offensive for adults. Despite the game being a winner for many critics and fans alike with the first release of the title back in 2019, the references to drugs, sex, and crime are considered too much for Australian audiences.
If you've already played Disco Elysium this might come at a bit of a surprise because, although yes there are constant references to drugs, sex, crime, racism, sexism, and more throughout - it's rare that any of these subjects come up without a satirical purpose or plot point. The world you're in as the Detective is ugly and dirty and these topics are the realities of the world the characters are living in. But yes, to the Australian Government's credit, they're not wrong in saying all these things are indeed present in Disco Elysium's original release - hard topics are faced.
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The Final Cut is sort of like the director's cut of the game. The story of Disco Elysium is rather word heavy so adding more voice acting helps players along, as well as adding new characters, clothing options, and more to the story. This additional content might have sent the classification board over the edge of what is acceptable for adult audiences, however.
The full statement from the Australian Classification Board (that was spotted by Gamasutra) says Disco Elysium: The Final Cut 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."
If you're interested in purchasing Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (and live outside of Aus) the original game is out now for £34.99 on Steam, and The Final Cut upgrade to the game will be available for all current owners of the game at no extra cost. The Final Cut lands on March 30.
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