Saints Row 4 Banned in Australia Due to Interactive Sexual Violence

Saints Row 4 might not be heading to Australia, that is, unless some major changes to the game are made. The upcoming title from Volition and Deep Silver has been refused classification in Australia, becoming the first game to have been banned since the country enacted the new Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games on January 1, 2013.

The board gave Saints Row its harshest possible verdict, RC (Refused Classification). This means that the game cannot be displayed or sold in Australia.

The Classification Board states that the game includes, "interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context."

Additionally, Saints Row 4 also contains, "elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines."

Since the updated guidelines went into effect at the beginning of this year, the board has classified 17 games as R18+, a rating that restricts their sales to adults only. However, this is the first time that a game has been refused any classification at all.

Strangely, if you don't follow the Australian games industry, you may be surprised to learn that these updated guidelines actually represent a much more inclusive policy. Prior to the January 1 adjustment, Australia did not even have an adults-only classification. Instead, retailers were not allowed to sell any game that was deemed unsuitable for minors.

Publisher Deep Silver can (and likely will) appeal this decision, although they have yet to officially comment.

Saints Row 4 is currently in development at Volition Inc. It is set for an August 20, 2013 release date in North America, followed by an August 23 release date in Europe. It is a direct continuation to the canon ending of the third game, where the leader of the Third Street Saints is elected as President of the United States. However, instead of the threat of rival gangs, the protagonist must now fend off an alien invasion.