List of banned video games

Australia
Originally, video games in Australia could not be rated R18+, only up to MA15+. At the time, the R18+ classification rating could only be given to films, but video games whose content would be deemed fitting for the R18+ rating would be 'Refused Classification' due to it not being available for the medium.

In August 2011 this was changed with all Attorney-Generals agreeing upon the R18+ rating for video games and would be available by the end of 2011. This means many of the previous games refused classification would fit in to the R18+ and if the publisher chooses to pay the reclassification fee, they could get the game re-rated and would be able to sell that video game within Australia.

With the R18+ rating in place, this means that many fewer video games would be refused classification. Despite this, video games can still be refused classification if they are deemed to have gone above the R18+ category's criteria. Content that contains depictions of sexual violence and the promotion of illegal drug use would still lead to that video game being refused classification. More specifically, games which may be refused classification include content that:


 * Depicts, expresses or otherwise deals 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.
 * Depict very high impact violence and/or contain any type of violence in conjunction with real sexual intercourse (i.e. sexual violence)
 * Depict any content in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult or a minor who is, or who appears to be, under the age of 18 (whether or not engaged in sexual activity).
 * Promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence.

Classification is mandatory, and games that are refused classification by the ACB are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition, carrying a maximum fine of $275,000 AUD and/or 10 years in prison. It is, however, legal to possess films that have been refused classification (except in Western Australia and parts of the Northern Territory), unless they contain illegal content (e.g. child pornography).

Materials which are refused classification are put on the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service list of prohibited items. Any copies of these video games found at the border will be seized, and its recipient, depending on the number of copies being imported may receive up to $110,000 AUD in fines.

The list depicted below are of video games that are either still banned, or have been banned but have been edited exclusively for Australia in order to be classified. It should be noted that these video games were banned before the introduction of the R18+ category; if most of these games were to be re-rated today, they would most likely achieve the R18+ rating. The second list is of video games that have been eventually reclassified in their original unedited form.

The list below are of games that have been eventually released unedited, rating appealed or the worldwide edition later being released uncut and being identical to other countries.

Brazil
In December 1999, citing a man who killed three and injured eight, Brazil banned six video games. Vendors were required to surrender the games to police or face a fine equal to about $11,000 USD a day.

Cuba
No video games have ever been banned in Cuba, but a few video games were sold in that country until 2007 when restrictions were eased. In 2010, the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops gained much controversy due to a mission where the player attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro, only to end up killing a "body double".

Germany
Germany's main cause for banning video games has been due to depiction of Nazi symbology, such as the swastika. In August 2018, this ban was lifted.

In an announcement, SEGA confirmed that recently announced The House of the Dead: Overkill and MadWorld would not be distributed in Germany. SEGA would also not be publishing Aliens vs. Predator.

After 10 years a "Beschlagnahmung" (ban) expires. The ban of the following titles dates back more than 10 years and they have not been banned again:

Greece
In 2002, the Greek government banned all electronic gambling games in public places in an attempt to fight illegal gambling. Currently, this law has been suspended, being deemed unconstitutional.

Ireland
Because the Irish Film Classification Office almost never rates video games, often leaves decisions to PEGI and/or the BBFC, there have not been a lot of games banned. Only one game so far, Manhunt 2, has was refused classification by the IFCO, although this ban was later lifted.

Italy
In 2007, a ban was decided for Manhunt 2, blocking its distribution over Europe. Later, the ban was lifted.

Japan
Games are rarely banned in Japan, and it holds the place as one of the top video game producers in the world. However, Fallout 3 was edited in Japan due to a weapon in the game called the Fat Man. Because its namesake is one of the nuclear weapons deployed against Japan in World War II, the weapon was renamed to the Nuka Launcher in the Japanese version of Fallout 3. Japan's Spike removed all references to Kim Jong-il and North Korea in Homefront, as well.

Malaysia
Malaysia tends to ban high impact violence, depictions of cruelty, anti-Muslim and sexual content. In August 2008, the head of a Malaysian consumer rights organization, Muhammad Idris, called for a ban of Grand Theft Auto and other similarly violent games such as the Manhunt series. On February 2010, one week after Dante's Inferno was released, the game was banned by Jabatan Agama Islam [JAIS] for cruelty, hellish visions, sexuality and content that was against Sharia law.

Mexico
Though no video games have ever been nationally banned, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 was banned in the state of Chihuahua due to Mexican Rebels being antagonist and stereotyping the city of Chihuahua and Ciudad Juarez. However, the game can still be found in shelves in other states.

New Zealand
In New Zealand, video games are classified by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC). If they are dubbed "objectionable" in all critera, then they are considered banned. In this case, the game in question is not only illegal to sell, but illegal to own, possess, or import.

Russia
Russia has no formal ratings board and no games have been banned in Russia due to excessive violence or nudity because of freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution of Russia. Media in North America and Europe have falsely reported that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which features a storyline in which Russian "ultranationalists" take control of the country and invade the United States, was banned in Russia. Activision called these reports 'erroneous'. The Russian version of this game was edited by removing the optional level (the player is given the option to skip the level at any time) "No Russian" where the player is given the option to shoot Russian civilians in an airport.

Saudi Arabia
It should be noted that most of these games can be found in most stores due to the government's lack of enforcing the banning of these games with the exception of Pokémon cards which are considered a form of gambling.

South Korea
South Korea has typically banned any video game that mentions the war between North and South Korea in order to avoid tensions between the two countries. However, in December 2006, South Korea announced that these games will no longer be banned in order to comply with the principle of free expression. However, Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Manhunt, and Manhunt 2 are still banned because of violence and cruelty. In addition, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction was also banned, although this particular ban was later lifted.

Thailand
Thailand will typically ban any video game with sexual content, such as many hentai games, with the same reasons used when banning pornographic films.

Additionally, all video games of the Grand Theft Auto series have been banned in Thailand since August 2008 because of an 18-year old Thai player who killed a taxi-driver in a manner similar to that depicted in the general gameplay in the series.

However, most of these banned video games can still be found sold or shared in Thailand and the police do not generally close down those shops or ban file-sharing websites.

United Kingdom
Until 2012, video game ratings were the responsibility of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). In 2012, PEGI became the official legislative body responsible for rating video games sold in the UK.

Games in the UK usually only receive a ban when they contain real sex scenes or extreme and gratuitous violence. The 12, 15 and 18 PEGI age ratings are compulsorily enforced, while existing BBFC age ratings for previous titles are also enforced. It is illegal to sell, buy or rent (although not illegal to import) a game that has not been classified by an approved age rating organisation in the UK. This only applies to games stored on physical media, not to downloadable content.

Manhunt 2 is the only video game that has been refused classification by the BBFC. However, a modified version of Manhunt 2 was made after being refused classification; this later version was also initially refused classification like the original version. However, after an appeal, the modified version was allowed to be sold. Carmageddon was threatened with being refused classification, but was modified to have zombies instead of humans being killed to prevent this from being refused a classification; Carmageddon was therefore given an 18 certificate. The ban for the original version with humans in was soon lifted. The Punisher was also threatened with being refused classification, though edits were made at the request of the BBFC, with the game later receiving an 18 certificate.

Venezuela
In November 2009, the Government of Venezuela announced that it would ban all video games in which the objective was to shoot people. The ban was due to widespread violence in the country.

The bill was later published in the public journal of that country on December 3 and gone into effect 3 months later, March 3, 2010, making Venezuela the first country to completely ban violent video-games in the world and making their manufacturing, distribution, selling, rental, exhibition and use illegal. Even though the proponents were not from the Venezuelan Government's political party, Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV), President Hugo Chávez supported the ban, claiming there are some Internet games featuring him so players can "kill him"; and even calling video games consoles, including Nintendo DS and Sony's PlayStation, "poison" and values of the capitalism, which he considers "the road to hell".

According to reports of the Venezuelan National Guard, more than 13,000 objects, including violent video games, were destroyed to the date in the states of Lara and Portuguesa.

The ban was criticized by gamers and experts alike for its ambiguity and lack of clarity on its penalties, asides from being too harsh and indoctrinating a negative point of view. On the other hand, Sony expressed their hopes for the government to make changes for the law for good.