The Australian Classification Board has made a move to ban Dennaton Games’ hyper-violent sequel, Hotline Miami 2, citing an implied rape scene.
First picked up Kotaku, the decision will effectively result in the top-down title never making an appearance Down Under, with the ACB denouncing the “visual depiction of sexual violence.”
“The computer game is classified RC [Refused Classification] 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.'”
From what we gather, this controversial scene in question is the same one that was initially banned from the game’s demo more than a year ago, and at the time, developer Dennaton had stated that it intended to rework the gameplay segment. Alas, it appears as though the snippet has turned heads and raised eyebrows once again. In the report by Kotaku, the publication notes that the Australian Classification Board didn’t disclose the “comprehensive” list that made the company arrive at its decision.
In response to the news, Dennaton said that it was “concerned and disappointed that a board of professionals tasked with evaluating and judging games fairly and honestly would stretch the facts to such a degree…” At this time, there is now word on the studio filing a dispute against the decision to ban the sequel in the country.
To find out more about the scene in question, you can head on over to Kotaku’s report, but be advised, the content has attracted controversy for a reason.
Hotline Miami 2 is expected to arrive in spring.
