The hit indie RPG Disco Elysium has been unbanned in Australia, according to a report by NME.
The game was initially condemned by the Australian Classification Board for its themes of drug misuse, violence and crime. Back in March, the country’s classification board made an example of Disco Elysium while providing the following grounds for the ban:
“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’.”
Since then, a new R 18+ rating has been introduced, which allows the game to be sold with age restrictions.
According to the Classification Review Board, Disco Elysium has “sufficient disincentives to drug use to enable it to be accommodated within the R 18+ classification with consumer advice of ‘high impact themes, coarse language and drug references”.
If you’re unfamiliar with Disco Elysium, the game is essentially a gritty detective drama with RPG mechanics. Here’s a short synopsis of the game, courtesy of its Steam page:
“You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city block to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders, or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.”
Of course, even with the previous ban in place, Disco Elysium could still be purchased digitally. However, the decision to unban the game is still a step in the right direction in terms of video game censorship. Hopefully, Australia’s classification board will opt to place age restrictions on games rather than outright ban them in the future!
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