10 Video Games that Got Banned and Why

• Phandroid Editors
• 3 years ago

Video games are a topic full of controversy, and censorship is not new to the world of these games. While video games are a form of artistic expression for their creators, there are still times that games push the envelope too far and require modifications to the final form. Note that most banned video games are still online, and you may fall victim to objectionable material if you’re not careful.

Whether the censorship was fair or not in banning some video games, you may want to learn about some of the banned video games and why they were banned. 

Here are the ten games! 

1. Mortal Kombat

Mortal  Kombat was banned in many countries because of its realistic nature and graphic violence. While some people believe that this game should be allowed because it’s just a game, others believe it is too violent for anyone to handle. Some say that if you want to play a video game, at least find games with no blood. 

When Mortal  Kombat was first released  in1992, it caused an uproar among parents and politicians. They believed that children were exposed to too much violence in video games. Many experts stated that these games could cause real-life acts of violence towards others. They could imitate what they see on screens and direct the acted aggression toward others. 

If you’ve ever played  Mortal Kombat before or any other violent video game, now you understand why it got banned. 

2. Manhunt

A Manhunt is a violent stealth-based video game developed by Rockstar North and published by  Rockstar  Games. The game was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows. It was later ported to iOs, Android, and macOS X.

Rockstar  Leeds developed the Games Boy Advance version of Manhunt. 

3. Doom II

Doom II was banned in Germany, Brazil, and Argentina. It was also removed from sale in Australia and banned in Iceland. The reasoning behind the ban is that Doom II is considered harmful to minors because it includes violence, gore, and occult imagery. The game also has demons that resemble religious leaders like Jesus Christ or Buddha in some cases.

In addition to being banned worldwide for its violent content,  Doom II  has also been censored by developers who have removed certain parts of the game completely. Parts such as the hellish levels where you can kill innocent people have been eliminated. 

4. Far Cry 5 – Religious  Objection 

Far Cry 5is a game where you can choose to play as one of several different characters, each with their skills and abilities.  One of these characters is the fanatical preacher Joseph Swed, the leader of a doomsday cult called, The project of Eden’s Gate.After you defeat him in combat, he tells you that Satan has chosen him to lead this cult because  “the kingdom will be mine.” This led some countries, particularly India and UAE, to ban the game for its religious content. 

Despite being banned in others, Far Cry 5sold well in some countries, but Ubisoft later removed all religious references in the video game.

5. God of War II

God of War II was banned in India because it depicted violence and cruelty. It was also banned in Greece and Saudi Arabia as well.

It was termed as too violent for the community to handle.

6. Postal 2 – Anti Civil Behavior 

Postal 2il is a first-person shooter video game developed by Running With Scissors. Ubisoft was published and released on June 29, 2003, for Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation 2. It centers around Postal Dude, who becomes the subject of a nationwide manhunt after he shoots up a post office. He receives an order of mail fraud from his wife, he then ventures into the desert to look for her and other people to help him.

This video game was banned because it features graphic violence against groups such as children and police officers. 

7. Fallout 3

In this game, you play as a man or woman who has survived a nuclear war and finds themselves in a hostile place infested with mutants. The game contains realistic violence, gore, strong language, and drug abuse.

Fallout 3 was banned in Australia due to its high level of intense violence, especially regarding drugs. It has also been banned in China because they consider some elements of the game offensive to their culture.

8. Pokemon

Pokemon are creatures that can be caught and trained to battle other pokemon. The original  Pokemon was banned in Saudi Arabia for religious reasons. A case of a pokemon being banned for religious reasons is the Rotom, a ghost type who can become any electric appliance. It was banned because it looked like a possessed TV set.

Additionally, several iterations of Pokemon featured a gambling element, where players could bet on slots or card games similar to what you’d see at the best online casino. Later versions have since removed this feature.

9. Night Trap

Night Trap, a Sega CD, was released in 1992. It was banned by the UK’s video game censor body for its depiction of violence and sexual content. It became famous for being the first game to be investigated by the US senate.

However, it was withdrawn from sale, and changes were made for future versions to be re-released on other platforms, such as Steam and GOG( Good Old Games).

10. Bully

Originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006 and remastered for PS4 in 2015, Bully was banned both in Brazil and Argentina. In Brazil, censors objected to the game’s portrayal of school bullying and its use of drugs as incentives for completing missions.

In Argentina, authorities banned  Bully due to its offensiveness.