Saints Row 4 Refused Classification in Australia
Saints Row 3 had the penetrator. Saints Row 4 has the alien anal probe.
The Australian Classification Board has been absolutely merciless when rating video games. Until recently, when it finally saw fit to add an R18+ rating, any games that would ordinarily receive a "mature" rating were simply given the boot. That meant that games like Fallout 3 were forced to alter their game content (stimpaks were originally morphine, for those curious) in order to receive a rating by the board.
It looks like the board is going to be pretty stingy with what it defines to be within the realm of R18+, or so it seems. Recently, the Australian Classification Board refused classification to Volition and Deep Silver's Saints Row 4. Considering that Saints Row 3's humor ran along the lines of allowing the player to run around the streets beating people with an overly large dildo called 'The Penetrator,' it doesn't really come as much of a surprise that Saints Row 4 is going to be equally obscene.
Apparently, the reason that Saints Row 4 was refused classification was because of an alien anal probe. The Australian Classification Board stated the following in regards to why the game was refused classification:
"The game includes a weapon referred to by the Applicant as an ‘Alien Anal Probe.’ The Applicant states that this weapon can be ‘shoved into enemy’s backsides.'
"When using this weapon the player approaches a (clothed) victim from behind and thrusts the weapon between the victim’s legs and then lifts them off the ground before pulling a trigger which launches the victim into the air. After the probe has been implicitly inserted into the victim’s anus the area around their buttocks becomes pixelated highlighting that the aim of the weapon is to penetrate the victim’s anus. The weapon can be used during gameplay on enemy characters or civilians.
"In the Board’s opinion, a weapon designed to penetrate the anus of enemy characters and civilians constitutes a visual depiction of implied sexual violence that is interactive and not justified by context and as such the game should be Refused Classification."
It's not clear yet what steps Volition and Deep Silver are going to take in order to have Saints Row 4 receive classification in Australia. But whatever they do, they better act quickly, since the game will be launching August 20, 2013.

No, stimpaks were stimpaks, Med-X was morphine.
Huh? One enemy has multiple back sides? That really is disgusting.
I'm sick of hearing about the aussie near Nazi like government when it comes to entertainment.
I feel sorry for you awesome aussie gamers that have to put up with this horse ----
Is not a normal behavior to insert '' something'' in the back(anus) of enemy's characters or civilians!
This game can be played by the children, in what type of society we want to live??
Be gay/fag/sissy, at your home, do not promote this to children!
It's not the state's job to raise our children you A-hole, it is the parent's job.
Based on the above comments, I'm sure there will be quite a few A-Holes on these boards who tear these comments to pieces, but I just have to say. The people of Australia, if they really are against this decision, will work to change the laws.
My bet is they won't. "Alien Anal Probe"? Give me a friggin break. Can't game designers be a little more creative and have a little more sense than to put out crap like that?
Based on the above comments, I'm sure there will be quite a few A-Holes on these boards who tear these comments to pieces, but I just have to say. The people of Australia, if they really are against this decision, will work to change the laws.
My bet is they won't. "Alien Anal Probe"? Give me a friggin break. Can't game designers be a little more creative and have a little more sense than to put out crap like that?
You are a moron. Raise your own kids you lazy piece of crap. You and every Australian deserve the inevitable Orwellian state that will emerge and control every aspect of you lives.
You are a moron. Raise your own kids you lazy piece of crap. You and every Australian deserve the inevitable Orwellian state that will emerge and control every aspect of you lives.
So, is there anything in my post you dispute? Do you dispute that the majority of Australians would side with the decision? You actually proved within 5 minutes my statement about how "A-holes" would tear my comments to pieces.
You disagree with what I have to say, but you have to call me a "lazy piece of crap", when you really have no clue. I mean, you actually think Australia, of all countries, would ever become an Orwellian state? Excuse me, but who's the Moron here?
I'm sure you're just upset, because using an "Alien Anal Probe" would probably be the highlight of your poor, pathetic, loser day, Mr. Mastersexsay.
You are a moron. Raise your own kids you lazy piece of crap. You and every Australian deserve the inevitable Orwellian state that will emerge and control every aspect of you lives.
So, is there anything in my post you dispute? Do you dispute that the majority of Australians would side with the decision? You actually proved within 5 minutes my statement about how "A-holes" would tear my comments to pieces.
You disagree with what I have to say, but you have to call me a "lazy piece of crap", when you really have no clue. I mean, you actually think Australia, of all countries, would ever become an Orwellian state? Excuse me, but who's the Moron here?
I'm sure you're just upset, because using an "Alien Anal Probe" would probably be the highlight of your poor, pathetic, loser day, Mr. Mastersexsay.
you are wrong, if majority doesn't like something that doesn't make it okay to ban it for everyone
you are wrong, if majority doesn't like something that doesn't make it okay to ban it for everyone
"Freedom of speech" has never, ever meant "Anything goes." The origins of free speech in the US had more to do with freedom from persecution for political or religious speech than whether or not we will accept in our society games where you stick dildos up peoples asses and blow them up. In that regard, there has always been a line we've drawn with what we've accepted, and there has always been a level of censorship. People certainly can disagree with that, but I wouldn't go drawing grand Orwellian conclusions about it.
You can say I'm wrong, and I can say you're wrong. So, let's just say we disagree. That's fine. But at least you're not calling me a "moron" or a "lazy piece of crap".
I happen to fall on the side of the government being hands-off in most things. But, really, some of the games that are out there now, I have no problems with some countries deciding they're just not acceptable. Cudos to Australia for stepping up in that regard.
We didn't fight for freedom in this medium to hand every AAA title over to the 1% emptiest individuals out there.
Depictions of various things have pretty much always been appropriately restrained and done in context. This has always been the general habit of the industry: the people making these games have lives outside of games, and families. At least, they did last I heard (?).
Growing up, while Hollywood was all about the extreme drama and extreme content, we had a medium we could enjoy while appreciating some minimum level of restraint, Or at least a context for it which was not remotely "real" (like a killing spree but it was against demons and the graphics were clearly not "realistic").
As games look and play more "realistic" by the year, the time has come to remember where our basic dignity is.
If you insist on digging for the bottom of the barrel, or being completely complacent no matter what they feed you (as per most comments here), don't be surprised if this medium over the next couple years becomes something you really don't like anymore. For every dollar they spend on pushing the content boundary, or taking journalists to strip clubs (*cough* .. Gearbox..), that's a dollar not spent on the product quality.
And to the studios: If you pitch this content "mature" audiences, don't expect them to go for it. You can trick people into buying it once, they may even overlook these kind of "jokes", but they won't be there for the next installment (they won't actively seek out the product, they'll be off doing something else).
It's pretty sad that someone working for a reputable studio thinks it's funny,
and even more sad that a whole studio let's the joke slide while it costs them sales and reputation.
You'd think after the freedom we fought for in this medium, we could agree that the boundaries are broad enough that we don't need to waste projet money on seeing who can stoop to the lowest level anymore.
"My life is on the line here. Gee, do I use my 12-gauge on him, or try to stick this toy into his butt?"
This is exactly what my ex said .... No pixelated anus