Silent Hill: Homecoming banned in Australia

Latest Silent Hill horror game refused classification down under; local distributor will wait until early 2009 for a possible resubmission.

This year has been a depressing one for Aussie gamers when it comes to bans, with three games failing to meet Australia's strict classification requirements. Dark Sector, Shellshock 2: Blood Trails, and Fallout 3 were all banned in 2008, though both Dark Sector and Fallout 3 were eventually allowed back into the country after some modifications were made. It seems that's not the end of the banning story for this year, however. This afternoon Konami confirmed that its upcoming Silent Hill: Homecoming has also been refused classification, so selling it is illegal in Australia.

An Atari spokesman (Atari is the local distributor for Konami games) confirmed the game banning to GameSpot AU, saying that Australia's Classification Board found issue with the high impact of Silent Hill's violence. Examples used by the board in its report include copious blood spray in the game, decapitations, partially dismembered corpses, and numerous scenes of attacks, fights, torture, and death.

The spokesman said plans for Homecoming's Australian release are now "on the backburner until early next year," pending discussions with Konami to see if any changes can be made to accommodate Australia's classification regime.

Silent Hill is one of the leading franchises in the survival horror genre. Homecoming follows the story of a war veteran going back to his hometown to search for his missing brother. The multiplatform game was originally slated to be released in Australia in November this year.

In Australia, the highest rating available for a game is MA15+, as opposed to other forms of media, such as film or DVDs, which have an R18+ classification (the R rating prohibits sales to anyone under the age of 18). Games that feature content deemed unsuitable for an MA15+ rating are refused classification and are effectively banned from sale. This year, both Dark Sector and Shellshock 2 were banned because of violent content, while Fallout 3 was initially banned because the game supposedly showed positive effects from in-game drug use.

For more about Australia's game classification system, check out GameSpot AU's in-depth Censory Overload feature.

372 Comments

  • pinku_panda

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 1:03 pm PT

    Wow, what the hell do they play then if those master pieces are banned 0.o

  • sooty1987

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 6:19 pm PT

    those f f***ers....... im going to have to get it from the UK now...

  • 10boohee

    Posted Jan 5, 2009 6:59 am PT

    this is why democrats and big government suck!! to much government = less freedom

  • backslide11

    Posted Nov 15, 2008 9:10 pm PT

    what the hell?no offense meant, but Aussies must never ever ban games like THESE.its not going to affect how people think and act.these are just games,man!no need to ban them by the government.they just need to leave these kinds of things to the parents!

  • UlTimatelee

    Posted Oct 28, 2008 9:33 pm PT

    Yay finally got my copy in the mail and it was well worth it- i still dont understand why they banned it thou, haha so far all ive seen that was maybe the reason why is when you stab some ppl he kinda gets into it a bit- but far out no better no worse than GTA..Haha the only other reason i think they made have banned it is the scare factor? But surely thats not right?

  • jaydana

    Posted Oct 23, 2008 7:10 pm PT

    (EVIL LAUGH)..AHHH HAAA HAAAAAAA SUFFER TO THE CLASSIFICATION BOARD..I GOT MY COPY FROM USA AND NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING IT OVER THE COMING WEEKS..WOOHOOOOOOOO STICK IT.. YOU CANT STOP US BUYING OUR COPY OF SILENT HILL HOMECOMING.. OLD FUDDY DUDDY'S..GET OVER IT..ITS ONLY A GAME...PEOPLE WHO RE-ENACT SCENES FROM FILMS AND GAMES ARENT TOTALLY INFLUENCED BY THE GAME..THEY ALREADY HAD A SCREW LOOSE WHEN THEY WATCHED IT..YOU CANT STOP LOONEYS BY BANNING GAMES AND FILMS.. ITS ONLY ABOUT .1% OF THE POPULATION THAT ARE LOONEYS ANY WAY..SO STOP PUNISHING THE DECENT PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REALITY AND PRETENCE..JUST COS WE ENJOY PLAYING GAMES LIKE THESE DOESNT MEAN WE GONNA GO OUT ON A KILLING SPREE..OMG..GET A LIFE AND GET OVER IT..THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LOONEYS IN LIFE AND THAT YOU CANT STOP EITHER..THEY ARE BORN WITH A SCREW LOOSE TO START WITH!!!!!!!!

  • Leria

    Posted Oct 11, 2008 6:56 pm PT

    Yet another embarrassment to Australia, the country that was started by convicts and has started to treat it's citizenry like little children who need to have everything dictated to them.

    Australia, get real, get sane, and realize that there is absolutely nothing wrong with these games the way that they are, because they are made for adults or children who their parents know are mature enough to not go out and do stuff like they see in the game or the movies in real life.

  • heelflipdarkslide

    Posted Oct 10, 2008 9:17 am PT

    I'm in Australia and my import copy arrived yesterday morning. Pretty solid game so far.

  • Hofmarskal

    Posted Oct 10, 2008 3:10 am PT

    Is there any game they won't ban? If the Aussies ban a game, then you can be sure it's a good game:-)

  • All_3st

    Posted Oct 9, 2008 9:10 am PT

    I'm really looking forward till the day that the gaming industry is seen as an equal to the movie/music industry!

    RESPECT THE GAMER!

  • sparks12935

    Posted Oct 5, 2008 9:27 am PT

    Wow, that's ridiculous. Poor Australia.

  • artiebillymac

    Posted Oct 3, 2008 8:38 am PT

    How old are these board members to make this decision that the whole of Australia residents can't buy & play this game,Makes me want to move country's .. .

  • Jack_Corbae

    Posted Oct 3, 2008 3:13 am PT

    Why do we care? Imports are cheaper! I can pick up Spore from Canada for AU$56 DELIVERED!

    Screw the classifications board - Import! It's cheaper anyway.

  • UlTimatelee

    Posted Oct 2, 2008 9:55 pm PT

    I dunno im feeling left out cos im not even gettin a choice? I guess wheteher the games are lame or not doesnt really matter to me- i just want the choice to be able to make a decision for myself?

  • renderman7

    Posted Oct 2, 2008 9:17 pm PT

    omg.. the first silent hill was great.. the rest sucked.. and you are making it sound like we are missing out cause of those 4 games. fallout 3 will be great and all they changed were some drug names.. dark sector.. pfft yeah right.. more like crap sector.. and as for shellshock.. the first one sucked.. why did they make a second one...

    sometimes the banning of games can be a good thing.. 3 of those 4 needed to be kept off store shelves

  • UlTimatelee

    Posted Oct 2, 2008 6:02 pm PT

    Yes it is- all ps3 games are region free if thats what you mean! And look i think this is ridiculous! I dont see why we as adults have to miss out on all these games just because we cant agree on an R rating system- i can guarentee you now kids that go into Video stores and kids that go into Targets and Kmarts all over Australia dont even get checked to buy movies. My point being maybe if we tightened the laws a lil bit and it was alot like sellin underage kids Ciggerettes and Alcohol where fines were in place for the owners of these stores, maybe they would think before just selling their wares to neone! I know first hand when i picked up my copy of GTA- which is rated MA15+ in Australia- which clearly means no kids under the age of 15 are allowed to buy it, i had a kid behind me in the line at a Games store which i wont mention who looked to be all of about 12-13 got his copy of GTA no questions asked? Things like this make me mad- not that i dont think he could of handled playing the game cos im sure he could, he wouldnt be there if he wasnt a gamer that chose to play games along those lines- its not like someone just walks off the street and choses to play these types of games? If ur a gamer whateva ur age may be- you know what ur gettin urself in for- i mean for crying out loud- lets take COD4- lots of shooting and blood and heads being blown off- i think ne 13 yr old boy could handle that. Do i think hes goin to take it to the street or the play ground- no and the ppl that say he will are bogus- Violence, sex and drugs have been around alot longer than video games- i dunno im just so worked up bout this!!! I find it crazy... All the points the government have on this ban have counter points that there not even seeing. It seems easier to just ban these games.. For crying out loud games of all sorts are part of millions of ppls lives, whether it be on the mobiles- consoles or the computers. The government just needs to get with the times!!!!!! And clearly stop acting so old school bout everything

  • Daweba360

    Posted Oct 2, 2008 4:15 am PT

    Hy Guys Im sorry to tell u that Silent Hill Homecoming is
    NOT CODEFREE !!!!!!!!

  • jsdore77

    Posted Oct 1, 2008 10:11 pm PT

    We Aussies all need to import this game, take a pic of us holding it with a great big smile and thumbs up and send the pic to the OFLC and the tool in South Australia with a note attached saying, "I'm over 18 and I CHOOSE to play it!"

  • darthturkey

    Posted Oct 1, 2008 2:35 am PT

    If the R rating was on games here in Australia, kids will some how get their hands on this games.

    So i cant see why games cant be R rated, i know kids who play games which are banned here Australia, games which are RC.

    So come on and get with the system and release an R rating.

  • tawagivercetti

    Posted Sep 30, 2008 9:26 pm PT

    The Videogames industry is still treated like a bastard child in Australia. R18+ rating is clearly needed, this is a joke. I can buy hardcore XXX porn and fireworks that can blow my head-off here in Canberra but OFLC says gore/ingame drug-use is overboard? The OFLC obviously doesn't understand games or gamers at all. OFLC NEEDS A REALITY CHECK...this is the 21st century not 1955. I said it for GTAIV/fallout3....In the end the only people hurt by these bannings are the (stupid fart-face) Australian Retailers (I feel so sorry for them..not), this is a region-free game for ps3, so thats great we can stick it to OFLC. The XBOX 360 version looks like it will region free aswell as Most new games coming out are all RF, also KONAMI's last game HELLBOY:science of crap was RF too. Fingers crossed 360ers...

  • DJSAV_101

    Posted Sep 30, 2008 7:42 pm PT

    i dont want to be a jerk but i just played the game at a friends house and its awesome!

  • doom205

    Posted Sep 30, 2008 5:48 am PT

    bad news...

  • Wrathesoul

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 9:47 pm PT

    Is SH HC region free for the xbox 360 I heard as well new zeland banned it as well even tho they have a 18+ rating.

  • jaydana

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 7:44 pm PT

    THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE...GO TO EBAY.COM AND BUY SILENT HILL HOMECOMING ONLINE..HAVE IT ON YOUR DOORSTEP IN ABOUT A WEEK (IT IS RELEASED OVER THERE 1/10/08..STICK IT TO THE CENSORSHIP BOARD..YOU WANT IT..YOU BUY IT OVERSEAS..SIMPLE AS THAT....

  • highcliff

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 5:21 pm PT

    We Aussies have been trying for ages to make a change - at the moment, it seems to hinge on the retirement of a certain Governor-General in South Australia who absolutely refuses to even change the classification system regarding games in Australia (I think he wants us all to play the game version of Dora the Explorer or something). Hopefully someone will boot him soon, or he'll retire, but until then - the legislation can't change because it needs the full agreement of all State Governor-Generals. Sigh...

  • umn_pk2003

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 3:45 pm PT

    What the hell??
    it just a game for GOD's sake..:@
    damn aussies

  • siLVURcross

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 3:12 pm PT

    Aussies need to do something about this. This is going on for too long, high price, long wait, Aussies deserve the same gaming quality as we do.

  • Warshock

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 12:53 pm PT

    I think they really should start a revolution over that bull crap. If the government can BAN something that is art and a way of just living, then it's time to wake up and do something about it. If only we could help.. HELL they JUST received Rock Band 1... Come on, we have to help our fellow gamers out..

  • bryankei

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 12:38 pm PT

    This is the same as a good old fashioned book burning.

  • bestbuy319

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 10:49 am PT

    wow what a bunch of Nazi's

  • necronaux

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 9:37 am PT

    ...copious blood spray... decapitations, partially dismembered corpses, and numerous scenes of attacks, fights, torture, and death. ... So, what exactly is the problem? We see this in the news every day.

  • LAntichristo

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 8:11 am PT

    The "theWanderer80" said it right :"Who the hell is stupid enough to buy retail at twice the price for half the content?!?" tsk tsk tsk

  • afrosud12

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 5:05 am PT

    tisk tisk tisk, how do you guys ever expect to be as bloodthirsty and trigger happy as us americans. you guys miss so much, i can now see why the world hates us, they cant play our games. "OSAMA, YOU CAN COME OUT NOW, WE UNDERSTAND NOW, HERES AN XBOX 360 and FALLOUT 3 FOR YOU AND ALL YOUR FREINDS. WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING WITH NORTH KOREA AND IRAN, THERES A LAN PARTY NEXT WEEK SO GET PRACTICING" there we go, world is at peace because of violent videogames.

  • afrosud12

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 5:05 am PT

    tisk tisk tisk, how do you guys ever expect to be as bloodthirsty and trigger happy as us americans. you guys miss so much, i can now see why the world hates us, they cant play our games. "OSAMA, YOU CAN COME OUT NOW, WE UNDERSTAND NOW, HERES AN XBOX 360 and FALLOUT 3 FOR YOU AND ALL YOUR FREINDS. WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING WITH NORTH KOREA AND IRAN, THERES A LAN PARTY NEXT WEEK SO GET PRACTICING" there we go, world is at peace because of violent videogames.

  • theWanderer80

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 4:29 am PT

    Who gives a flying f#ck?!? Who the hell is stupid enough to buy retail at twice the price for half the content?!? Importing is the way to go. The game is the way it was meant to be played at almost half the price.

    Classification Board don't have our back? We don't support Aussie game retailers.

  • Nibbles37

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 3:41 am PT

    To wall2nv, complaining is not the answer. Please tell me one time in world history where someone complaining made anything change. The answer is Rioting, boycotting, petitions, majority votes, the latter 3 are less violent and probably wont do the job, but are much more effective than just whining.

  • Irve

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 3:23 am PT

    Oz so badly needs the R18+ rating for games. even if they put restrictions on places ability to sell those violent games.
    but as always our Aussie friends will just have to import the game from NZ

  • wally2nv

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 2:03 am PT

    Australian can you people please start complaining INSTEAD OF SITTING ON UR ASS ALL DAY MAYBE IF U COMPLAIN THINGS WILL CHANGE INSTEAD OF "ohhh noez game get teh teh teh teh teh teh ban :'( " START COMPLAINING AND THEN WE WILL SEE CHANGES eg. no more high prices and no more OFLC THEN EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • brian_13un

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 1:35 am PT

    Why is that is the game so Violent for me Its just good ^_^

  • Wrathesoul

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 1:13 am PT

    Hi all I have access now to silent hill homecomming for xbox 360 and ps3 that will work on all australia systems in english language and subtitle as well the seller will offer them and all games we cant get here cheaper then in australia and cheaper then play asia with a fast shipping time. If your interested contact me with your first name and e mail addy and what games you want I will forward the details and the owner will contact you to get your goods on their way. If you have msn the e mail to that would make it faster yet as they use it as well its a UK business but ships from HK as well so it gets here faster hope this helps all of the australian gamers who are being abused by Mr atkinson's bannings.

  • tawagivercetti

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 9:19 pm PT

    The Videogames industry is still treated like a bastard child in Australia. R18+ rating is clearly needed, this is a joke. I can buy hardcore XXX porn and fireworks that can blow my head-off here in Canberra but OFLC says gore/ingame drug-use is overboard? The OFLC obviously doesn't understand games or gamers at all. OFLC NEEDS A REALITY CHECK...this is the 21st century not 1955. I said it for GTAIV/fallout3....In the end the only people hurt by these bannings are the (stupid fart-face) Australian Retailers (I feel so sorry for them..not), this is a region-free game for ps3, so thats great we can stick it to OFLC. The XBOX 360 version looks like it will region free aswell as Most new games coming out are all RF, also KONAMI's last game HELLBOY:science of crap was RF too. Fingers crossed 360ers...

  • jaydana

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 8:42 pm PT

    LMAO How stupid to refuse the game in Australia, all that has made me do is pre-buy my copy already from USA. You think banning it is going to stop people buying it..think again...it may cost a little more to get it here from USA but any avid follower of the series is going to be willing to pay what it takes and I have. All you do by banning the game is stop the sales revenue from staying in Australia, since PS3 is region free, people will just buy from overseas. Wake up to yourselves classifiers, we buy what we want and you cant stop us....we dont need you telling us what we can and cant play!!!!!!!!!!

  • UlTimatelee

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 8:25 pm PT

    Im gettin my copy from the states and itss goin to cost a lil more but hey i was excited this game was being released- and then to hear its banned- meh true gamers get there games one way or the other!

  • Wrathesoul

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 8:03 pm PT

    I just got info from a few differetn places this wonderful game is region free for xbox 360 has anyone else heard anything about this?

  • maaly81

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 7:51 pm PT

    dang

  • rbop

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 7:17 pm PT

    That blows... age restrictions are fine, but that's just ridiculous. Is this a system that most of the country is behind... banning games that is?

  • MrFisty

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 7:10 pm PT

    hampton2003, we DO get charged 100 bucks for games... over the counter. Games here and way more expensive than in your neck of the woods. We get screwed on all sides, and that's why I import.

  • Hell-Fire21

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 6:57 pm PT

    Well...er...free Scotland!!!!

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