Devolver Digital and Australia have a challenging relationship. Devolver Digital wants to release its games in Australia, but Australia thinks many of Devolver Digital’s games deserve to be banned instead. ToDevolver Digital’s credit, it takes the frequent censorship from Australia in stride, but Australians are understandably frustrated with the situation. No progress appears to have been made between the two parties, unfortunately, as Devolver Digital’s new gameSludge Lifehas now been Refused Classification in Australia.
BeingRefused Classification in Australiaeffectively means a game is banned on certain platforms, because most platforms require a rating in order to be published. Steam is the one big exception. SinceSludge Lifewas denied a classification, or was given a classification that effectively bans it, there’s no explanation for why it’s been banned.Sludge Lifefeatures a lot of criminal actions, ranging from drug use to vandalism. It’s possible that the game’s drug use is what got the game banned, but that’s just speculation.
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Sludge Lifejoins a prestigious list of games given the Refused Classification label in Australia. Some of the biggest games to get the rating includeThe Witcher 2,Saints Row 4,Left 4 Dead 2, andmost recentlyDisco Elysium. Devolver Digital has several games that remain without classification in Australia.Hotline Miamiwas banned in 2013, then later re-rated, and then banned again as part of theHotline Miami Collection. Other games banned includeKatana ZeroandMother Russia Bleeds.
Australia has a long history of banning games. Prior to 2011, Australia’s most extreme legal rating was MA15+, with games judged to feature content for audiences of age 18 and older instead given a Refused Classification. However, even after Australia added anR18+ rating, the Refused Classification classification has been used. In fact, it’s used just as often as prior to 2011. Over 25 games have been banned in the past decade, though many of those have since been either censored for release or had their classification overturned.
Devolver Digital, to its credit, did haphazardly address the issue on Twitter. The publisher retweeted aSludge Lifedev terriv, who shared the news story with the comment, “one butthole max per cat in Australia. tough but fair.” It’s a reference toa cat inSludge Lifewith two buttholes. It’s just that kind of game. Devolver Digital will likely appeal the classification, which may or may not work.
The big question that everyone’s probably asking is why Australia does this in the first place. Obviously, there are a lot of games with drug use out there, whether it’s Mario eating mushrooms,Cyberpunk 2077’s SynthCoke, orDead by Daylight’s Blight Killerinjecting itself with a mysterious serum. It’s not just that Australia’s censorship seems ambiguous, but that it also accomplishes nothing. Australian gamers can still check outSludge Lifeand most banned games on Steam.
Sludge Lifeis available now on PC and Switch.
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