Halloween: The Game, an asymmetric multiplayer title from Illfonic set for September 9, will not be sold in Australia and New Zealand. According to the developer, the Australian Classifications Board refused to rate the game.
The refusal was not about Michael Myers or the graphic kills players can perform, as Illfonic explained via social media. The block occurred "due to the presence of a controlled substance", reporting indicates this refers to cannabis that players can use in-game.
In Australia, games depicting drug use are not automatically banned; approval depends on how the substance is portrayed. When use is incentivized, the rating bar becomes stricter. Illfonic stated it made "every effort" to overturn the decision without success.
The studio announced it will also not sell the title in New Zealand, despite that country having its own independent classification system, a decision that prompted online questions about why an Australian refusal would affect a separate sovereign nation. The unavailability covers physical and digital formats in both regions.
