Violent game ‘banned’ in Australia because of rape scene

A cult videogame sequel has effectively been banned in Australia because of a scene in which a man strikes a woman then appears to rape her in a pool of blood. The 2D action game “Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number” has been refused classification by the country’s standards watchdog, which means it cannot go on sale legally. According to respected gaming website Kotaku, the game’s most explicit scene sees the protagonist character burst into a movie set and kill four people.

Games that depict … crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults … should not be classified.

Australian Classification Board guidelines

A female character is then struck, leaving her lying down in pool of blood. The male character then appears to rape her. While the commercial sale of the game is prohibited, owning a copy of the game will not be illegal. Other games which have previously been refused classification by the country’s board include State of Decay, South Park: Stick of Truth and Saints Row IV.

Hotline Miami 2 Entertainment