Silent Hill f Banned in Australia

Konami's eagerly anticipated game, Silent Hill f, has been refused classification (RC) in Australia, preventing its sale in the country at this time. This decision was made by an automated rating tool from the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), rather than by members of the Australian Classification Board. Given past precedents, this might not be the final word on the game's availability in Australia.

Konami does not handle its own distribution in Australia, and IGN has reached out to their third-party distribution partner for comments on this matter. The specific reasons behind Silent Hill f's RC rating have not been disclosed yet. In Australia, games are typically refused classification for content involving sexual activity with minors, depictions of sexual violence, or incentives tied to drug use. Notably, Silent Hill: Homecoming faced a similar refusal in 2008 due to a high-impact torture scene but was later released with modifications after the introduction of the R18+ rating category in January 2013, which accommodates higher levels of violence.

It's important to understand that Silent Hill f's RC rating was assigned through the IARC's online tool, designed for rating mobile and digitally delivered games. This tool functions via a questionnaire about the game's content, automatically assigning ratings based on the standards of participating countries, including Australia. Since its adoption in 2014, this tool has been used for digitally distributed games due to the overwhelming number of games released on platforms like the iOS app store annually.

There have been instances where the IARC's automated ratings have been more stringent than human assessments by the Classification Board. For example, games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few were mistakenly reported as banned in Australia due to such automated ratings. The IARC tool is particularly advantageous for smaller publishers and developers because it is free to use. However, all physical game releases still require a direct rating from the Classification Board, which has the authority to override any IARC-assigned classification.

In Australia, game publishers can employ accredited classifiers or authorized assessors. Accredited classifiers are trained in-house staff whose decisions carry the weight of the Classification Board. Authorized assessors, on the other hand, provide recommendations that the Board can choose to adopt or reject.

Currently, it's premature to determine if Silent Hill f's RC rating will be upheld after further review. Interestingly, this game marks the first in the Silent Hill series to receive an 18+ rating in Japan, adding another layer of intrigue to its classification journey.