Lyla Lindsey
Disco Elysium, a post-war murder mystery role-playing game, was initially banned in Australia due to its adult themes, including drug use and addiction, sexual content, and strong violence. The game was deemed to offend against the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults. However, the ban was later overturned, and the game received an R 18+ rating, allowing it to be sold in Australia with the restriction that only adults can purchase it. The Classification Review Board concluded that while the game included coarse language and drug references, it also provided clear consequences for drug use and did not explicitly depict drug consumption.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for ban | Depiction of drug use and addiction, sex, crime, cruelty, violence, and revolting or abhorrent phenomena |
| Date of ban | March 2021 |
| Date of reversal | May 2021 |
| Classification | R 18+ |
| Reason for reversal | The game's long-term negative consequences for drug use, along with no explicit depiction of drug-taking |
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What You'll Learn
The game's depiction of drug use
The Australian Classification Board initially banned Disco Elysium: The Final Cut due to its depiction of drug use and the temporary benefits it offers to the player character. The game features alcohol and drug misuse, with the player able to consume drugs that provide short-term benefits in the form of increased stats. This includes the ability to split a gram of cocaine with an underage kid, after stealing it from their abusive father.
The game's refusal of classification fell under the Games 1(a) clause, which states that games cannot "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena" in a way that offends "against the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults".
However, the ban was later overturned by the Classification Review Board, which is a separate body from the Classification Board. The Review Board found that the game's depiction of drug use ultimately led to negative consequences for the player character, with regular drug use hindering their progression. The game also does not explicitly depict drug-taking behaviour, and it provides clear disincentives for drug use. As a result, the game was given an R 18+ rating in Australia, restricting its sale to adults only.
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The game's depiction of drug addiction
Disco Elysium, a post-war murder mystery role-playing game, was initially banned in Australia due to its depiction of drug addiction. The game features alcohol and drug misuse, with characters consuming drugs and receiving temporary benefits. The game includes secret quests and achievements for taking drugs, which can provide advantages in passing certain skill checks. This depiction of drug use was deemed contrary to the standards of morality and decency accepted by reasonable adults. The game was refused classification and banned from physical sale in Australia.
The game's developers, ZA/UM, challenged the decision, and the ban was eventually overturned. The Classification Review Board, separate from the Classification Board that originally refused classification, found that the game's depiction of drug use ultimately led to negative consequences for the player's progression. The long-term detrimental effects of drug use in the game outweighed the short-term benefits, and there was no explicit depiction of drug-taking.
The Review Board's decision allowed the game to receive an R 18+ classification, restricting its sale to adults only. This outcome highlights a shift in perspective, acknowledging the artistic merit and complexity of video games. It also underscores the evolving nature of classification systems and their ongoing adaptation to the evolving landscape of media and entertainment.
The controversy surrounding Disco Elysium's depiction of drug addiction underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the portrayal of sensitive themes in video games. While some argue that drug use should not be incentivized or rewarded in interactive media, others defend the artistic freedom and narrative complexity that such depictions can offer. This incident highlights the need for ongoing dialogue and nuanced approaches to content regulation in the video game industry.
In conclusion, the depiction of drug addiction in Disco Elysium sparked initial concerns in Australia, leading to the game's temporary ban. However, a more nuanced evaluation ultimately resulted in the game's reinstatement with an age restriction. This outcome reflects a recognition of the artistic value and maturity of the video game medium, inviting further exploration of the boundaries of acceptable content within the industry.
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The game's depiction of alcohol misuse
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut was initially banned in Australia due to its depiction of alcohol and drug misuse. The game features a main character who struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction, and players can choose to have their character consume drugs and alcohol, which can provide temporary benefits. While drug misuse was the main reason for the game's ban, its depiction of alcohol misuse also contributed to the decision.
The Australian Classification Board, the government body responsible for regulating games, found that the game's portrayal of alcohol and drug misuse fell under the Games 1(a) clause. This clause states that games cannot "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena" in a way that offends "against the standards of morality, decency, and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults".
The game's developers, ZA/UM, argued that the depiction of drug use in the game was ultimately negative and that it provided clear disincentives for drug-taking behaviour. The Review Board agreed, stating that the long-term consequences of drug use in the game outweighed any short-term benefits. Additionally, the game does not explicitly depict drug-taking behaviour, and the main character is never shown consuming drugs.
While the alcohol misuse depicted in Disco Elysium did not receive the same level of attention as the drug content, it still contributed to the perception that the game promoted substance misuse. The game's portrayal of a character struggling with alcoholism and the negative consequences of their alcohol misuse likely influenced the Classification Board's decision.
Following the developer's challenge, the ban on Disco Elysium was overturned, and the game was given an R 18+ rating in Australia. The Review Board's decision to overturn the ban sets a precedent for how games that depict substance misuse can be classified in the country. It remains to be seen whether other games with similar content will be treated similarly in the future.
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The game's depiction of crime, cruelty, and violence
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut was initially banned in Australia due to its depiction of crime, cruelty, and violence, among other reasons. The game features a plot that often centres on these themes, which fell foul of the Australian Classification Board's guidelines.
The game's refusal of classification was due to its inclusion of "matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena" that would offend the standards of morality and decency accepted by most reasonable adults. Specifically, the game allows players to steal cocaine from an abusive father and split it with an underage kid, which was deemed inappropriate content.
The game also features alcohol and drug misuse, with some in-game benefits linked to drug use. While the game does not explicitly depict drug-taking, the consumption of certain substances provides temporary advantages to the player character, such as a +1 bonus to Motorics and Psyche stats from taking speed. This incentivises drug use and contradicts the guidelines for refused classification, which state that "illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards" is not allowed.
The game's developers, ZA/UM, challenged the decision, and the ban was eventually overturned. The Classification Review Board, a separate body from the Classification Board, ruled that the game could receive an R 18+ classification. They acknowledged the game's depiction of drug use but noted that it ultimately portrayed drug-taking behaviour in a negative light, with regular drug use leading to negative consequences for the player's progression. Thus, despite the game's depiction of crime, cruelty, and violence, the Classification Review Board deemed it suitable for adults.
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Australia's classification system
The Australian classification system has been criticised for treating video games as a "special" form of media, applying stricter rules than those applied to other types of content, such as television and movies. This discrepancy reflects the early 1990s era when the rules were written, and video games were associated with a moral panic. Despite the evolution of video games into a mainstream medium and artistic discipline, the classification system has not kept pace with the changing nature of the industry.
The classification guidelines for video games in Australia specifically prohibit content related to drug misuse, sex, crime, cruelty, violence, or abhorrent phenomena that may offend the standards of morality and decency accepted by reasonable adults. This has led to the banning of certain video games, such as Disco Elysium, which was refused classification due to its depiction of drug use and related incentives.
The Australian government has recognised the need to review the classification system and launched a consultation process in January last year. However, no significant progress has been made since then. In the meantime, industry stakeholders are calling for an end to the "moral panic" surrounding video games and for the classification system to be updated to reflect the current landscape of the gaming industry.
The classification system's impact on the availability of video games in Australia is significant. Games that do not receive a classification rating cannot be sold in stores or made available to Australian users on online platforms. This can result in Australians being unable to access games that are readily available in other parts of the world, even if they are well-received and award-winning titles.
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Frequently asked questions
Disco Elysium was banned in Australia because it includes themes of sex, drug misuse, addiction, crime, cruelty, and violence. The game was refused classification, making it unfit for retail stores.
The ban on Disco Elysium has been overturned and the game has been given an R 18+ rating.
The game is now available in physical format in Australia. It can be purchased by adults aged 18 and over.
Despite the ban, the original, unclassified version of Disco Elysium was available to buy on Steam in Australia.
