Damon Mcknight
The video game We Happy Few has been banned in Australia due to its portrayal of drug use. The game is set in a retrofuturistic, dystopian society in an alternative 1960s England, where citizens are forced to take a hallucinogenic drug called “Joy” to forget a shared trauma and exhibit happiness. The Australian Classification Board refused to classify the game, deeming that its drug-use mechanic incentivizes drug use and exceeds the R 18+ classification. This decision sparked a discussion about the game's themes and potential glorification of drug use, with the game's publisher, Compulsion Games, expressing frustration and working to overturn the ban. The ban was temporarily lifted in 2018 but reinstated in 2019, causing ongoing challenges for the game's availability and accessibility in Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Ban | 20 August 2019 |
| Reason for Ban | The game's portrayal of drug use |
| Drug Name | Joy |
| Drug Type | Hallucinogenic |
| Drug Use Mechanic | Making game progression less difficult |
| Classification | Exceeds R 18+ |
| Classification Reasoning | Drug use related to incentives and rewards is not permitted |
| Game Setting | Retrofuturistic city in an alternative 1960s England |
| Game Theme | Dystopian society |
| Game Publisher | Gearbox |
| Game Developer | Compulsion Games |
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What You'll Learn
- The game's drug-use mechanic made progression less difficult, incentivising drug use
- The drug Joy is central to the game's themes, including addiction, mental health and drug abuse
- The game was refused classification, meaning it couldn't be sold in Australia
- The ban was overturned in May 2019, but reinstated shortly after
- Compulsion Games offered refunds to Australian backers
The game's drug-use mechanic made progression less difficult, incentivising drug use
The video game We Happy Few was banned in Australia in 2018 due to its portrayal of drug use. The game is set in an alternative retrofuturistic 1960s England, in a dystopian society where the inhabitants are forced to take a hallucinogenic drug called "Joy". The drug suppresses all unhappy memories, but also makes the inhabitants easily manipulable and impairs their ability to recognise moral and long-term consequences.
The Australian Classification Board (ACB) refused to classify the game, which effectively banned it from being sold in the country. The ACB stated that the "game's drug-use mechanic making game progression less difficult constitutes an incentive or reward for drug use". This exceeded the R 18+ classification, which states that "drug use related to incentives and rewards is not permitted".
Compulsion Games, the developers of We Happy Few, expressed frustration at the decision and worked with the ACB to overturn the ban. They argued that the use of the drug in the game was not designed to glorify drug use, but rather to explore themes of addiction, mental health, and drug abuse. In July 2018, the ban was overturned by a three-person panel at the Classification Review Board, which unanimously classified the game as R18+, allowing it to be sold in Australia without any modifications.
However, in August 2019, the ban was reinstated by the automated IARC Australian ratings board. It is unclear whether the game is currently banned in Australia, as Compulsion Games has not issued a statement regarding the latest development.
Overall, the drug-use mechanic in We Happy Few made progression less difficult, which was interpreted by the ACB as incentivising drug use. This conflicted with the R 18+ classification guidelines, leading to the initial ban of the game in Australia.
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The drug Joy is central to the game's themes, including addiction, mental health and drug abuse
The drug Joy is central to the game We Happy Few's themes of addiction, mental health, and drug abuse. Joy is a hallucinogenic drug that suppresses unhappy memories, leaving its users in a chemically-induced euphoria. While the drug keeps the citizens of Wellington Wells happy, it also makes them susceptible to manipulation and has adverse side effects, including addiction, short-term memory loss, loss of appetite, nightmarish hallucinations, and homicidal mania towards pregnant women and children.
The game's mechanics reflect the addictive nature of Joy, as players must regularly purchase and consume the drug to prevent their Joy Meter from depleting and ending the game. Additionally, Joy is presented as a “necessary evil” as it provides short-term gains such as getting the player out of trouble and allowing them to explore without fear of attacks, but it has negative long-term effects once it wears off. This reflects the theme of addiction, as players may become reliant on the drug to progress in the game, similar to how the citizens of Wellington Wells become dependent on Joy to maintain their happiness.
The theme of mental health is also explored through the character of Arthur Hastings, who is a "Downer" or someone who has stopped taking Joy. As a result, he can see the world clearly and recognizes the dangers of the drug-addled society around him. Other characters, such as Nick Lightbearer and Victoria Byng, also struggle with the effects of Joy, including hallucinations and withdrawal symptoms.
The abuse of the drug Joy by the citizens of Wellington Wells is a direct result of their attempts to forget the “Very Bad Thing” that left them with immense anguish and guilt. The invention of Joy allowed them to suppress these unhappy memories and escape their mental anguish. However, their reliance on the drug ultimately leads to the city's collapse, as the population becomes too addled by Joy to undertake basic necessities like growing food or repairing infrastructure.
In conclusion, the drug Joy is central to the game's themes of addiction, mental health, and drug abuse. It serves as a plot device to explore the dangers of substance abuse, the importance of facing reality, and the consequences of a society dependent on a mind-altering substance. The mechanics and narrative of We Happy Few work together to create a compelling exploration of these themes.
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The game was refused classification, meaning it couldn't be sold in Australia
The game We Happy Few was refused classification by the Australian Classification Board (ACB) in 2018, and again in 2019, due to its portrayal of drug use. The ACB stated that the game's drug-use mechanic made the game progression less difficult, constituting an incentive or reward for drug use. This exceeded the R 18+ classification guidelines, which state that "drug use related to incentives and rewards is not permitted".
The game is set in an alternative 1960s England, in a drug-fuelled, retrofuturistic city. Players are tasked with surviving without the use of the fictional hallucinogenic drug 'Joy', which is taken by the inhabitants of the city to forget a shared trauma. The drug also causes them to be easily manipulated and impairs their ability to recognize moral and long-term consequences.
The game's developer, Compulsion Games, expressed frustration with the ACB's decision and worked to have it overturned. They argued that the use of the drug in the game is not designed to glorify drug use but is instead a vehicle for the game's themes, including addiction, mental health, and drug abuse. Compulsion Games also stated that they would issue refunds to Australian players who contributed to the game's development through Kickstarter if the ban could not be overturned.
In July 2018, the ban was temporarily overturned by a three-person panel at the Classification Review Board, which unanimously stated that the game could be classified as R18+, Australia's highest rating level. The game's publisher, Gearbox, was not forced to modify the game to meet the classification guidelines. However, in August 2019, the ban was reinstated by the automated IARC Australian ratings board.
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The ban was overturned in May 2019, but reinstated shortly after
The ban on We Happy Few in Australia was initially overturned in July 2018, when a three-person panel at the Classification Review Board unanimously stated that the game will be classified R18+ in Australia. This is the country's highest rating level, restricted to adults, and the game would be sold with a consumer advice label confirming its "fantasy violence and interactive drug use."
The game's developer, Compulsion Games, expressed their pleasure with the decision, stating that they were “extremely pleased” and "excited that our Australian fans and new players will be able to experience We Happy Few without modification." Compulsion Games also noted that they went through a "great deal of effort" to get the decision overturned.
However, in August 2019, the ban on We Happy Few in Australia was reinstated. The game was refused classification by the automated IARC Australian ratings board, despite previously being given the green light by a three-member panel. The game exceeded the R18+ classification due to its portrayal of drug use, with the Australian Classification Board stating that "the game's drug-use mechanic making game progression less difficult constitutes an incentive or reward for drug use."
The publisher of We Happy Few, Gearbox, expressed their disappointment with the decision, and it is unclear if the game will be modified to meet the Australian Classification Board's guidelines or if refunds will be offered to Australian backers, as was initially promised by Compulsion Games in the event that the game remained banned.
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Compulsion Games offered refunds to Australian backers
We Happy Few, a game by Compulsion Games, was banned in Australia in 2018 due to its portrayal of drug use. The game is set in a dystopian society where citizens are forced to take a hallucinogenic drug called "Joy", which causes them to exhibit immense joy and suppresses unhappy memories. The Australian Classification Board (ACB) refused to classify the game, stating that the drug-use mechanic made game progression less difficult and thus constituted an incentive for drug use. This exceeded the R 18+ classification, which does not permit drug use related to incentives and rewards.
Compulsion Games initially expressed frustration with the decision and requested time to work with the ACB to appeal it. They acknowledged the tricky situation regarding Kickstarter-funded games, as Australian backers who contributed to the game's development risked receiving nothing for their pledges. The studio assured these backers that they would receive refunds if the government maintained its stance on the classification.
Compulsion Games worked with the ACB to successfully appeal the ban, and in July 2018, the game was classified as R18+, the highest rating level in Australia. The game was not modified or censored to meet the classification guidelines. Compulsion Games expressed their pleasure with the decision, stating that they were excited for their Australian fans to experience the game without modification.
However, in August 2019, the ban was reinstated when the game was refused classification again by the automated IARC Australian ratings board. Neither Compulsion Games nor the ACB have responded to this latest development. It is unclear whether Compulsion Games will once again offer refunds to Australian backers, as they did during the initial ban.
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Frequently asked questions
The game was banned in Australia due to its portrayal of drug use, specifically a fictional hallucinogenic drug called 'Joy'. The Australian Classification Board stated that the game exceeded the R 18+ classification as it incentivized and rewarded drug use.
The game's developer, Compulsion Games, initially expressed frustration and disappointment with the decision. They worked with the Australian Classification Board to appeal the ban, and it was temporarily overturned in 2018 and again in 2019. However, as of August 2019, the game has been banned again in Australia.
Interestingly, Compulsion Games did not have to modify the game to meet the Classification Board's guidelines. The game was reclassified as R18+, which is Australia's highest rating level restricted to adults, with a content description noting "fantasy violence and interactive drug use."
