List of banned video games

This is a list of video games that have been censored or banned by governments of various states in the world. Governments that have banned video games have been criticized for a correlated increase in digital piracy, limiting business opportunities and violating rights.

Afghanistan

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

Brazil has banned many video games since 1999, mainly due to depictions of violence and cruelty, making it illegal to distribute and otherwise sell these games.

Name	Reason
Bully	Banned for showing violence and harassment in a school setting. The ban was lifted on 23 June 2016; the game can now be acquired in physical and non-physical format through Steam.
God of War	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted on the basis that the characters are of Greek mythology and the gameplay put a large emphasis on puzzle-solving.
Counter-Strike	Banned because of violence and simulating a favela map in 2008. The ban was later lifted and the game is now available for sale.
EverQuest	Banned because of Australia's X18+ references. The ban has been mostly lifted since 2009, except in Minas Gerais.
	Banned in Barueri because it uses music by the Brazilian composer Hamilton da Silva Lourenço without proper permission. It has been resolved and was lifted in 2012.

Additionally, the Brazilian advisory rating system requires that all video games be rated by the organization, where unrated video games are banned from being sold in Brazil. Often, bans do not extend to digital platforms.

China

A very large number of video games are banned in the People's Republic of China. Games that depict drugs, sexual themes, blood, organized crime or defamation of the Chinese government are almost always banned. Because of the large size of the Chinese video game market, many studios edit the content of their games to conform to the government's standards.
Home gaming consoles were banned in mainland China from June 2000 until 2013; when the ban was lifted, next-generation consoles such as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were allowed in the country.
As of April 2019, after implementing a new mandatory local rating and approval system, any and all games containing depictions of violence, blood, gambling and imperial history are de facto banned from all accessible platforms in the nation.
Notable games banned in this region are:

Name	Reason
Battlefield 4	Banned for discrediting China's national image as well as threatening national security. The Chinese Ministry claims that the game shows a "cultural invasion".
Command & Conquer Generals	Banned for "smearing the image of China and the Chinese army", although the game presents China as a protagonist and glorifies the People's Liberation Army. Additionally, the China campaign has the player destroy questionable targets such as the Three Gorges Dam and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in order to snuff out an invading terrorist organization.
Football Manager 2005	Banned for recognizing Taiwan and Tibet as independent countries. An edited version was later released globally.
'	Banned because of "intentionally blackening China and the Chinese army's image".
RapeLay	Banned because it promotes and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes.
'	Banned because of sexual content and glorifying homosexuality.
Devotion	Banned due to an easter egg insulting Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping. The easter egg was later removed, but the game remains banned. On 21 February, 2019, players discovered a fulu talisman decorating a wall in the game contained the words "Xi Jinping Winnie-the-Pooh" in Chinese seal script, referencing a recent Chinese internet meme that compared him to the Disney character.
Plague Inc./Plague Inc. Evolved	Banned in China as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in the mainland and had spread to other countries.
	Animal Crossing: New Horizons was banned in the People's Republic of China since the 10 April, 2020. The game was pulled from the store Taobao as players created and posted anti-government messages in-game with a custom pattern tool. There has been no official announcement whether the ban was enforced by the Government of the People's Republic of China or by Taobao. However the game is still on-sale on the Chinese grey market.

Denmark

EA Sports MMA was not released in Denmark because of a law prohibiting marketing for energy drinks, which EA chose not to remove from the game. However, distribution is not illegal, as the game can still be found on shelves as an import.

Germany

A video game can be banned in Germany if it is confiscated by court order because it violates a section of the Strafgesetzbuch. Private possession and acquisition are still legal, but any is not. The seller would break the law if a sale took place, not the buyer. However, on 10 December 2002, one German court decided that a single sale of a single copy does not qualify as dissemination. Unlike indexing by the BPjM, which restricts the sale of all content-equal versions, the versions that are confiscated are enumerated in the court order. Being put on the index by the BPjM or, since April 1, 2003, being refused a rating by the USK, does not equal a ban. Rather, it imposes strict trade restrictions on the title. While only very few games have been confiscated, the list of indexed games is very long.
In December 2006, just one month after the Emsdetten school shooting, Bavaria and Lower Saxony proposed legislation, to be presented to the national parliament, that would make even playing any game that featured “cruel violence on humans or human-looking characters” punishable by fines and up to a year in prison.
§ 86a outlaws the use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations, § 130 Volksverhetzung, and § 131 instructions for committing crimes. In the official lists, these three sections are always bundled, so any game that contains swastika flags and/or any depiction of Adolf Hitler is listed alongside racist propaganda pieces. This law was lifted 8 August 2018.
§ 131 outlaws representation of excessive violence in media "which describe cruel or otherwise inhuman acts of violence against human or humanoid beings in a manner which expresses a glorification or rendering harmless of such acts of violence or which represents the cruel or inhuman aspects of the event in a manner which injures human dignity".
§ 130 and § 131 make it a criminal offence to do the following with corresponding scriptures:

distribute/sell them
issue in public, demonstrate or otherwise make them available
leave them to a person under the age of 18
produce, buy, deliver, store, offer, announce, praise, import or export them within the meaning of points 1 to 3.

This means that import or purchase and possession for personal use of such games is still legal for persons over 18 years of age.
In the case of video games that contain pornography with children or minors, where a real or realistic event is depicted, the possession of the video game or working towards possessing it would be illegal under § 184b or §184c StGB. Otherwise, if the work depicts a fictitious event, the distribution of such material is illegal.
In August 2008, Sega confirmed that ' and MadWorld would not be released in Germany, due to the likelihood that they would be refused to get a rating by the USK. Sega also announced in November 2009 that they would not distribute Aliens vs. Predator for similar reasons.
A "Beschlagnahmung" is enforced for a minimum of ten years, after which a request for review may be submitted.
Although the bans usually don't extend to the digital versions, local versions are still toned down in depictions of violence and similar content to be classified by the USK without any rulings.
Name Reason
10,000 Bullets Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
25 to Life Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Afro Samurai Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Aliens vs. Predator Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Area 51 Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Army of Two Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Bloodrayne Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The banned, uncensored version, with Nazi references removed, was available on Steam and GOG without classification until it was taken down on May 31, 2016.
Bloodrayne II Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The banned, uncensored version was available on Steam and GOG without classification until it was taken down 31 May 2016.
' Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards via an unlockable Arcade mode.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards via an unlockable Arcade mode.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Carmageddon Was originally released in both cut and uncut versions attaining 18+ and 16+ ratings respectively, before the uncut 18+ version was banned following the 2003 reforms. The banned uncensored version was available on Steam and GOG without classification, until it was taken down 31 May 2016.
' Was originally released in both cut and uncut versions attaining 18+ and 16+ ratings respectively, before the uncut 18+ version was banned following the 2003 reforms. The banned uncensored version was available on Steam and GOG without classification, until it was taken down 31 May 2016.
' Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards.
Clive Barker's Jericho Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was later lifted.
Cold Fear Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Cold Winter Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Crackdown Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2018.
Crackdown 2 Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2018.
' Banned because of sexual activity involving a person who is, or appears to be, under 18 years of age.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was later lifted.
Dead Island Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2019.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead Rising Banned because of high-impact gory violence. Was later banned in 2018 because of violence in a public mall setting.
Dead Rising 2 Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead Rising 3 Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead Space Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Dead to Rights Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead to Rights II Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. In 2019, its RC rating has been appealed and overturned.
Dying Light Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Far Cry Originally given an 18+ rating. Banned for high-impact violence using realistic ragdoll effects. Game was re-censored to remove the ragdoll effects and re-attain the 18+ rating.
Football Manager Originally banned for recognizing Bavaria as an independent country. The ban was later lifted with the 2019 edition.
Gal*Gun 2 Originally banned because of sexual activity involving people who are, or appear to be, minors. The ban was later lifted.
Gears of War Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2016.
Gears of War 2 Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2016.
The Godfather: Black Edition Banned because of game controls imitating brutality and exortion.
The Godfather 2 Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
God of War Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted on the basis that the characters are of Greek mythology and the gameplay put a large emphasis on puzzle-solving.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2012.
' Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2012.
' Originally given a 16+ rating. However, the game was later banned because of high-impact gory violence. The game was re-censored, re-attaining the 16+ rating. The ban was lifted in 2012.
' Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2012.
Gun Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Hellforces Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Inversion Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Left 4 Dead Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Left 4 Dead 2 Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of a mini-game involving homophobia related to incentives and rewards.
MadWorld Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Manhunt Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Manhunt 2 Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Banned because of game controls imitating the use of a real-life firearm within a realistic theatre of war.
Mortal Kombat Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. Ban was lifted in March 2020.
Mortal Kombat Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Mortal Kombat II Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. Ban was lifted in March 2020.
Mortal Kombat 3 Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. Ban was lifted in February 2020.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Narc Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Nitro Family Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Omega Labyrinth Z Banned because of interactive sexual activity involving a person who is, or appears to be, a minor.
Postal Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Postal 2 Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Postal III Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Quake 4 Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Reservoir Dogs Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Resident Evil 4 Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards via two unlockable bonus games. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2017.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein Originally given a 16+ rating with Nazi references censored. Later banned for high-impact gory violence.
Saints Row Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Saints Row 2 Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2019.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Was originally released unrated in some retail stores in Germany, before being banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Sleeping Dogs Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Splatterhouse Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Syndicate Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
The Club Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
The Suffering Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
The Warriors Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards. A censored version was released.
Total Overdose Was originally released unrated in some retail stores in Germany, before being banned because of high-impact gory violence.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Unreal Tournament III Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
' Banned because of sexual activity involving people who are, or appear to be, children under 18 years.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Wolfenstein Banned because of high-impact gory violence and Nazi references.
Wolfenstein 3D Originally banned because of Nazi references. The ban has been overturned in 2019 on grounds of social adequacy.
' Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Greece
No known games have been banned in Greece. A law banning all electronic games in public places was passed in 2002, but eventually disregarded.
Many games were censored in Greece, such as GTA 4 in 2010 when the Greek government claimed the game was full of extreme gore and even referenced a scene where one of the characters, Jimmy Pegorino, killed a couple. Half-Life 2 was also pulled off the shelves in Greek video game stores in 2006, due to its dystopian setting.
India
Iran
Iran typically bans any game that contains violence, depicts cruelty, features strong sexual content, nudity, or portrays the Middle East negatively.
Battlefield 3 was banned because it presented a fictional U.S. invasion on Tehran. Even before the ban, many retail stores were removing copies of the game from their shelves.
Pokémon Go was banned due to security reasons.
was banned for excessively glorifying homosexual and immoral values. The ban does not extend to digital distribution, however.
Republic of Ireland
The IFCO rarely rates video games, and leaves decisions to PEGI and the BBFC. Manhunt 2 was banned for "gross, unrelenting, and gratuitous violence", but the ban was later lifted and the game was given a PEGI 18 rating.
Italy
In 2006, following the release of the trailer to the game Rule of Rose, the magazine Panorama ran an article claiming live burials of children at the protagonist's hand. Shortly after, then-mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, called for a ban of the game in Italy. The game's European publisher, 505 Games, dismissed these claims, and the game was not banned following Veltroni's comments.
In 2007, following the decision of the governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Minister of Communications Paolo Gentiloni publicly expressed the desire to ban the distribution of Manhunt 2 in Italy, due to the gratuitous violence and excessive cruelty in the video game, but the ban was never put into practice.
Japan
Video games are rarely banned in Japan, and it holds the place as one of the top video game producers in the world. However, Fallout 3 was edited in Japan due to two reasons: a quest named "The Power of the Atom" which gave the player a choice to nuke a city named Megaton, which caused part of the quest to be removed, and a weapon in the game called the Fat Man. Because of its relation to the real historic event, the weapon was renamed to the Nuka Launcher in the Japanese version of Fallout 3. Japan's Spike removed all references to Kim Jong-il and North Korea in Homefront, as well. Resident Evil 4, ', Bulletstorm, Gears of War 3, Grand Theft Auto V, Dead Island, ' and numerous other violent titles, distributed physically and digitally, were heavily edited for excessive violence, but only on the localization level; the games can still be played if the locale is switched from Japanese to English. The Mortal Kombat series was subsequently banned in Japan, including its newest release, due to heavy amounts of violence. On 13 March 2019, the sales of Judgement had stopped producing future sales in Japan, following Pierre Taki's arrest on suspicion of cocaine use. As a result, Sega had replaced both the voice actor and the character model having been subsequently removed.
Kenya
Malaysia
Malaysia tends to ban offensive content such as extreme impact violence, depictions of cruelty, any content considered anti-Muslim, sexual content and nudity. In August 2008, after the Grand Theft Auto series ban in Thailand, head of a Malaysian consumer rights organization, Muhammad Idris, called for the ban of the entire Grand Theft Auto series and other similarly violent video games such as the Manhunt series and Mortal Kombat. In February 2010, one week after Dante's Inferno was released, the game was banned by Jabatan Agama Islam in Malaysia for offensive depictions of cruelty, hellish visions, sexuality and content that was against Sharia.
In 2016, Pokémon Go was banned by the Federal Territory for Muslims for promoting the search for power, which leads to gambling and safety issues related to playing the game. The ban was later lifted following massive backlash on social media and an update that slightly modified security measures on the app.
In September 2017, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission blocked access to the entire Steam store following the discovery of a controversial fighting game involving religious deities, Fight of Gods. The ban was lifted one day later after Valve agreed to block the game in Malaysia.
Mexico
Though no video games have ever been banned in the country, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 was banned in the state of Chihuahua due to Mexican rebels being depicted as antagonists and stereotyping the cities of Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juárez. However, the game can still be found in shelves in other states.
Nepal
New Zealand
In New Zealand, games are classified by the country's Office of Film and Literature Classification. If they are dubbed "objectionable" in all cases, they are banned. In this case, the game in question is not only illegal to sell, but also to own, possess, or import. Games are typically banned and classified as "objectionable content" when they contain extreme violence, offensive depictions of cruelty, animal cruelty, sexual content involving children, or graphic depictions of sexual content, including sexual fetishes that are "offensive & abhorrent".
Name Reason
' Banned because of sexual content that focuses on young persons and elements of sexual violence.
' Banned because "it tends to promote and support both the exploitation of children and young people, and the use of coercion to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct".
Manhunt Banned because of graphic violence and depictions of cruelty.
Manhunt 2 Banned because of graphic violence and depictions of cruelty.
Postal 2 Banned because of "Gross, abhorrent content: Urination, High Impact Violence, Animal Cruelty, Homophobia, Racial, and Ethnic Stereotypes”.
RapeLay Banned because it "tends to promote and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".
Reservoir Dogs Banned because it "tends to promote and support the infliction of extreme violence and extreme cruelty for the purpose of entertainment".
Three Sisters' Story Banned because it "tends to promote and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".
Banned because it "tends to promote and support incest between the two lead focal sisters, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".
North Korea
North Korea bans all foreign video games and almost all foreign products.
Pakistan
Philippines
In 1981, a presidential decree issued by Ferdinand Marcos outlawed the use and distribution of all video game consoles, arcade games and pinball machines, deeming them as a "destructive social enemy" and "to the detriment of the public interest". Despite the law being technically in effect following the EDSA Revolution, it has since been disregarded and unenforced.
While no video games are banned nationwide so far since 1986, at least one title, Defense of the Ancients, has been banned at a barangay in Dasmariñas, Cavite following complaints of delinquency issues, and two murder incidents involving youths in the area resulting from brawls in relation to the game.
Russia
In Russia, games are classified by the "On Protecting Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development" federal law. No known games have been banned in Russia due to excessive violence, nudity, negative portrayal of people of Russia or expression of religious views of any kind because of the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution of Russia. Media in the United States and Europe have incorrectly reported that ', which features a storyline in which Russian "ultranationalists" take control of the country and invade the United States, was banned in Russia. Activision called these reports 'erroneous'.
In 2019, Sony Interactive Entertainment Russia refused to sell ' digitally.
Name Reason
Not officially banned, but Sony Interactive Entertainment refused to sell the game digitally on PlayStation 4.
Saudi Arabia
Most banned games can be found in many stores due to the government failing to enforce the bans of these games. However, some major stores will not stock banned titles.
Name Reason
God of War Banned for a few weeks due to the presence of interactive sex scenes, partial nudity, and sexual themes, as well as the word "God" in the title. In 2018, the newest game in the series was approved for release.
' Banned for a few weeks because of role-playing the Middle East as terrorists.
Assassin's Creed Banned for two weeks because of a perceived negative portrayal of Arabs. Later completely banned due to its use in the Blue Whale Challenge.
Grand Theft Auto Banned for extreme impact violence and nudity.
Heavy Rain Banned because of high impact violence, nudity, and a sex scene.
L.A. Noire Banned because of extreme impact violence and nudity.
The Last of Us Part II Banned due to homosexual-related content.
Postal 2 Banned because of extreme impact violence, nudity and the portrayal of Muslims as terrorists.
Red Dead Redemption Banned due to nudity, prostitution, violence, and cruelty.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Initially banned due to nudity, prostitution, violence, and cruelty. A modified version of the game was launched on May 7, 2020.
Manhunt Banned because of low impact scary violence and cruelty.
Manhunt 2 Banned for "gross, unrelenting, and gratuitous violence".
'/' Banned because of extremely offensive content.
' Banned due to sexual content and excessive themes of glorifying homosexuality.
Wolfenstein Banned because of the presence of interactive sex scenes.
Metro Banned due to its use in the Blue Whale Challenge.
Banned because of the presence of sex scenes.
Watch Dogs Banned due to frequent use of sexual expletives, sexual activity with visible genitals and the motiveless killing of innocent human characters.
Singapore
rarely bans games. With the implementation of the Video Game Classification in 2008 by the Media Development Authority, most games are widely available for purchase to their respective age group, such as those containing full frontal nudity or strong graphic violence under an "M18" rating. Games that were previously banned such as Mass Effect were re-rated either "Age Advisory" or "M18" after the implementation of the classification system.
Name Reason
Half-Life Banned because of violence. The ban was met with uproar as the local gaming community and retailers scrambled to start petitions to save the game. The government decided to lift the ban after a week, as the game had been released for more than a year and the ban would impact the local LAN gaming and retail market.
Mass Effect Banned because of a homosexual encounter between a feminine alien and female human. The ban was later lifted and the title re-rated M18.
The Darkness Banned because of excessive violence. The ban was later lifted and the title re-rated M18.
South Korea
Since 2006, South Korea has only banned video games on rare occasions. Even before this, games were very rarely banned unless that game mentioned elements of the Korean War in order to avoid tensions between the North Korea and South Korea. However, Manhunt, Manhunt 2, and Mortal Kombat are still banned because of violence and cruelty. Grand Theft Auto III, ' and ' were previously banned, but the bans were later lifted.
The Game Rating Board requires that all video games be rated by the organization. Unrated titles are absolutely banned from being sold in the country, and websites selling them can be blocked.
Name Reason
Mortal Kombat Banned because of excessive violence and cruelty.
Banned until 2006 as it depicts a war between North Korea and South Korea.
Homefront Banned because of its negative portrayal of a unified Korea under Northern rule.
The September 2017 release was cancelled because of a case in South Korea where a 17-year-old girl killed and dismembered an 8-year-old child. The game was banned to prevent controversies.
Thailand
will typically ban any games with excessive violence, and sexual content, such as many eroge from Japan, for the same reasons as its ban on any pornographic films.
Additionally, since August 2008, all video game titles of the Grand Theft Auto series have been completely banned in Thailand, because of a case where an 18-year-old Thai player supposedly influenced by Grand Theft Auto killed a taxi driver from Bangkok.
The ban, however, does not extend to the digital PC versions of Grand Theft Auto V.
Tropico 5 is yet another banned title. The military junta claims that it could "affect peace and order" within the country.
United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, a branch of the government called the National Media Council works to control the media and entertainment industry in the country, and they have the authority to issue bans on any specific media products, including video games, to comply with the country's legal and cultural values. Usually, the NMC do not explicitly state their actual consensus for any kind of issued ban on a product, so official reasons behind their bans remain unclear. However, bans issued by the NMC apply only to the sale of those products through local outlets; they do not make private ownership illegal. There are certain exceptions, notably for '. Some banned games may be available and sold on the nation's grey market.
In 2018, the NMC introduced a localised rating system for various media, including video games.
The following titles are banned from mainstream physical retail.
Name Reason
' Banned likely due to suggestive and revealing outfits on some characters. However, the ban did not extend to digital versions of the game.
' This game was banned after players in the GCC noticed that the picture frames in some maps had quotations from the Qur'an, which were very offensive to Muslims. The ban was lifted after the developers removed the text on the frames.
Darksiders Banned likely due to contradicting with customs and traditions. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game. Its sequel, Darksiders II, which features similar themes, was released without issues, and even had a localised print release for the PlayStation 3 version.
Dead Island and ' Both banned likely due to "extreme depictions of violence and scantily-clad game characters". However, the ban did not extend to digital versions of the games.
Dead Rising 2 Banned likely due to violence, gambling, and nudity. The ban has since been lifted for newer prints of the game.
' Banned likely due to sexual themes, including possible homosexual relationships. The ban has since been lifted for the digital versions of the game.
' Banned likely due to gambling and sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
', Gal*Gun 2 Both banned likely due to sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.
The Godfather II Banned likely due to nudity.
God of War series The first title in the series was banned after complaints were filed regarding religious and sexual content in the game, and subsequently, the next seven games in the series were banned for similar reasons. The 2018 title God of War was the first entry to be legally approved for release in the U.A.E.
Grand Theft Auto series Banned likely due to violence, cruelty and sexual content. For unknown reasons, ' has been available via Steam ever since the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V was launched, which itself is openly available on Steam from the debut. Shortly after Steam introduced the dirham as the official currency for U.A.E. user accounts on 10 November 2015, the majority of Rockstar's games became available for purchase for those user accounts, including most Grand Theft Auto titles.
Heavy Rain Banned likely due to graphic violence, sexual content, nudity and a sultry seduction scene.
' Despite being initially marketed for Middle Eastern distribution under the title of Injustice: The Mighty Among Us, the game failed to surpass the NMC's censors for a period of time, and was banned likely due to the case package and on-disc software title itself being identical to its European release, with the term "God" retained. The game had been demonstrated at various events in the U.A.E. without incident for many months before the official release date. However, the ban on the title has since been lifted. The expanded Ultimate Edition was released on schedule and distributed regularly.
The Last of Us Part II Banned due to homosexual-related content.
Mafia II Banned likely due to excessive violence and nudity. The ban has since been lifted for digital versions of the game.
Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 Both banned likely due to possible homosexual relationships. However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.
Max Payne 3 Banned likely due to excessive violence and sexual themes. The ban was issued roughly three weeks after the official release. The ban has since been lifted for digital versions of the game.
Omega Labyrinth Z Banned likely due to excessive sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
Postal 2 Banned likely due to violence against Muslims, as well as excessive violence, sexual themes and other highly questionable content. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
Red Dead Redemption Was initially banned, likely due to nudity. The ban was lifted two months after the official release date.
ROBLOX Banned due to the game containing user-generated content that include swearing and sexually explicit material.
', Saints Row IV Both banned likely due to sexual themes, excessive violence, and use of drugs and alcohol. However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.
' Banned likely due to the game's fictional depiction of the UAE's real-life city of Dubai in a state of ravage and destruction. Unlike other banned video games, the NMC had extended their focus for this title going far as to issue the TRA to block the game's official website and subsequently prevent the title from being distributed throughout the rest of the GCC, as well as Jordan, and Lebanon. Even local retailers, such as Geekay Games, are unable to sell the game via their online shops to UAE residents. The game remains unavailable via digital platforms such as Steam and PSN. However, the game is still available on PSN in Qatar and Kuwait.
' Banned likely due to homosexual relationships between characters and high-impact sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
Watch Dogs & Watch Dogs 2 Unknown reason for ban, possibly due to hacking being the main theme. Watch Dogs' ban did not extend to the digital copies and the ban for Watch Dogs 2 being lifted.
United Kingdom
Games in the UK usually only receive a ban when they contain real sex scenes and/or gratuitous violence. BBFC age ratings are compulsory and backed by legislation, taking effect 30 July 2012. It is illegal to sell, buy or rent, but not import, a game that has not been classified by an approved age rating organisation in the UK. This only applies to games stored on physical media, not downloadable media.
Name Reason
Carmageddon Was threatened with being refused certification in its uncut form. Was subsequently altered to replace pedestrians with zombies. The restriction was later lifted, and a patch was released to restore the original human content.
Manhunt 2 The uncut version was the only game to be refused classification by the BBFC, due to excessive graphic violence and cruelty. After this, a modified version was made and submitted for certification – this was initially refused classification as well, but was allowed to be sold after an appeal.
The Punisher The version of the game that had been edited for the American market was further censored for the British release. The interrogation scenes were deemed graphically controversial and edits were made at the request of the BBFC to further mask these scenes. The edited version received an 18 certificate.
United States
In the United States, the Entertainment Software Rating Board —a self-regulatory organization, issues ratings for video games and enforces voluntary regulations on how they are marketed and sold. The Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association—which challenged a California law restricting the sale of "violent video games" to minors, insisting that video games were considered a protected form of expression under the First Amendment, meaning that federal or state law cannot be used to regulate their distribution based on content.
However, games can still be recalled as the result of court orders; a nude model featured in The Guy Game sued its developer and publisher over use of her likeness, as she was underage at the time of filming and thus could not personally consent to her depiction. All remaining copies of the game that contained her likeness were recalled from stores. In 2012, a court found that Silicon Knights had plagiarized Epic Games' proprietary Unreal engine, and had used it in Too Human and ', along with other unreleased projects. The studio was ordered to recall and destroy all remaining copies, materials, and source code relating to the games.
The ESRB's highest rating, "Adults Only", has been considered a total ban on the mainstream sale of certain games, as most retailers refuse to stock games carrying the rating, and they cannot be published on major video game consoles due to company policies. The release of Thrill Kill, an AO-rated fighting game with strong sexual themes, was outright cancelled by Electronic Arts due to objections over its content. Following the discovery of an incomplete sex minigame that was not included in the final game but could be accessed using a modification or cheating device, ' was re-rated Adults Only and recalled by Rockstar Games, in favor of a new revision of the game that omitted the offending content entirely and carried the original Mature rating.
Venezuela
In November 2009, the Government of Venezuela announced that it would ban all video games in which the objective was to shoot people. The ban was due to widespread violence in the country.
The bill was later published in the public journal of that country on 3 December and went into effect 3 months later, 3 March 2010, making Venezuela the first country to completely ban violent video games in the world and make their manufacturing, distribution, selling, rental, exhibition and use illegal. Even though the proponents were not from the Venezuelan Government's political party, Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, President Hugo Chávez supported the ban, claiming there are some Internet games featuring him so players can "kill them"; and even calling video games consoles, including Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation, "poison" and values of capitalism, which he considers "the road to hell".
According to reports of the Venezuelan National Guard, more than 13,000 objects, including violent video games, have been massively destroyed in the states of Lara and Portuguesa.
The ban is criticized by gamers and experts alike for its ambiguity and lack of clarity on its penalties, aside from being too harsh and indoctrinating a negative point of view. On the other hand, Sony expressed their hopes for the government to make changes for the law for good.
The ban extends to the digital versions of these games.
Vietnam
Mega Man 5 is believed to be banned in Vietnam, due to one of the bosses, Napalm Man, as well as the stage itself, referring to the Vietnam War.

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Name	Reason
10,000 Bullets	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
25 to Life	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Afro Samurai	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Aliens vs. Predator	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Area 51	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Army of Two	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Bloodrayne	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The banned, uncensored version, with Nazi references removed, was available on Steam and GOG without classification until it was taken down on May 31, 2016.
Bloodrayne II	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The banned, uncensored version was available on Steam and GOG without classification until it was taken down 31 May 2016.
'	Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards via an unlockable Arcade mode.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards via an unlockable Arcade mode.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Carmageddon	Was originally released in both cut and uncut versions attaining 18+ and 16+ ratings respectively, before the uncut 18+ version was banned following the 2003 reforms. The banned uncensored version was available on Steam and GOG without classification, until it was taken down 31 May 2016.
'	Was originally released in both cut and uncut versions attaining 18+ and 16+ ratings respectively, before the uncut 18+ version was banned following the 2003 reforms. The banned uncensored version was available on Steam and GOG without classification, until it was taken down 31 May 2016.
'	Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards.
Clive Barker's Jericho	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was later lifted.
Cold Fear	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Cold Winter	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Crackdown	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2018.
Crackdown 2	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2018.
'	Banned because of sexual activity involving a person who is, or appears to be, under 18 years of age.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was later lifted.
Dead Island	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2019.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead Rising	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. Was later banned in 2018 because of violence in a public mall setting.
Dead Rising 2	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead Rising 3	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead Space	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Dead to Rights	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Dead to Rights II	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. In 2019, its RC rating has been appealed and overturned.
Dying Light	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Far Cry	Originally given an 18+ rating. Banned for high-impact violence using realistic ragdoll effects. Game was re-censored to remove the ragdoll effects and re-attain the 18+ rating.
Football Manager	Originally banned for recognizing Bavaria as an independent country. The ban was later lifted with the 2019 edition.
GalGun 2*	Originally banned because of sexual activity involving people who are, or appear to be, minors. The ban was later lifted.
Gears of War	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2016.
Gears of War 2	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted in 2016.
The Godfather: Black Edition	Banned because of game controls imitating brutality and exortion.
The Godfather 2	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
God of War	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. The ban was lifted on the basis that the characters are of Greek mythology and the gameplay put a large emphasis on puzzle-solving.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2012.
'	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2012.
'	Originally given a 16+ rating. However, the game was later banned because of high-impact gory violence. The game was re-censored, re-attaining the 16+ rating. The ban was lifted in 2012.
'	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2012.
Gun	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Hellforces	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Inversion	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Left 4 Dead	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Left 4 Dead 2	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of a mini-game involving homophobia related to incentives and rewards.
MadWorld	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Manhunt	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Manhunt 2	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
	Banned because of game controls imitating the use of a real-life firearm within a realistic theatre of war.
Mortal Kombat	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. Ban was lifted in March 2020.
Mortal Kombat	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Mortal Kombat II	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. Ban was lifted in March 2020.
Mortal Kombat 3	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. Ban was lifted in February 2020.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Narc	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Nitro Family	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Omega Labyrinth Z	Banned because of interactive sexual activity involving a person who is, or appears to be, a minor.
Postal	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Postal 2	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Postal III	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Quake 4	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Reservoir Dogs	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Resident Evil 4	Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards via two unlockable bonus games. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2017.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein	Originally given a 16+ rating with Nazi references censored. Later banned for high-impact gory violence.
Saints Row	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Saints Row 2	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Originally banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released. The ban was lifted in 2019.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Was originally released unrated in some retail stores in Germany, before being banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Sleeping Dogs	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Splatterhouse	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Syndicate	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
The Club	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
The Suffering	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
The Warriors	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact violence related to incentives and rewards. A censored version was released.
Total Overdose	Was originally released unrated in some retail stores in Germany, before being banned because of high-impact gory violence.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
Unreal Tournament III	Banned because of high-impact gory violence. A censored version was released.
'	Banned because of sexual activity involving people who are, or appear to be, children under 18 years.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.
Wolfenstein	Banned because of high-impact gory violence and Nazi references.
Wolfenstein 3D	Originally banned because of Nazi references. The ban has been overturned in 2019 on grounds of social adequacy.
'	Banned because of high-impact gory violence.

Name	Reason
'	Banned because of sexual content that focuses on young persons and elements of sexual violence.
'	Banned because "it tends to promote and support both the exploitation of children and young people, and the use of coercion to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct".
Manhunt	Banned because of graphic violence and depictions of cruelty.
Manhunt 2	Banned because of graphic violence and depictions of cruelty.
Postal 2	Banned because of "Gross, abhorrent content: Urination, High Impact Violence, Animal Cruelty, Homophobia, Racial, and Ethnic Stereotypes”.
RapeLay	Banned because it "tends to promote and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".
Reservoir Dogs	Banned because it "tends to promote and support the infliction of extreme violence and extreme cruelty for the purpose of entertainment".
Three Sisters' Story	Banned because it "tends to promote and support the use of violence to compel a person to submit to sexual conduct, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".
	Banned because it "tends to promote and support incest between the two lead focal sisters, and the exploitation of young persons for sexual purposes".

Name	Reason
	Not officially banned, but Sony Interactive Entertainment refused to sell the game digitally on PlayStation 4.

Name	Reason
Half-Life	Banned because of violence. The ban was met with uproar as the local gaming community and retailers scrambled to start petitions to save the game. The government decided to lift the ban after a week, as the game had been released for more than a year and the ban would impact the local LAN gaming and retail market.
Mass Effect	Banned because of a homosexual encounter between a feminine alien and female human. The ban was later lifted and the title re-rated M18.
The Darkness	Banned because of excessive violence. The ban was later lifted and the title re-rated M18.

Name	Reason
'	Banned likely due to suggestive and revealing outfits on some characters. However, the ban did not extend to digital versions of the game.
'	This game was banned after players in the GCC noticed that the picture frames in some maps had quotations from the Qur'an, which were very offensive to Muslims. The ban was lifted after the developers removed the text on the frames.
Darksiders	Banned likely due to contradicting with customs and traditions. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game. Its sequel, Darksiders II, which features similar themes, was released without issues, and even had a localised print release for the PlayStation 3 version.
Dead Island and '	Both banned likely due to "extreme depictions of violence and scantily-clad game characters". However, the ban did not extend to digital versions of the games.
Dead Rising 2	Banned likely due to violence, gambling, and nudity. The ban has since been lifted for newer prints of the game.
'	Banned likely due to sexual themes, including possible homosexual relationships. The ban has since been lifted for the digital versions of the game.
'	Banned likely due to gambling and sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
', GalGun 2*	Both banned likely due to sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.
The Godfather II	Banned likely due to nudity.
God of War series	The first title in the series was banned after complaints were filed regarding religious and sexual content in the game, and subsequently, the next seven games in the series were banned for similar reasons. The 2018 title God of War was the first entry to be legally approved for release in the U.A.E.
Grand Theft Auto series	Banned likely due to violence, cruelty and sexual content. For unknown reasons, ' has been available via Steam ever since the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V was launched, which itself is openly available on Steam from the debut. Shortly after Steam introduced the dirham as the official currency for U.A.E. user accounts on 10 November 2015, the majority of Rockstar's games became available for purchase for those user accounts, including most Grand Theft Auto titles.
Heavy Rain	Banned likely due to graphic violence, sexual content, nudity and a sultry seduction scene.
'	Despite being initially marketed for Middle Eastern distribution under the title of Injustice: The Mighty Among Us, the game failed to surpass the NMC's censors for a period of time, and was banned likely due to the case package and on-disc software title itself being identical to its European release, with the term "God" retained. The game had been demonstrated at various events in the U.A.E. without incident for many months before the official release date. However, the ban on the title has since been lifted. The expanded Ultimate Edition was released on schedule and distributed regularly.
The Last of Us Part II	Banned due to homosexual-related content.
Mafia II	Banned likely due to excessive violence and nudity. The ban has since been lifted for digital versions of the game.
Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3	Both banned likely due to possible homosexual relationships. However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.
Max Payne 3	Banned likely due to excessive violence and sexual themes. The ban was issued roughly three weeks after the official release. The ban has since been lifted for digital versions of the game.
Omega Labyrinth Z	Banned likely due to excessive sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
Postal 2	Banned likely due to violence against Muslims, as well as excessive violence, sexual themes and other highly questionable content. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
Red Dead Redemption	Was initially banned, likely due to nudity. The ban was lifted two months after the official release date.
ROBLOX	Banned due to the game containing user-generated content that include swearing and sexually explicit material.
', Saints Row IV	Both banned likely due to sexual themes, excessive violence, and use of drugs and alcohol. However, the ban did not extend to the digital versions of the games.
'	Banned likely due to the game's fictional depiction of the UAE's real-life city of Dubai in a state of ravage and destruction. Unlike other banned video games, the NMC had extended their focus for this title going far as to issue the TRA to block the game's official website and subsequently prevent the title from being distributed throughout the rest of the GCC, as well as Jordan, and Lebanon. Even local retailers, such as Geekay Games, are unable to sell the game via their online shops to UAE residents. The game remains unavailable via digital platforms such as Steam and PSN. However, the game is still available on PSN in Qatar and Kuwait.
'	Banned likely due to homosexual relationships between characters and high-impact sexual themes. However, the ban did not extend to the digital version of the game.
Watch Dogs & Watch Dogs 2	Unknown reason for ban, possibly due to hacking being the main theme. Watch Dogs' ban did not extend to the digital copies and the ban for Watch Dogs 2 being lifted.