Shortest Ban in History: Singapore Clears Mass Effect for Sale
Shortest Ban in History: Singapore Clears Mass Effect for Sale
November 16, 2007
It seems like just yesterday that GamePolitics reported that new Xbox 360 release Mass Effect had been banned in Singapore over a rather mild lesbian sex scene.Actually, it was the day before yesterday.
But, as reported by Today Online, the game with the sexy, blue alien has now been green-lighted in Singapore:
After fanning the ire of the video gaming community with the ban of Mass Effect, the authorities have done a U-turn by rating the highly-anticipated futuristic space adventure by Microsoft and allowing its sale in Singapore.
In a statement on Friday, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said the game had been reviewed by the Board of Film Censors (BFC) and is now rated M18. The decision comes ahead of its planned implementation of a classification system for video games.
Singapore currently has no rating systed in place for games. Prior to its reversal of course, Singapore was also the only country in the world to have banned Mass Effect. Germaine Ong of Singapore-based gaming mag Gameaxis told Today Online:
The ratings system is a long time coming but any step now is a positive one...
This is significant because gamers would have obtained the game anyway, through parallel importers or illegal means. Now, gamers and parents are able to make a decision on which games are suitable rather than have the games prescribed to them by the authorities.
Ian Tan, a Southeast Asian Xbox 360 exec added:
We welcome the MDA's decision to allow Mass Effect for sale in Singapore with an M18 rating. We will continue to work with the MDA to promote responsible gaming here.
USA Today has more.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 11/21/09 at 08:16am
ZippyDSMlee: Welcome and goodmorning its zippy in the AM....wat OMG its 8:50AM!!!!
ZippyDSMlee: Welcome and goodmorning its zippy in the AM....wat OMG its 8:50AM!!!!
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:42pm
ZippyDSMlee: oh may the cute stab out your eyes, http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
ZippyDSMlee: oh may the cute stab out your eyes, http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:17pm
JDKJ: O.K. Suit yourself. But when you're wearing Ray-Bans, sitting on a curb with a white cane and a cup of pencils, and doing Stevie Wonder impersonations, don't say I didn't warn you.
JDKJ: O.K. Suit yourself. But when you're wearing Ray-Bans, sitting on a curb with a white cane and a cup of pencils, and doing Stevie Wonder impersonations, don't say I didn't warn you.
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:10pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No thank you I don;t want your cooties...or STDs...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No thank you I don;t want your cooties...or STDs...
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:01pm
JDKJ: Me. I'm rehearsing the role just in case I do get dubbed Zippy The Soecnda.
JDKJ: Me. I'm rehearsing the role just in case I do get dubbed Zippy The Soecnda.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:59pm
DarkSaber: Wait, is that meant to be Zippy, me or you?
DarkSaber: Wait, is that meant to be Zippy, me or you?
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:49pm
JDKJ: I cud caer lez. =^^= *wakes up in mid-afternoon after staying up until 3:00AM soldering resistors on to circuit boards, stumbles around in formerly white but now grey underwear, while simultaneously scratching groin with vigor and making coffee*
JDKJ: I cud caer lez. =^^= *wakes up in mid-afternoon after staying up until 3:00AM soldering resistors on to circuit boards, stumbles around in formerly white but now grey underwear, while simultaneously scratching groin with vigor and making coffee*
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:46pm
DarkSaber: knell? Don't you mean Neil? Anymore of tht and I'll dub thee Zippy The Soecnda
DarkSaber: knell? Don't you mean Neil? Anymore of tht and I'll dub thee Zippy The Soecnda
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:44pm
JDKJ: Now, now, Saber. Don't be salty. You weren't the first one to knell and bob and you ain't gonna be the last one, either.
JDKJ: Now, now, Saber. Don't be salty. You weren't the first one to knell and bob and you ain't gonna be the last one, either.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:42pm
DarkSaber: JD's feeling rather desperate it seems.
DarkSaber: JD's feeling rather desperate it seems.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:33pm
JDKJ: C'mon, Zip. You already touch yourself way too much. Spread the love. Before you go blind.
JDKJ: C'mon, Zip. You already touch yourself way too much. Spread the love. Before you go blind.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:27pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No and I ain't touching any part of you or your friends!! :P
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No and I ain't touching any part of you or your friends!! :P
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:25pm
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Lik Mitaint?
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Lik Mitaint?
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
ZippyDSMlee: neill and bob,oldest giveing head joke and most lamest...
ZippyDSMlee: neill and bob,oldest giveing head joke and most lamest...
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
JDKJ: But thanks for the memory. MIB's a classic. *sings* "Here come the Men in Black. Galaxy defenders. Here come the Men in Black. They won't let you remember."
JDKJ: But thanks for the memory. MIB's a classic. *sings* "Here come the Men in Black. Galaxy defenders. Here come the Men in Black. They won't let you remember."
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:for the record I told you you can suck your own dck.
ZippyDSMlee: JD:for the record I told you you can suck your own dck.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:07pm
JDKJ: Naw, man. That's Mueedeegiaap and Bob. And you can stop bobbing. I got Zippy bobbing now, too.
JDKJ: Naw, man. That's Mueedeegiaap and Bob. And you can stop bobbing. I got Zippy bobbing now, too.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:56pm
DarkSaber: OH I get it now! It's Men In Black quote! The twins that run the comm centre in HQ.
DarkSaber: OH I get it now! It's Men In Black quote! The twins that run the comm centre in HQ.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I'd like to introduce you to them. First, Neil. Then, Bob.
JDKJ: I'd like to introduce you to them. First, Neil. Then, Bob.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:47pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I know they are intimate friends of yours...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I know they are intimate friends of yours...
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Bravo.
No need to ban any game now just make it 18+ (wishful thinking)
You've flipped the translator to "English to Zippy", haven't you?
:D
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
"Ah crap, this is really making us look bad, and probably isn't going to do much anyways. Does anyone actually have a problem with the game?"
"No, doesn't sound like it'd be any worse than an M18 movie. The only problem is that we don't have a rating system for games."
"Fine, then just run it past the film guys. Preferably before we become more of a laughing stock in the tech niche over this."
"We'll get right on that."
"rather mild" is an exaggeration. You don't see shit. Just them getting close and then a hand.
I'm still laughing that they actually banned it at all for this.
"In my home country of Khazakastan, they take the homosexuals to jail and finish them."
"...YEE-HAW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE HERE."
I do not care if the game had a hardcore lesbian bondage scene that lasts over three hours: no goverment, retailer, liscensing agreement, religious group, or parenting organization has the right to censor or ban it from adult consumers.
There are some contexts where sex and extreme violence are tasteful and needed elements of game design.
Here here dude.
And hey, thanks for not attacking religion again, your comments are much more enjoyable to read with this kind of content.
And if it did have that, er, scene you mentioned, it'd likely have AO and not be out here either, however, that is where the AO rating is again, useful only as a banhammer
Still doesn't help the fact that Microsoft sent me back my 360, only to have it die again in under 24 hours.
And i so looked forward to mass effect, too.
That's the exact problem with the ESRB/Retailer side censorship currently screwing over any implementation of adult content. I'm sorry, but in a 75+ hour RPG marketed around adults like Masseffect, it is absolutely absurd that there are not sexual and violent elements comprable to those we see in R movies.
You can tell that most of the garbage on the market has been toned down. I don't talk about religion here, because I am not sure about the motivating force behind the Singapore goverment.
Another problem is that you're assuming other nations have free speach laws. Unfortunately they don't, as evidenced by some governments taking steps to ban games that they don't like. I'm not saying that its right, that's just the way it is and only the people of those countries can take steps to change things.
can't say I don't agree with you, then again, the movie industry is deeper entrenched as is the comic and TV industries. I think it just needs time.
And the reason we get on your case about religious bashing is, you are kind of an ass about it and tend to bring it up where it isn't relevant. Just tone it down a bit as what most of us can ask I suppose.
As far as I am aware, Singapore is a Secular State.
"That’s the exact problem with the ESRB/Retailer side censorship currently screwing over any implementation of adult content."
You of all people should know who's really responsible for that. It's the big 3's fault, they're the ones who made AO a ban, not the ESRB/retailers.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/28032.html
Well, a trailer saying something about it anyway.
To be fair, when the ERSB doesn't like a game, they slap an AO on it because they know it'll never be released.
Yes, but the slap's power is provided by the big three's policies.
Maybe, maybe not. But they wouldn't be able to do that if it weren't for the companies.