Saints Row IV Banned in Australia

After adding the R +18 rating to their video games classification system in January, Saints Row IV has become the first game to be banned in Australia.

Acting director of the classification board Donald McDonald (great name), issued a statement that Volition’s mad-cap open world affair would be denied classification due to sexual violence:

“In the Board’s opinion, Saints Row IV, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context. In addition, the game includes elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines.”

Prior to the new rating in January, Australia missed out on many of the mature-themed video games that we avail of on this side of the world. After the new classification in the early part of the year, many Australian natives were under the impression that instances of this would be much rarer, but it appears to be the same old song and dance.

Now published under the Deep Silver umbrella, Saints Row IV will be hitting store shelves on August 23 in Europe and August 20 in the States. The next chapter in The Saints’ story will be available on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.