Hunter x Hunter: Nen Impact Banned in Australia: A Mystery Unfolds
The Australian Classification Board's recent refusal to classify Hunter x Hunter: Nen Impact has sent shockwaves through the gaming community. The game, a highly anticipated fighting title, has been effectively banned from Australian release, with no official explanation provided for this surprising decision.
Refused Classification: What it Means
The "Refused Classification" (RC) rating means the game is prohibited from sale, rental, advertisement, or import within Australia. The board's statement indicates the content surpasses the limits of even the R18+ and X18+ ratings, exceeding generally accepted community standards.
This decision is particularly puzzling given the game's seemingly innocuous promotional material. The official trailer showcases standard fighting game fare, lacking explicit sexual content, graphic violence, or drug use. However, the board's decision suggests undisclosed content within the game itself may be the cause. This could range from unanticipated explicit elements to simple clerical errors correctable before resubmission.
A History of Appeals and Reconsiderations
Australia's classification board isn't unfamiliar with controversy and subsequent reversals. Games like Pocket Gal 2 and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings faced initial bans for explicit content, only to be later reclassified after modifications. The board has shown a willingness to reconsider its decisions if developers address concerns through editing, censorship, or providing adequate justification for potentially problematic content.
Examples include Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (initially refused due to drug use, later approved after contextualization) and Outlast 2 (modified to remove a scene of sexual violence, resulting in an R18+ rating).
This precedent offers hope for Hunter x Hunter: Nen Impact. The developer and publisher still have the option to appeal the decision. By either providing a detailed explanation of the game's content or making necessary modifications to align with Australian classification standards, they could potentially secure a different rating and allow the game's release in Australia.
