San Andreas Banned

Things could get far worse for the gaming industry. People complaining about government regulation for videogames in America should look no further than Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox) has been withdrawn from sale after the Office of Film and Literature Classification revoked its MA15+ classification.

The board said in a statement today that the game contained “contentious material” that had not been brought to the board’s attention when it was classified. San Andreas is the latest game to be banned on the island nation. In the past, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, BMX XXX, Manhunt, and Grand Theft Auto 3 have been banned.

The game cannot now be legally sold, hired, advertised or exhibited in Australia. “Businesses that sell or hire computer games should remove existing stocks of this game from their shelves immediately,” said OFLC director Des Clark. “Parents are strongly advised to exercise caution in allowing children continued access to the game, particularly if they might have access to the ‘Hot Coffee’ modification.”