The Australian government has refused to give an age rating to developer Arc System Works' HunterxHunter NenxImpact fighting game.
The title is based on the highly popular Hunter x Hunter manga and anime and features iconic characters from the series. The latest development means that the game cannot be sold, advertised, or imported into Straya.
Refusal of an Age Rating
There was no exact reason given out as to why the Australian government decided not to give the game an age rating.
Some people believe that one of the reasons that could have resulted in this is that the game features children fighting adults in intense, action-packed matches.
Another thing that HunterxHunter NenxImpact has is the eccentric character Hisoka, a sort of jester-like individual. This particular character can sometimes get a little bit too rowdy when near the main character of the franchise, Gon, a 12-year-old boy.
The Australian government seems to be doubling down on a variety of games that feature sexual content with kids, based on historical data.
Fans of the anime and manga can somewhat agree with this as even if the show itself is good, Hisoka is a bit too weird, according to VG247.
But fans in Australia will not be able to know the exact reason why the government decided not to give the game a chance unless an official representative confirms it. But studios Busiroad and Arc System Works are expectedly disappointed by the development.
Fortunately, Australia does not really count as a major region for HunterxHunter NenxImpact in any way. But the region does have a very passionate community for the fighting game genre and has a lot of people who love manga and anime as a whole.
Potential Reasons for the Decision
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts' Classification Board was the one responsible for banning the game.
Its website noted that HunterxHunter NenxImpact fell outside of the generally accepted community standards, Polygon said.
The situation comes after the Parliament of Australia in 2012 approved the creation of the R18+ category. This particular age rating was applied to Grand Theft Auto (GTA) V a year after for the game's "High Impact Drug Use," strong themes, and other reasons.
Australia has been known for having a relatively chill vibe compared to other countries for the most part despite its relatively strict stance on video games. It previously decided to ban Fallout 3 because of the game's realistic drug use, according to Games Radar.
