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Dead Space To Launch Early, Banned in Three Countries
EA Redwood Shores' Dead Space seems to be one of the few games that has its release constantly moved forward. Shortly after news that the game's European debut was moved up to Oct. 24th, the company announced that the US launch date would be moved up to October 14th. Unfortunately, EA's Ben Swanson also said the game has been banned in China, Germany, and Japan. (Announcement here, sound toggle to the upper right of the page.) Previews of the game are available from Ars and Gamespy.
I am more surprised by Germany. The Germany of today has seemingly been about freedoms.
Well, I don't quite know how to respond to that. As someone living in Germany's southern neighbor, I have to say that I haven't found the Germans to be about "freedoms" in our field at all. Have you followed the recent laws where even having a copy of Wireshark installed your laptop is a crime? I work in IT security, and I go to great pains to ensure that any security tools and documents are thoroughly encrypted so that I can't be charged.
Don't worry, the OFLC is just a little slow. It will be banned, I'm sure.
I doubt it. The OFLC already gave it MA15+ (RTFA). The only time the OFLC bans something is if a) enough soccer mums complain) or b) it involves lots of drugs, gang membership, prostitution, killing civilians, or murder sprees in general. Actual violence level has rarely been a criteria.
Even then lots of things slip through - Fallout 1, 2, Tactics, Half-Life, various versions of GTA, etc.
Australia ain't some totalitarian regime like China, mate.
The primary reason is likely the increasing incidents of teenagers killing people, and the increase in conspicuous murders like the infamous massacre in Akihabara this year-- and the couple of copycat murders or attempted murders. So instead of improving the ratio of quality of life to cost, education system, and its directionless (and decidedly GOP-like) government, an agency decided to ban a graphically violent game. Essentially, if the LDP don't have an easy scapegoat, they will have to deal with issues they'd rather not touch.
Today's Japan is very much a reactionary culture, where the old continue to govern by striking down that which they fear without careful consideration of the impact of their decisions. And the next in line can't wait to smack down the younger generation, so the cycle feeds itself.
And the "underground" stuff is technically contraband in Japan, IIRC. At least, I can't imagine an old cop letting an "ura" DVD slide.
"We are Microsoft. You shall be assimilated. Competition is futile."