Shortest Ban in History: Singapore Clears Mass Effect for Sale
Shortest Ban in History: Singapore Clears Mass Effect for Sale
November 16, 2007
It seems like just yesterday that GamePolitics reported that new Xbox 360 release Mass Effect had been banned in Singapore over a rather mild lesbian sex scene.Actually, it was the day before yesterday.
But, as reported by Today Online, the game with the sexy, blue alien has now been green-lighted in Singapore:
After fanning the ire of the video gaming community with the ban of Mass Effect, the authorities have done a U-turn by rating the highly-anticipated futuristic space adventure by Microsoft and allowing its sale in Singapore.
In a statement on Friday, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said the game had been reviewed by the Board of Film Censors (BFC) and is now rated M18. The decision comes ahead of its planned implementation of a classification system for video games.
Singapore currently has no rating systed in place for games. Prior to its reversal of course, Singapore was also the only country in the world to have banned Mass Effect. Germaine Ong of Singapore-based gaming mag Gameaxis told Today Online:
The ratings system is a long time coming but any step now is a positive one...
This is significant because gamers would have obtained the game anyway, through parallel importers or illegal means. Now, gamers and parents are able to make a decision on which games are suitable rather than have the games prescribed to them by the authorities.
Ian Tan, a Southeast Asian Xbox 360 exec added:
We welcome the MDA's decision to allow Mass Effect for sale in Singapore with an M18 rating. We will continue to work with the MDA to promote responsible gaming here.
USA Today has more.
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Posted 11/23/09 at 10:08am
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: http://tinyurl.com/ye6x9nv
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: http://tinyurl.com/ye6x9nv
Posted 11/23/09 at 10:08am
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: The very definition of "Lucky Shot":
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: The very definition of "Lucky Shot":
Posted 11/23/09 at 07:56am
DarkSaber: http://tinyurl.com/yl2vfw6 Here's the link, good for conspiracy theories.
DarkSaber: http://tinyurl.com/yl2vfw6 Here's the link, good for conspiracy theories.
Posted 11/23/09 at 07:42am
JDKJ: Leaders never follow. Followers never lead.
JDKJ: Leaders never follow. Followers never lead.
Posted 11/23/09 at 06:48am
DarkSaber: Anyone been following this Hadley Climatic Research Centre server hack story?
DarkSaber: Anyone been following this Hadley Climatic Research Centre server hack story?
Posted 11/22/09 at 11:48pm
ZippyDSMlee: AE:they feeding you well? I am enjoying win7 and heading to bed...uhg I need to get up early and start back to cleaning/painting blahg >< need tog et stuff done befor thanksgiving....
ZippyDSMlee: AE:they feeding you well? I am enjoying win7 and heading to bed...uhg I need to get up early and start back to cleaning/painting blahg >< need tog et stuff done befor thanksgiving....
Posted 11/22/09 at 11:41pm
Andrew Eisen: Just got home from an eight hour recording session at Capitol Records. A lot of fun but damn exhausting.
Andrew Eisen: Just got home from an eight hour recording session at Capitol Records. A lot of fun but damn exhausting.
Posted 11/22/09 at 08:44pm
BearDogg-X: 10 N. O. Who Dat?
BearDogg-X: 10 N. O. Who Dat?
Posted 11/22/09 at 09:45am
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I think doc phill is still sout about the break up with his wife he dose not fill holes as much as make them bigger these day
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I think doc phill is still sout about the break up with his wife he dose not fill holes as much as make them bigger these day
Posted 11/22/09 at 12:06am
JDKJ: You should get Phil McCraken to help you spackle those banisters.
JDKJ: You should get Phil McCraken to help you spackle those banisters.
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:57pm
ZippyDSMlee: Oh in the pirate hunter article I need my song ieda heckled DS,JD,Beemon sic im !!!
ZippyDSMlee: Oh in the pirate hunter article I need my song ieda heckled DS,JD,Beemon sic im !!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:56pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:no I am tried from prepping the banisters for painting , worked on them from 12 to 4 and 6 to 8...after I got back from the store...got up early got ready...blah...been up all day..I need a nap...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:no I am tried from prepping the banisters for painting , worked on them from 12 to 4 and 6 to 8...after I got back from the store...got up early got ready...blah...been up all day..I need a nap...
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:42pm
JDKJ: No. You gonna stay up late tonight soldering?
JDKJ: No. You gonna stay up late tonight soldering?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:41pm
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:Don't you mean Mctite?
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:Don't you mean Mctite?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:33pm
JDKJ: @Zip: Neil, Bob, and Lik McTaint. The McTaint brothers. LOL!!!
JDKJ: @Zip: Neil, Bob, and Lik McTaint. The McTaint brothers. LOL!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:44pm
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:41pm
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:38pm
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
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Comments
Bravo.
No need to ban any game now just make it 18+ (wishful thinking)
You've flipped the translator to "English to Zippy", haven't you?
:D
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
"Ah crap, this is really making us look bad, and probably isn't going to do much anyways. Does anyone actually have a problem with the game?"
"No, doesn't sound like it'd be any worse than an M18 movie. The only problem is that we don't have a rating system for games."
"Fine, then just run it past the film guys. Preferably before we become more of a laughing stock in the tech niche over this."
"We'll get right on that."
"rather mild" is an exaggeration. You don't see shit. Just them getting close and then a hand.
I'm still laughing that they actually banned it at all for this.
"In my home country of Khazakastan, they take the homosexuals to jail and finish them."
"...YEE-HAW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE HERE."
I do not care if the game had a hardcore lesbian bondage scene that lasts over three hours: no goverment, retailer, liscensing agreement, religious group, or parenting organization has the right to censor or ban it from adult consumers.
There are some contexts where sex and extreme violence are tasteful and needed elements of game design.
Here here dude.
And hey, thanks for not attacking religion again, your comments are much more enjoyable to read with this kind of content.
And if it did have that, er, scene you mentioned, it'd likely have AO and not be out here either, however, that is where the AO rating is again, useful only as a banhammer
Still doesn't help the fact that Microsoft sent me back my 360, only to have it die again in under 24 hours.
And i so looked forward to mass effect, too.
That's the exact problem with the ESRB/Retailer side censorship currently screwing over any implementation of adult content. I'm sorry, but in a 75+ hour RPG marketed around adults like Masseffect, it is absolutely absurd that there are not sexual and violent elements comprable to those we see in R movies.
You can tell that most of the garbage on the market has been toned down. I don't talk about religion here, because I am not sure about the motivating force behind the Singapore goverment.
Another problem is that you're assuming other nations have free speach laws. Unfortunately they don't, as evidenced by some governments taking steps to ban games that they don't like. I'm not saying that its right, that's just the way it is and only the people of those countries can take steps to change things.
can't say I don't agree with you, then again, the movie industry is deeper entrenched as is the comic and TV industries. I think it just needs time.
And the reason we get on your case about religious bashing is, you are kind of an ass about it and tend to bring it up where it isn't relevant. Just tone it down a bit as what most of us can ask I suppose.
As far as I am aware, Singapore is a Secular State.
"That’s the exact problem with the ESRB/Retailer side censorship currently screwing over any implementation of adult content."
You of all people should know who's really responsible for that. It's the big 3's fault, they're the ones who made AO a ban, not the ESRB/retailers.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/28032.html
Well, a trailer saying something about it anyway.
To be fair, when the ERSB doesn't like a game, they slap an AO on it because they know it'll never be released.
Yes, but the slap's power is provided by the big three's policies.
Maybe, maybe not. But they wouldn't be able to do that if it weren't for the companies.