Halloween: The Game Won’t Be Sold in Australia, and Weed May Be the Reason Why

Illfonic, a developer known for horror-based multiplayer games, announced that its upcoming title, Halloween: The Game, has been refused classification in Australia. Consequently, the game will not be sold at Australian online stores. However, Illfonic also stated that the Australian rating prevents them from selling the game in New Zealand, despite New Zealand being a separate country with its own government, currency, and classification system.

The refusal is not due to the presence of Michael Myers, but rather due to the game's inclusion of a controlled substance mechanic, where players can smoke marijuana to locate the villain. This mechanic is against Australia's classification guidelines, which prohibit tying drug use to incentives or rewards. While the Australian Classification Board has not published a decision, it's understood that the refusal involves the incentivized use of illicit drugs.

Illfonic attempted to secure an R18+ rating for the pre-order content using the International Age Rating Coalition's automated tool, but physical formats would have required human rating through the Classification Board. Despite Illfonic's claim that the refusal is due to the game's content, other developers have managed to bypass Australia's guidelines with minor adjustments.

The game's refusal might not significantly impact gamers' ability to obtain it, as international online stores remain accessible.