Disco Elysium Has Been Banned In Australia

The Australian Classification Board has refused to further sell Disco Elysium. The main reasons cited include heavy use of drugs, sex, and violence. Despite originally releasing in 2019, publisher ZA/UM was not required to submit a previously digital download PC-only game to the Classification Board.

With ZA/UM’s intent on releasing the game to consoles like PlayStation 4 and Switch along with physical versions, it became necessary for the Classification Board to completely review the game.

While this ban prohibits the further sale or advertisement of the game for profit, owners can still retain their acquired copies. The law also does not directly apply to consumers; instead, it brings a heavy fine or jail time to retailers who sell illegal games within Australia or import them into the country.

The Classification Board has a history of being harsh on games with drug use mechanics and sexual violence. Hotline Miami, The Witcher 2, and Saint Rows 4 are among the titles that were initially banned and had to be censored by developers. Other more notorious games, like the Mortal Kombat series, went through a round of appeals without the need to edit the actual game code.