Mass Effect 2 & Heavy Rain down the drain

It's becoming a disturbing trend lately, recent games are either getting banned outright, or are left out of the Middle East region completely. The decision to ban a game takes some time, so much that some games are banned after they hit retail. A recent example of this was Mass Effect 2, which officially got the 'Banhammer' from the UAE's National Media Council yesterday! Yes, the game has already been out in stores since last month, and only now is it getting the ban. As usual, no official reasoning was given but it must be the sex scenes that a player could reach, while pursuing romantic interests pretty late in the game.

[GamesLatest]

2 reports and both ask to add related games, fine, how to? The N4G script does not allow adding of games when category Gaming is chosen, plus N4G does not allow adding more than 1 type of console, and Mass Effect 2 is for Xbox and PC, while Heavy Rain is for the PS3, so how to add such news item according to N4G rules?

Oh yes, writing a report to stop a post is much easier then troubling one's mind with intricacies and details!

So, what do you want to report today?

[Winter47th]

The Middle East doesn't have a system like the ESRB, games that has nude or sex scenes can be sold to children and isn't punishable by law, that's one of the reasons why video games get banned so easily. Until such system is established, banning more games won't raise as much eyebrows as they're used to.

Importing such games usually don't work since customs can simply seize'em, and that's one'a the main reasons why the black market's thriving in the ME, where Heavy Rain could be sold for as much as 90$.

[N4BmpS]

Maybe game distribution in the Middle East should be stopped all together, no that's taking it too far, maybe Sony and other companies should only distribute E and T games.

[captain-obvious]

even so
we still manage to get our copies of the game in here
games like heavy rain,Darksiders, Dante’s Inferno, GTAIV are all on sale

and GTA:IV EFLC and GTA:IV BOGT already in the market for the 360
after 3 weeks coming up to the PS3

i got ME on my PC and there is a 360 version too
GOW1 / 2 on my PS2
GOW:C on my PS3
and yes im 100% im getting GOW3 after 2 or 3 weeks

[Darkstorn]

Well, most of the Middle East (with the exception of Iran) is still stuck in what equates to the medieval age. If an individual questions the dominant religion in a nation, they will be punished. Just look at what happened to the Kurds and Shi'ites under Saddam. Governments do not consider free speech a right, and that's what I think needs to be changed about the region.

That being said, video games will not likely be accepted by such a conservative region of the world for decades, if not centuries to come.

[king123]

well that's too bad
I live in Kuwait and I think from reading history... god of war well be banned in there as well
that makes it Darksiders, Dante’s Inferno, Mass Effect 2 , Heavy Rain and god of war 3 that realy sucks

[oly1kenobi]

Even magazine with Scantly Clad women are edited or banned from the country. It has been this way for many many years. Red Dead Redemption will also supposedly have a sex scene in it and will most likely be banned. GOW3.. most definately.

[clarkjudo]

Mass Effect 2 allows you to make a choice not to pursue any love interest. And how far to take it if you do. So, sex scenes are totally avoidable. If you desire to have a love interest that involves "love making". You can still choose the Paragon choice action over the Renegade to get a (PG) PG-13 rating response.

[frogdefdaa]

Kuwait ministry of information bans more games than UAE.. the game is with them, they are testing it, but honestly i dont see any luck.

[Darkstorn]

Well, that's because Kuwait is ruled by a family instead of a true government. I get your point, though.

[Hakimy]

@Darkston: while you might have good intentions with your posts (I hope),I'm afraid to say that they all have false information.for example in your first post you mentioned 3 things that had no common thing between them!"If an individual questions the dominant religion in a nation, they will be punished. Just look at what happened to the Kurds and Shi'ites under Saddam. Governments do not consider free speech a right, and that's what I think needs to be changed about the region."
wrong! what happened with Saddam and the Kurds and Shi'ites has to do with the Iraq-Iran crisis and other political reasons that involved the surrounding countries and the US itself!
as for Kuwait,you might be surprised that Kuwait is the most democratic country in the middle east.The ruling family has almost no control over the laws there.it all has to do with ministries and the national assembly of kuwait also known as muslis al ummah who are elected by people and they can question any minister even the prime minister for his actions and decisions so no! the ruling family has nothing to do with banning any kind of media.like I said,whether you had good intentions or not,it's better to do a little search or actually to know what's really going on in a certain country and a region before posting false info ;)

[DlocDaBudSmoka]

just import the game(s) if you have a ps3 or the other route of torrent sites if u have a 360.

[rexus12345]

There is no "sex" scenes in ME2, the screen turns black, makes me kind of disappointed lol. I heard Bioware did it to avoid an Adult Only rating, guest it didn't work in some areas.

[Strikepackage Bravo]

entirely accurate. If you choose to make love to Miranda, she shows her bra covered boobs and you see her riding Shepard on the floor, pants still on mind you, but that could be considered sex if showing too much wrist is considered the act of a whore in your country.