Outlast 2 refused classification in Australia for the depiction of implied sexual violence

Unless a modified version of Outlast 2 gets resubmitted, the game will not see official release in Australia.

Outlast 2 will not see official release in Australia after the country's Classification Board ruled against it.

Kotaku reports that the Classification Board classified it as a Games 1(a) title.

This particular classification is awarded to games that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified."

As the site notes, the game's demo was given an R18+ rating earlier this year, but it seems the full game is taking things further than the board could allow.

Spoilers for Outlast 2 beyond this point.

The board's ruling, received by Kotaku, reveals that the reasons for this decision involve an implication of sexual violence in one part of the game. Here's one such scene the board referenced in its ruling.

"In one cut-scene in the game ... a female creature prepares Blake for a ritual. She says, "I want to see your true face. Your seed will burn this world." Shortly afterwards, he objects to having psycho-active dust blown into his face, yelling, "Nope! Nope!" before he stumbles into a forest clearing.

"His vision blurring, he witnesses what appears to a ritualistic orgy. His wife, Lynn, calls out for his help, saying, "It hurts! Oh god!," as she hangs from chains on a raised platform at the front of the clearing. Humanoid creatures, their skin grey, spattered with blood and scarred, implicitly have sex as others pray, or chant, or gesticulate.

"One creature has another bent over a rock, thrusting as they implicitly have rear-entry sex, another sits astride the pelvic region of a creature prone on the ground, moving their hips rhythmically as they too implicitly have sex. Two other pairs of creatures in the clearing are also implicitly having sex.

"As Blake yells for the creatures to "Get away from her!" a female creature, her greyish breasts bared, pushes him onto his back, holds his arms to the ground and repeatedly thrusts her crotch against him. As Blake protests, saying "No! Stop that!" the creature thrusts again, before placing its face over his midsection and then sitting up and wiping its mouth.

"Although much of the contact between the creature and Blake is obscured, by it taking place below screen, the sexualised surroundings and aggressive behaviour of the creature suggest that it is an assault which is sexual in nature. The Board is of the opinion that this, combined with Blake's objections and distress, constitutes a depiction of implied sexual violence.

"In the Board's opinion, the above example constitutes a depiction of implied sexual violence and therefore cannot be accommodated within the R18+ classification category and the game is therefore Refused Classification."

Developers of Outlast 2 could resubmit a modified version of the game to get it rated, thus allowing the game to be legally sold in the country. Otherwise, those interested in playing it may have to resort to outside sources.

Outlast 2 is out April 25 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.