‘Hotline Miami 2’ Dev Tells Australians To Pirate Game After Ban


Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was recently banned from release in Australia by that country’s Classification Board, the equivalent of the ESRB, due to an implied rape scene. Developer Devolver Digital objects to the reasons behind the ban, but has a suggestion to Australians who want to play but cannot purchase it; just pirate the game.

Designer Jonatan Söderström received an email from a Hotline Miami fan who asked if there was a way to purchase the game even if it was banned in Australia, via Reddit.

Söderström wrote in reply, “If it ends up being not released in Australia, just pirate it after release. No need to send us any money, just enjoy the game!”

The email exchange between Söderström and the fan was confirmed as authentic by a Devolver Digital representative.

“He’s said similar things in the past and yes, I can confirm he wants people to enjoy the game,” a Devolver Digital PR rep told Ars Technica. “That was him,”

Devolver CFO Fork Parker provided further confirmation that this was authentic and from Söderström in a Twitter post.

Hotline Miami 2 (PS4, PS3, PS Vita, PC)

The Australian Classification Board refused to classify Hotline Miami 2 (and thus banning the game) due to the opening segment of the game that opens for a fictional film called “Midnight Animal.” The game’s protagonist kills a houseful of people before reaching a female character on the top floor.

“She is knocked to the floor and is viewed lying face down in a pool of copious blood,” the Classification board’s description reads. “The male character is viewed with his pants halfway down, partially exposing his buttocks. He is viewed pinning the female down by the arms and lying on top of her thrusting, implicitly raping her… while her legs are viewed kicking as she struggles beneath him.”

According to Devolver, this is the same cinematic for Hotline Miami 2 that was shown in June 2013.

“We also want to make clear that players are given an choice at the start of the game as to whether they wish to avoid content that alludes to sexual violence,” wrote in response to the Classification Board’s decision. “The sequence in question is presented below in context, both after choosing the uncut version of the game and after choosing to avoid content that alludes to sexual violence.”

The video is presented below for those that wish to view it. Yes, it is violent and yes, there is an implied rape scene.

Devolver expressed disappointment in the Australian Classification Board’s decision, but has no plans to challenge the Hotline Miami 2 ruling. They did, however, take issue with how the Board evaluated the game.

“We are concerned and disappointed that a board of professionals tasked with evaluating and judging games fairly and honestly would stretch the facts to such a degree and issue a report that describes specific thrusting actions that are not simply present in the sequence in question and incorrectly portrays what was presented to them for review,” it said.

What do you think of Devolver Digital’s encouragement to fans to pirate Hotline Miami 2 in Australia? Sound of in the comments below.

[Images via Hotline Miami 2]

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