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We Happy Few allowed release in Australia

We Happy Few allowed release in Australia

Compulsion Games upcoming drug-tinged project We Happy Few has been granted release in Australia.

In a statement, the Australian Government Classification Review Board says that the game has been given an R 18+ rating, due to the title's treatment of drug use and the fact said drug use is interactive.

"The National Classification Code and Classification Guidelines requires the treatment of drug use to not exceed high at the R 18+ level," a statement from Classification Review Board convenor Fiona Jolly said.

"In the Classification Review Board’s opinion, We Happy Few warrants an R 18+ classification because the interactive drug use is high in impact. The overall impact of the classifiable elements in the computer game was no greater than high.

"Computer games classified R 18+ are legally restricted to adults. Persons aged under 18 years cannot purchase computer games classified R 18+. Some material classified R 18+ may be offensive to sections of the adult community. Consumer advice is additional information about the main content of a computer game which is intended to help consumers decide if they want to view this type of material."

The title was denied classification in May of this year. Compulsion previously said that it was working with Australia's rating board to see how they could come to an agreement.

We Happy Few is the latest video game project to butt heads with Australia's notoriously stringent rating process.

"After considering our appeal to get We Happy Few reviewed for classification, the Australian Classification Review Board has decided to allow the release of We Happy Few in Australia," Compulsion wrote in on its website.

"We went to a great deal of effort to get this decision overturned. We Happy Few will be rated R18+ in Australia.

"We are extremely pleased with the decision of the board and excited that our Australian fans and new players will be able to experience We Happy Few without modification.

"We want to thank everybody who got involved in the discussion, contacted the board and sent us countless messages of support. Your involvement made a huge difference."


PCGamesInsider Contributing Editor

Alex Calvin is a freelance journalist who writes about the business of games. He started out at UK trade paper MCV in 2013 and left as deputy editor over three years later. In June 2017, he joined Steel Media as the editor for new site PCGamesInsider.biz. In October 2019 he left this full-time position at the company but still contributes to the site on a daily basis. He has also written for GamesIndustry.biz, VGC, Games London, The Observer/Guardian and Esquire UK.