What a fucking journey this has been.
After being refused classification, Outlast 2 received an R18+ rating last week, despite the game’s creators, Red Barrels, stating there would be only one version available worldwide.
For those out of the loop, the game was refused classification due to a rather graphic orgy scene in which sexual violence is implied. Here’s an excerpt from the Classification Board‘s original statement:
“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.”
Heavy stuff. According to the Classification Board, a modified version of Outlast 2 was submitted to them for review and ultimately, was cleaned up enough to result in a rating. In light of Red Barrel’s statement, we reached out to the board for clarification.
“After receiving the Refused Classification decision, the applicant made changes to the game and submitted a modified version of the game for the Classification Board to classify,” they told PEDESTRIAN.TV.“The modified version of the game was classified R 18+ with the consumer advice of ‘High impact horror themes, violence, blood, gore and sex’.”
Now, this leaves us with a big question. If Red Barrels reckon there’s only going to be “one version of Outlast 2 available worldwide”, does that mean these changes were implemented for all countries, or was their statement simply incorrect?
Either way, it looks like we won’t be getting the original version.
Photo: Outlast 2 / Red Barrels.
