United Arab Emirates bans Sony’s Heavy Rain

The forecast for gamers in the United Arab Emirates calls for a zero percent chance of Heavy Rain. Sony’s anticipated true crime blockbuster that puts players on the trail of the “Origami Killer” is banned in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah) due to its mature content.

This is the second title in 2010 to receive such treatment, as THQ’s apocalyptic adventure Darksiders was banned as well. In that game, War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, investigates a conspiracy that prematurely brought on Armageddon.

War kills both demons and angels in his battle but, as gamers know, there are certainly much more violent games out there. If Darksiders got the banhammer, I understand why Heavy Rain would. The game makes full use of its Mature-rated setting. One of the leads you follow while tracking the Origami Killer is a prostitute with an abusive customer. Suffice it to say you are not traveling in elite social circles.

Heavy Rain is a potential system seller for Sony, so of course the company released a statement about the current situation.

The UAE’s National Media Council (NMC) has banned Heavy Rain on PlayStation 3. Heavy Rain has an 18+ PEGI rating and has been conceived from the earliest stages as a genuinely adult experience. This means that it deals with strong content including blood and nudity, but treats this content in a mature and sensitive manner. The game is not intentionally controversial or sensationalist, and all the themes and content are consistent with what consumers would expect to see in a mainstream Hollywood thriller.

ME Gamers notes that previous bannings have been rather loosely enforced, so it doesn’t sound as if it will be impossible to get a copy of the game.

Read [ME Gamers] Via [Kotaku]