A few days ago, we learned that 86% of parents in the UK do not pay any attention to age ratings for games. While this is a problem that likely needs to be remedied, another problem concerning video games has arisen, this time in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has banned 47 popular video games, reportedly in response to two children committing suicide due to the Blue Whale Challenge.
The Blue Whale Challenge is a "game" that gives incrementally difficult tasks to the player, most of which have elements of self-harm. The ultimate challenge requires the player to commit suicide. Although the viral phenomenon did not spread to the west, it allegedly spread quite quickly in countries like Bangladesh, China, India, and Iran. Apparently, the challenge also led to the suicides of two 12- and 13-year old children in Saudi Arabia.
As a result, reports indicate that authorities in Saudi Arabia have decided to ban 47 games, including extremely popular ones like Grand Theft Auto V, The Witcher 3, Hitman: Absolution, God of War, Wolfenstein II, and various games from the Resident Evil series. The full list of games can be seen below:
- Agents of Mayhem
- Assassins Creed 2
- Attack on titan 2
- Bayonetta 2
- Clash of the Titans
- Dante"s Inferno
- Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition
- Deadpool
- Deception IV : The Nightmare Princess
- Deus Ex Mankind Divided
- Devil"s Third
- DmC - Definitive edition
- Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Dragon"s Dogma: Dark Arisen
- Draw to Death
- Dissidia Final Fantasy NT
- Fist of the North Star: Ken"s Rage 2
- God of War 1
- God of War 2
- God of War 3
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Heavy Rain
- Hitman: Absolution (2012)
- Life is Strange
- Mafia 2
- Mafia 3
- Metro Redux
- Okami
- One Piece Burning Blood
- Past Cure
- Prison Architect
- Resident Evil 5
- Resident Evil 6
- Saints Row IV
- Splatterhouse
- Street Fighter V
- Street Fighter 30th Anniversary
- The Order 1886
- The Saboteur
- The Witcher 3
- The Nonary Game
- Thief
- Vampyr
- Watch Dogs
- Wolfenstein 2
- Wolfenstein: The New Order
- YO-KAI WATCH
While authorities have not clarified what links the aforementioned 47 games to the tragic suicides, it is important to note that most of these games do contain elements of violence. That said, violence would still be a strange reason to outright ban so many games without any prior public indication.
Source: The Saudi General Commission for Audio-Visual Media via GameRant
Why do you think Saudi Arabia has taken this drastic action? Let us know in the comments section below!