A total of 34 video games have been banned outright in Uzbekistan, effectively rendering import and distribution of the titles illegal in the country. The list is odd, to say the least, with individual games from major franchises being banned, but leaving their sequels and the like untouched.
Although video game bans were a growing issue in the past, the practice is largely reduced nowadays, with countries such as Germany and Australia, well known for their banning and censoring of violent video games, rarely getting in the way of newer games anymore.
Reported by the BBC, the reasoning given for the ban by the Uzbekistan authorities is that these games could be "used to propagate violence, pornography, threaten security and social and political stability," along with the possibility of upsetting "civil peace and inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony."
Moreover, the authorities said the games may be used for the "distribution of false information about Uzbekistan and the distortion of its historic, cultural and spiritual values."
Among the banned games, there is the 1995 point-and-click title Phantasmagoria, as well as 1997"s Carmageddon. Mass Effect and Dead Space have also received the same ruling, although their sequels aren"t on the list. In addition, from the entire Call of Duty series, only Call of Duty: Black Ops has been ruled out, with the same occurring to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
The complete document is available to read here, with the 34 banned games listed as is, below:
- Postal 2
- Phantasmagoria
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Carmageddon
- Mass effect
- Dead space
- Naughty bear
- Mafia II
- Call of duty: Black ops
- Kane and Leanch 2: Dog days
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
- Assasin’s Creed: Brotherhood
- Fallout: New Vegas
- Dead Rising:
- Manhunt
- Mortal Kombat X
- Manhunt II
- Left 4 Dead 1,2,3
- Doom 3,4
- Hitman 2000-2016
- Resident evil 4
- SOMA
- Silent Hill
- Until down
- Hatred
- Dying light
- Dead by Daylight
- Prototype
- The Punisher 4
- Bone Town
- Lula 3d
- 3D Sex Villa 2
- The Sims 3,4
- Shadow Warrior
[sic]
Keep in mind that the inclusion of Left 4 Dead 3 is probably a mistake, and hopefully not part of a grand Valve ARG for revealing the game by getting it banned before a possible release.
Source: BBC | Image: Left 4 Dead 2 (Steam)