Ban of Mass Effect video game for lesbian scene



=Initial ban=

In November 2007, the Media Development Authority (MDA) banned the sale of an Xbox video game that featured an intimate, caressing scene between two female characters, one human and the other alien. "Mass Effect", a futuristic space adventure, contained "a scene of lesbian intimacy... as such the game has been disallowed," the deputy director of the Board of Film Censors, a part of the MDA, said in the statement.

Under the then existing local guidelines, video games sold in Singapore could not "feature exploitative or gratuitous sex and violence, or denigrate any race or religion," the official said. "Mass Effect" was to be launched globally the following week. The MDA said a new video games classification system would be introduced in 2008 could allow titles such as "Mass Effect" to be passed and classified appropriately.

US software giant Microsoft, maker of the Xbox gaming console, said it respected the media watchdog's action. "We strictly adhere to the laws, regulations and norms of the markets we operate in," the company said in an e-mail reply to AFP.

The MDA said that a new video games classification system to be introduced in 2008 could allow titles such as "Mass Effect" to be passed and classified appropriately.

Earlier in 2007, the MDA also banned two other video games, "God of War II" for nudity and "The Darkness" for excessive violence and religiously offensive expletives, the statement said.

=Rating and resumption of sale=

After fanning the ire of the video gaming community with the ban of Mass Effect, the authorities have done a U-turn by rating the highly-anticipated futuristic space adventure by Microsoft and allowing its sale in Singapore.

In a statement on Friday, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said the game had been reviewed by the Board of Film Censors (BFC) and is now rated M18. The decision comes ahead of its planned implementation of a classification system for video games.

The MDA said this would allow highly-anticipated games to be launched in the Republic and give the industry and public a "better understanding of the benefits of the proposed games-classification system".

Mass Effect was earlier banned in Singapore  the only country to have done so  as it contained an intimate scene between two female characters. The ban had triggered disappointment and anger among local and international gamers.

Ms Germaine Ong, deputy editor of local gaming magazine Gameaxis, said the lifting of the ban is "a step forward for local gaming.

"This is significant because gamers would have obtained the game anyway, through parallel importers or illegal means," she said. "Now, gamers and parents are able to make a decision on which games are suitable rather than have the games prescribed to them by the authorities.

"I agree that children of a certain age shouldn't be exposed to some games because they lack the maturity."

Mr Ian Tan, marketing communications manager for Microsoft Xbox 360 in South-east Asia, said: "We welcome the MDA's decision to allow Mass Effect for sale in Singapore with an M18 rating. We will continue to work with the MDA to promote responsible gaming here."

Currently, Singapore lacks a ratings system for games that would allow gamers access to titles that contain mature content. The MDA is expected to introduce a classification system next year that would help to avoid the outright ban of games.

Just like movies, video games are rated by the BFC. It has previously banned two games  God of War II for nudity, and The Darkness, for violence and vulgarity. Said Ms Ong: "The ratings system is a long time coming but any step now is a positive one."

The MDA has not revealed what sort of rating system it would have, who would be involved in drawing it up or whether the same treatment would be given to games that have been banned.

The earlier ban of Mass Effect was seen as a step back by those in the industry as the Government wants to promote the Republic as a gaming hub. In 2005, it announced plans to invest $500 million over five years to develop the digital media industry.

=See also=
 * Singapore gay censorship

=References=


 * Hedirman Supian, "Mass Effect to come", TODAY, 17 November 2007.

=Acknowledgements=

This article was written by Roy Tan.