Dragon Age: Inquisition Not Coming To India Due To "Obscenity Laws"
EA clarifies that the decision is not related to the RPG's same-sex romance options or gay characters.
BioWare's latest RPG, Dragon Age: Inquisition, is released today, but gamers in India will not be able to buy a copy in the country. Publisher Electronic Arts has elected to remove the game from sale in the region due to "local obscenity laws," a representative for the company confirmed.
"In order to avoid a breach of local content laws, EA has withdrawn Dragon Age: Inquisition from sale in India and the game is no longer available for preorder," a company spokesperson told Kotaku. "Customers who preordered the game will be contacted directly and will be fully refunded."
The EA representative also clarified that the company's decision to remove the game from sale in India is not related to Dragon Age: Inquisition's same-gender romance options or gay characters, as some reports have suggested.
"The decision here is in relation to local obscenity laws, but not specific to same-gender romance," the spokesperson explained.
The EA representative further clarified that the game's same-sex romance options and gay characters are "irrelevant" to the company's decision to pull the game from India.
Asked which obscenity laws EA was attempting to avoid breaking, the EA representative pointed Kotaku to the country's penal code, which is reportedly very vague. The publisher added that looking at Dragon Age: Inquisition's ESRB content description would give you a good idea as to why EA feels it might be running a risk of breaking India's obscenity laws. Below is the game's description, in full.
"This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a warrior battling evil forces in different dimensions. Characters use swords, axes, hammers, and magic attacks to kill fantastical creatures (e.g., demons, monsters, dwarfs) and humans in melee-style combat. Cutscenes sometimes depict characters impaled or getting their throats slit. Violent sequences are often highlighted by cries of pain, gurgling/gushing sounds, and large blood-splatter effects; blood remains on the ground in several environments. The game includes some sexual material: a female character briefly depicted in front of a man's torso (fellatio is implied); characters depicted topless or with exposed buttocks while lying in bed or after sex; some dialogue referencing sex/sexuality (e.g., “'I will bring myself sexual pleasure later, while thinking about this with great respect'” and “The way your t*ts bounce when I pin your arms and take you on the side of the bed…”). The words “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “a*shole” appear in dialogue."
Kotaku also points out that potentially contentious games are often edited for release in certain countries; Australia is one example. However, EA has chosen not to do that in this case.
let countries ban a game... their problem.. not ours.. i do miss the da1 sex scenes .DA romance has been watered diwn since EA bought bioware . plus i think they are targetung younger audiences and more conservative countries now .
EA, and other large gaming comoanies need to stop giving in to religious and conservative groups when they throw hissy fits
they cant actually hurt games sales, they help it!!! adults see the hype...then get the game to see what the fuss is about lol
plus those groups would never buy the game
in the US/CAN as long as you put the proper rating on a game, it cant be banned... it could be down right XXx rated .. RETAILERS get in trouble for selling M rated games to kids...but developers have no liability .
as long as parents do their JOB... they should b able to regulate with their kids do and domt play .and its their job..not the govt, or anyone else... parents .
You do realize that EA purchased Bioware several years before Dragon Age Origins was released, yes? DAO released in 2009, EA purchased Bioware in 2007. If EA was really this evil culprit that forced Bioware to change, it would've been done in those two years.
Ever think that maybe, just maybe, it's Bioware's staff that are responsible? Judging from ME3's ending? I'll go with yes on that.
Nice try EA but those of us who aren't stupid knows the 'gay' themes in the game is only reason it was pulled. India has a large Muslim/Islam population and other religions who kill homosexuals on sight.
India has what?
Pakistan sure, but India large Muslim population?
It is 80% Hinduism about 10-14% Islamic.
And it was banned because of laws that prohibit it, nothing to do with religion, and certainly not a fault of the Islamic faith.
People have to calm down in blaming Islam for everything, it is becoming tiresome to read all the time :P
Important Board Topics
Trending Topics