The Stick of Truth's Australian Censorship is Due To Anal Probing

[Steven Bogos]

The Stick of Truth's Australian Censorship is Due To Anal Probing

The offending scenes will be replaced with an image of a crying koala in the Australian version.

We heard earlier in the month that had a problem with Saints Row IV's "alien anal probe" weapon [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/130586-South-Park-The-Stick-of-Truth-Will-be-Censored-in-Australia], it looks like an alien anal probing scene in The Stick of Truth was also its biggest offender.

The interactive sequence, entitled "Alien Probing", features male characters being captured by aliens and stripped naked before "repeatedly having an oversized, phallic probe thrust into their buttocks", mimicking sexual movements and accompanied by "squelching" sound effects.

The board also had a problem with an "abortion" scene, wherein "The player controls the doctor's hands and repeatedly thrusts a length of wire between the patient's splayed legs (implicitly to bring about an abortion) before applying a vacuum device to the patient's genital region (below screen)."

After a re-submission wherein these events were toned down was still rejected, the developers opted to simply cut them altogether. Now, when Australian players reach these scenes, they are simply presented with a still image of a crying koala with "CENSORED" stamped across it, while a text description of the events scrolls down the screen.

It sucks that games are still getting censored down under, but it's nice to see the South Park guys dealing with it with a bit of tongue-in-cheek.

Source: Player Attack [http://www.playerattack.com/news/2013/12/18/south-park-the-stick-of-truth-the-offensive-bits/]

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[Wackymon]

To be blunt, I don't blame the poor aussies. Seriously, reading the description, it's really f***ed up. Then again, South Park portrays the F**ed Up in a somewhat entertaining light, so maybe they can pull it off. But I know that with the second thing censored, for the love of whatever above, I couldn't imagine that or deal with it without vomiting or recoiling in horror, and, if I was in that position, I would probably do the same without second thought.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

...As much as I want to play this game, I'm admittedly more than a little... squicked out by this sort of thing. Yes, I know this is Sout Park... but maybe I'm just being squeamish...

 

[Johnson McGee]

And the 2013 award for most excessive amount of press given to an unreleased game goes to: The Stick of Truth!

Seriously, there's a new article about this game at least once a week.

 

[BrotherRool]

... could I get a copy of the australian version too?

 

[Arawn]

yet weirdly you could watch the exact same thing on south park the tv show aired on tv and the censorship board doesnt bat an eyelid

Perhaps it's the same principle where people are against violent games, in which you shoot people, but not violent movies. The difference being the interaction of the player. In the first you are making the character shoot said weapon, while the second we are mere an observer and have no part in the action. Even if it's a mature game censors will persist in keeping games from being mature. South Park's brand of parody and satire are hard for some to swallow. Don't expect everyone to be comfortable with what they do.

 

[Airon]

So, they actually, genuinly, appear to have s@$t themselves over anal probes. (We gotta self-censor a little here too )

You'll be pleased to know that this is something the censors in Germany actually laugh about.

 

[Psychobabble]

yet weirdly you could watch the exact same thing on south park the tv show aired on tv and the censorship board doesnt bat an eyelid

Perhaps it's the same principle where people are against violent games, in which you shoot people, but not violent movies. The difference being the interaction of the player. In the first you are making the character shoot said weapon, while the second we are mere an observer and have no part in the action. Even if it's a mature game censors will persist in keeping games from being mature. South Park's brand of parody and satire are hard for some to swallow. Don't expect everyone to be comfortable with what they do.

What? You mean you think that the product should be left as is for the fans it was made for that understand what South Park is all about, instead of getting sanitized by and for those that most likely have no intention of buying this title? Madness.

 

[otakon17]

You live on the most deadly continent in the world. Every plant and animal can and will kill you if you take too many steps outside. The center of it is a scorched wasteland that puts Fallout California to shame. And animated anal probing is what causes concern?

I don't get Australia at all.

 

[-Dragmire-]

Seeing the words "Anal Probing" on the front page always brings a smile to my face.

The anal probe scenes from the season 7 episode "Cancelled" were some of the funniest for me. I imagine the scenes they had a problem with were of a similar tone.

Also, I remember hearing in commentary that seeing the content often got them passed review when they received pushback from people reading the script. Just something to keep in mind when reading this, it may not be as bad as you imagine it to be.

EDIT:

Spoiler: contains anal probe content, clickers beware

 

[Arawn]

yet weirdly you could watch the exact same thing on south park the tv show aired on tv and the censorship board doesnt bat an eyelid

Perhaps it's the same principle where people are against violent games, in which you shoot people, but not violent movies. The difference being the interaction of the player. In the first you are making the character shoot said weapon, while the second we are mere an observer and have no part in the action. Even if it's a mature game censors will persist in keeping games from being mature. South Park's brand of parody and satire are hard for some to swallow. Don't expect everyone to be comfortable with what they do.

What? You mean you think that the product should be left as is for the fans it was made for that understand what South Park is all about, instead of getting sanitized by and for those that most likely have no intention of buying this title? Madness.

Yes, it is indeed madness. I should know better than to apply logic to everyday situations. It's not reliable. Logic fails and idiocy persists. Censorship is the true failure as what is or isn't profane will always be relative to the beholder. Some people may agree, some will even disagree, but in the end not everyone.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

The extra gag almost makes this okay. If they advertise "with koalas!" on the box or something it might make me not just, y'know. Import the game. Taking revenue away from local distributors. Because that's what happens when you censor stuff in this digital age, government.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I'd prefer a picture of a Platypus; God's greatest creation made from the leftovers of other animals.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

hahaha like the humor there

sorry for all the aussies who have to import/deal with this though, if you are buying a south park game you CLEARLY know what you are getting yourself into, which is why my wallet is getting the ultimate edition (first one I'll have bought in yearsssss)

if you can't stomach a game like this, I can't imagine living in Australia with some of the deadly shit that's just outside.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

As messed up as the US is about MANY MANY MANY MANY other things....at least we get to play our abortion and anal probing simulators and the government doesn't get to say jack shit about it.

And the beauty of it was even if 99.999% of the population WANTED it censored the government has no power to do so (without a really long and boring constitutional amendment process that will never happen again).

Remember kiddies, respecting minority rights means that the minority gets to do unpopular things and the majority of people who disagree can't use the law to cause the minority harm.

Unironically for once...God Bless America!

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

Hahaha. I have to say that as little as I care about the game being censored for anal probing (again), I like the response.

 

[Evil Smurf]

So another game to get via VPN, I see.

It can't be that bad surely, the probe in SR4 was funny!

 

[bz316]

You dare censor butt-stuff?!?! Troy would be furious! ^_^

 

[marurder]

Actually reading through the www.classification.gov.au/ media reports, they upheld the M15+ ratings for 12 games the South Australian AG was 'upset' about. Anal probing and player-interactive abortion I feel is reasonable for censorship.