United Arab Emirates Bans Dead Rising 2

Greg Tito

PR for Dungeons & Dragons
Sep 29, 2005
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United Arab Emirates Bans Dead Rising 2



You're out of luck if you live in the U.A.E. and you like killing zombies because Capcom's Dead Rising 2 will not be legally sold in the Middle Eastern nation.

Dead Rising 2 joins a laundry list of popular titles from the last year including Mafia II, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins, and Red Dead Redemption that cannot be purchased in the United Arab Emirates. There is no specific word on why DR2 was banned, but ME Gamers [http://tbreak.com/megamers/14035/news/dead-rising-2-banned-in-the-uae.html] reports that an official from Capcom's distributor in the area, Pluto Games, claimed that it was because of the game's violence, gambling, nudity, and use of alcohol. The official also said that he was working on getting the game released somehow, possibly through censoring the offending content, but he did say that such a scenario "looks unlikely."

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board gave Dead Rising 2 an M for Mature rating. "Large sprays of blood frequently occur and zombies frequently get dismembered and decapitated; for example, players are able to ride a motorcycle through mobs of zombies, sawing off multiple body parts," reads the ESRB's summary. Sounds like a good time!

Perhaps more problematic for the game's release in the United Arab Emirates is its depiction of women. As the ESRB says, "Some female characters are dressed in revealing outfits (e.g., skin-tight leather, lingerie, showgirl costumes), and players can enter a 'Peep Show' or receive a 'Peeping Tom' bonus."

Also, the religion of Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol, so the officials in the U.A.E. might have taken umbrage with the fact that your character needs to do so in order to complete the game. "Some missions involve making, serving, and drinking alcoholic beverages (e.g., wine, vodka, and whiskey); if players drink too much alcohol, their movements may become erratic and they may vomit."

While I would prefer that the U.A.E. adopt some kind of rating system similar to that in the U.S., it's not hard to see why Dead Rising 2 was banned. It just sucks for the gamers in that country who have no objections to such content.

Source: MEgamers [http://tbreak.com/megamers/14035/news/dead-rising-2-banned-in-the-uae.html]

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Romidude

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Aug 3, 2010
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Colonel Alzheimer said:
Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
It's the Middle East, there isn't.(that wasn't racial hate, I'm actually part Arab.) Nice Disingenuous Assertions avatar btw.
 

Canadian Briton

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May 1, 2010
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Wait drinking alcohol in Dead rising 2 makes you drunk? Damn it, wine was the best healing item!
OT: Hmm maybe they can justify the women in revealing clothing as being zombies? And therefore not attractive? (Well there are probably some people who find the female zombies sexy *shivers*)
 

Tiamat666

Level 80 Legendary Postlord
Dec 4, 2007
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oranger said:
Colonel Alzheimer said:
Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
You'd have to look veeery hard, anywhere, for that. Switzerland maybe?
Actually, some of the countries with the strictest secularism are France, China and Turkey - an islamic country.

Oh, someone beat me to it.
 

Dragunai

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Feb 5, 2007
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yes because the UAE is such a a powerful gaming community that this will surely make game developers across the planet shudder and shriek with horror.

When Japan or the USA decide to ban a game let me know, I actually give a damn what they think because they actually have a clue when it comes to gaming.

The UAE is just doing this so everyone will remember they actually exist, are a real country / state and aren't just the option above the United Kingdom on a forums sign up list for "Where are you from?"
 

Mrsoupcup

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Jan 13, 2009
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Yet another reason why church and state should be separate.
(Before anyone gets mad, I have no issues with religion existing)
 

Lord Thodin

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Jul 1, 2009
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Well I guess I know a section of the world that wont enjoy putting on boxing gloves with knives strapped to them.