It’s no surprise to see videogames embroiled in controversy. After all, many games tackle adult themes and situations, and despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, many people still think of videogames as a pastime for children. Despite a very visible rating system and widespread compliance with the system, people still get up in arms over what they see as “games corrupting our kids.” These eight games bore the brunt of attitudes like these, making them some of the most controversial of all time.
Carmageddon
The premise behind Carmageddon was simplew: drive your car very fast, and if you get behind, you can gain more time by damaging a competitor’s car or running over a bystander. As you can imagine, this generated predictable outrage. Its original release was censored in Germany, replacing the pedestrians with robots or zombies. The UK’s BBFC threatened to not classify the game at all unless the blood and gore was removed, but they backed down and certified the original game ten months later. It was banned outright in Brazil.
Doom
It may not seem like it today, but when Doom launched in 1993, it was a very controversial game due to the graphic nature of the violence in the game, as well as the satanic imagery that appeared within it. It was called a “mass murder simulator,” by Killology Research Group founder David Grossman, and also was in the news after the Columbine shootings, when it was revealed that Eric Harris said that they planned the killing to be “like playing Doom.” On a lighter note, it also caused lots of internet congestion, prompting some ISP managers to block Doom packets, or send a message telling players to end the game.
Mortal Kombat
If you’ve ever played Mortal Kombat, you can imagine how this one ended up here. It was the first game in the fighting genre to have “realistic” characters, and it combined that with some of the bloodiest demises yet seen in a game. Parents of gamers were shocked when they saw that their children were playing a game that allowed then to bloodily dismember their opponents. The outrage was so widespread that the US Senate launched hearings about violent games, which ultimately led to the creation of the ESRB.
Bully
Rockstar’s high school simulator threw players in the halls of boarding school Bullworth Academy. As they attended classes, they would develop skills that they could use in the game. It also tasked players with working their way through various groups in the school, fighting, setting off fireworks, and performing other side missions in the game’s open world. Main character Jimmy Hopkins can also kiss boys and girls within the game. Some groups accused the game of trivializing or glorifying bullying, and it was banned entirely in Brazil. Former Florida attorney Jack Thompson attempted to have it banned, but failed when the judge viewed the game and said that there was nothing in the game that was not already on late night TV.
Postal 2
Ostensibly named after the phrase “going postal,” this sequel released in 2003 to great outrage. While you could play the entire game without harming anyone (something the developers pointed out when criticism came their way), the main character is regularly attacked by bystanders, hate groups, and terrorists, and there are plenty of weapons and explosives just waiting to be picked up. It even includes a scene where the main character (who works for Postal 2 developer Running With Scissors) is attacked by violent video game protesters. It’s been banned in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Germany, and even Sweden, albeit temporarily. There were even North American retailers who would not carry it, although it is now widely available through digital distribution.
Ethnic Cleansing
Released in 2002, Ethnic Cleansing was released by Resistance Records, an underground music label specializing in white supremacist and Neo-Nazi bands. It let players choose between a skinhead or a KKK member as their playable character, and then run through maps killing minorities before heading into the subway to take out a bunch of Jews. The game’s final boss was former Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon, who players had to take out to win the game.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Rockstar is no stranger to controversy, but they got even more than they bargained for with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. A unused minigame that remained on the disc when the game shipped was unlocked by a mod that was released in June of 2005, roughly six months after the game’s launch, that was titled “Hot Coffee.” The mod allowed players to engage in the sexual minigame that apparently was never intended to be included in the release version of the game. This resulted in the ESRB rating being moved to AO, and the removal of the game from many stores. This led to new versions of the game being released by Rockstar, and the so-called “Cold Coffee” patch for PC players, which removed the objectionable content. A class action suit was filed, but hilariously, only 2,676 people filed a claim.
Manhunt 2
Manhunt 2 is quite possibly the most controversial game of all time, as the hullaboo around the title began two days after it was announced. The game was alleged to be connected with the 2004 Warren LeBlanc murder case, although the court found no connection. Jack Thompson took up the call to have Manhunt 2 banned, saying that he would sue to prevent its release. The game actually was refused classification in the UK, and received an Adults Only rating in the US. This meant that major retailers would not carry the title, and Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony would not allow the title on their platform. Rockstar eventually decided to censor the game, resulting the game being re-rated as a Mature title.
