Final Fantasy 16 has been banned ahead of its release in certain countries because of controversial plot elements that don’t conform to the standards of said countries.
The Saudi Arabian Public Authority for Media has announced via Twitter that Final Fantasy 16 will not be released in the country. According to the announcement, Square Enix has refused to make modifications to the game to satisfy Saudi authorities. It is likely that the game will also be banned from the United Arab Emirates.
Final Fantasy 16 has been banned in certain countries, such as Saudi Arabia, due to its controversial plot elements and adult content. The game breaks with Final Fantasy tradition as the first game in the franchise to feature more adult content, earning it an M-rating from the ESRB.
“For fans of the #FinalFantasyXIV game, we would like to clarify that it has not been released in the Kingdom, due to the publisher’s unwillingness to make the necessary modifications,” the tweet reads.
لمحبي لعبة #FinalFantasyXIV، نود التوضيح بأنها لم تفسح بالمملكة، وذلك بسبب عدم رغبة الناشر بإجراء التعديلات اللازمة.
الهيئة العامة للإعلام #المرئي_والمسموع #تصنيف_الألعاب pic.twitter.com/5OuWZJGEvX
— التصنيف العمري للألعاب الإلكترونية (@Gmedia_Games) May 3, 2023
The largely conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has banned a number of video games for a variety of reasons. Games containing violence, nudity, gambling, use of drugs, alcohol, sexual themes, and more have been banned in the country. The God of War series, Grand Theft Auto, and The Last of Us Part II are just some of the most popular titles that have not been released in Saudi Arabia.
Final Fantasy 16 has been a controversial title for the best-selling franchise. The upcoming RPG breaks with Final Fantasy tradition as the first game in the franchise to feature more adult content compared to other titles. It is also the first Final Fantasy game to receive an M-rating from the ESRB.
The Saudi Arabian Public Authority for Media has not revealed the reason why the game was banned. It is likely related to the adult content that made it an M-rated game. However, it is possible that the regulatory body found other content not related to M-rating unacceptable in the country. For now, fans can only speculate about the reason why the game was banned.
Final Fantasy 16 received an M-rating from the ESRB due to blood and gore, sexual themes, strong language, as well as partial nudity, any of which could have gotten it banned from Saudi Arabia.
Square Enix refused to modify the game to pass regulatory standards in Saudi Arabia. The objectionable content from the game may have been too important to the story that the studio would risk not being approved rather than changing some elements.
Final Fantasy 16 isn’t the first title from the series that has been banned from release in the country. Final Fantasy 15 also suffered the same fate as well.
Final Fantasy 16 is coming exclusively to the PS5 on June 16.
