List of controversial video games

This is a list of video games considered controversial. They include games that have earned controversies for violence, sexual content, LGBT themes, racism and review bombing from fans. Some of the video games on this list have been banned or regionally censored.

This video game-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Video game series
Release datesSeries titlePlatformPrimary developer/publisherReason(s)
1987–presentLeisure Suit LarryPC, PS2, Xbox, PS3, Xbox 360, Mobile phones, Android, iOS, PS4, Nintendo SwitchSierra Entertainment/VariousControversial for its obscenities and mature humor. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude was released on PC both censored and uncensored in the United States. The game was banned in Australia.
1988–2010SplatterhouseArcade, Famicom, FM Towns, TurboGrafx-16, Sega Genesis, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone, Nintendo SwitchNamco (now Bandai Namco Entertainment)Blood and gore, violence, and some questionable enemies. Critics described the most recent game as a "massive disappointment" and "violent, excessively gory brawler".[1]
1992–presentMortal KombatArcade, PC, Consoles, Mobile devices, StadiaMidway (later Warner Bros. Interactive)Blood, violence and gore. First fighter to introduce "Fatalities" to finish off opponents.[2][3][4][5][6][7] When released for home console formats it became the first "big budget" game to raise the issue of violence in the medium. Possible catalyst to the implementation of a rating system such as ESRB.
1996–presentPokémonGame Boy, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, WiiWare, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Nintendo SwitchNintendo, Game FreakJynx, one of the series' titular creatures, came under heavy backlash following a 2000 article by Carole Boston Weatherford that accused its design of perpetrating blackface imagery.[8] The resulting controversy forced a drastic redesign of Jynx, changing its skin from black to purple and shrinking its eyes and mouth. The series was also attacked by fundamentalist Christian groups, who argued that it promoted Satanic themes. In response, the Vatican broadcast its public approval of Pokémon in April 2000, claiming that the game was based on "intense ties of friendship" and lacked "any harmful moral side effects."[9]
1997–presentGrand Theft AutoAndroid, Amazon Fire TV, Dreamcast, Fire OS, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, iOS, Nintendo DS, PC, PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5 PSP, Shield Portable, Shield Tablet, Shield Android TV, Windows Phone, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series XRockstar Games (formerly DMA Design, now Rockstar North) (Take-Two Interactive)
See also: Controversies surrounding Grand Theft Auto IV, Controversies surrounding Grand Theft Auto V, and Hot Coffee mod
Sexual themes, drug use, racism, nudity, language, drunk driving, violence (against both civilians and law enforcement personnel). Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was originally rated "Mature" in the U.S., but was reviewed and re-rated "Adults Only" after controversy surrounding a fanmade Hot Coffee mod which unlocked a hidden sex scene (which was in the game's code, but left out of the final version). It was again re-rated "Mature" after Rockstar Games removed this scene from the game's code.[10] In Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned, one mission features full frontal male nudity, while in Grand Theft Auto V, one mission sees the character Trevor Philips torturing another character in several different ways, including waterboarding, pulling out teeth and administering electrical shocks to the nipples. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars featured a drug-dealing mini-game.
1997-presentPostalPCRunning with Scissors/VariousViolence and anti-law, most of which is committed against both civilians and government authorities, as well as racism, sexual themes, drug use, language, and animal cruelty.[5] Postal 2 was banned in New Zealand and Australia.[11]
2003-2007ManhuntPS2, PC, Xbox, Wii, PlayStation PortableRockstar Games (Rockstar North) (Take-Two Interactive)Excessive violence and gore. Manhunt gained significant controversy after it was alleged that the game inspired a teenager to commit a murder. Banned in Australia. Manhunt 2 has been labeled as possibly the most violent video game ever made and is infamous for being one of only four video games to have received an "Adults Only" rating due to violence. Further controversy surrounds the Wii version due to the fact that it actually simulates the violence through motion control, causing it to be dubbed a "murder simulator".[3][5][12]
2011–presentGal GunXbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, PCInti-CreatesThe Gal Gun series has been criticized by western critics due to allowing players to sexually exploit underage women. Inti-Creates was forced by Microsoft to censor the Xbox 360 version due to players being able to look up the girls' skirts, while the PlayStation 3 version remained completely uncensored.[13] The sequel, Gal Gun: Double Peace, which was released internationally, was banned in New Zealand for the same reason.[14]

1970s-1980s
Release dateTitlePlatformDeveloper/PublisherReason(s)
1973GotchaArcadeAtariControversial due to the controls being perceived as pink rubber bulges that were meant to represent breasts and were squeezed in order to control the action.[15]
1976Death RaceExidyThe object of the game is to run over stickmen "gremlins", who then scream and are replaced by tombstones, which was perceived as violence.[2][16]
1982Custer's RevengeAtari 2600MystiqueThe game depicts a crudely rendered General Custer dodging arrows to reach a naked Native American woman tied to a cactus. Should he survive, he was allowed to have sex with her, and received points for doing so. This quickly led to controversy regarding whether he was raping her, or if she participated willingly.[2][3][4]
1984–2009Punch-Out!!Arcades, NES, SNES, WiiNintendo, Next Level Games (2009 version)Numerous instances of ethnic stereotyping, mainly of the opponent boxers that the player fights.[17][18][19]
1985International KarateAmstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore 16, MS-DOS, MSX, ZX SpectrumSystem 3
Main article: Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc.
Data East USA sued Epyx, the publisher of the game in the United States (under the name of World Karate Championship) due to similarities between International Karate and Data East's Karate Champ. Although the suit was dismissed,[20] Data East was successful in obtaining an injunction to prevent further sales of World Karate Championship, which was subsequently appealed and reversed.[21][22]
1986177NEC PC-8801dB-softA bishoujo game revolving around rape, it ignited a public furor that reached the National Diet of Japan.[23]
1986ChillerArcade, NESExidySenseless, gory victimization of innocent people led arcade owners to widely reject it.[24]
1987Barbarian: The Ultimate WarriorAcorn Electron, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, ZX SpectrumPalace SoftwareThe cover art of the game, which featured bikini-clad Maria Whittaker, a model who was then associated with The Sun tabloid's Page Three topless photo shoots, and Michael Van Wijk, who was only wearing a loincloth, provoked outrage in the United Kingdom. Electron User magazine received letters from readers and religious bodies, who called the image "offensive and particularly insulting to women" and an "ugly pornographic advertisement".[25] Barbarian's violent content also sparked significant controversy and was banned in Germany by the Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien because of it.[26]
1987Super Monaco GPArcade, Sega Genesis, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Gear, Master System, ZX SpectrumSegaPhillip Morris sued Sega (and some other video game companies, including Namco and Atari Games on behalf of their Final Lap game) because the arcade version of the game contains advertisements that resemble those for Marlboro cigarettes.[27][28]

1990s
Release dateTitlePlatformDeveloper/PublisherReason(s)
1991J.B. Harold Murder ClubTurboGrafx-16NECSexual themes, including a reference to an unsolved rape.[29]
1992Wolfenstein 3DDOS, SNES, 3DO, Atari Jaguar, Game Boy Advance, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Androidid SoftwareViolence, gore, Nazi symbolism, and the inclusion of Adolf Hitler as the final boss.[30]
1992Night TrapSega CDDigital PicturesViolence, child abuse and sexual themes.[2][3][5]
1992Freedom!Apple IIMECCFreedom! was modelled similarly to MECC's previous The Oregon Trail to be used as an educational software game to teach students about escaping as a slave along the Underground Railroad; the game was developed with an African-American consultant as to utilize language patterns of the time period, and intended to be used with in-class curriculum to augment the game. However, in practical use, most students played the game without guidance, leading to parents to demand the game be pulled due to perceived insensitivities the game took towards the plight of the slaves. MECC tried to work with concerned groups to address faults in the game, but ultimately pulled the game instead.[31]
1993Fighter's HistoryArcade, SNESData EastCapcom sued Data East in the United States and Japan on grounds of copyright infringements pertaining to Street Fighter II property. The U.S. case was ruled in favor of Data East (which argued Karate Champ was the true originator of the competitive fighting game genre), as the "copied" elements were excluded from copyright,[32] similar to Apple's graphical user interface lawsuit against Microsoft.
1993DoomPC, Atari Jaguar, SNES, 32X, 3DO, Sega Saturn, PS1, GBA, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox Oneid SoftwareFirst-person violence, gore, and satanic themes.[2][4][5][6] Was once blamed for the Columbine High School massacre.
1996SimCopterPCMaxisA programmer named Jacques Servin introduced unauthorized "himbo" characters into the game, who would appear on certain dates and kiss.[33]
1996Duke Nukem 3DPC, Sega Saturn, PS1, PS3, PS Vita, PS4, Nintendo 64, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android, iOS3D RealmsViolence, sexual themes, nudity.[34][35]
1996Tomb RaiderPC, Sega Saturn, PS1EidosAn unauthorized software patch nicknamed "Nude Raider" was created by fans which allowed players to play as a naked Lara Croft.[36]
1996Battlecruiser 3000ADPC3000 ADThe game's long, troubled development, including the claims of use of neural network for the game's AI in the game's marketing, was a subject of multiple, year-long flame wars across the Usenet, generating over 70,000 posts and a number of web sites documenting the flame wars.[37]
1997Shadow WarriorPC, Mac, iOS3D RealmsControversial for "insensitive" and "inauthentic"[38] depictions of East Asian society and culture, to which 3D Realms responded, saying that they did not intend to make a racist game but had deliberately used a melange of Asian culture in order to create a "fun game" which "didn't take itself too seriously" and parodied "bad kung fu movies".[38] Despite their response, such criticism had continued.[39]
1997CarmageddonPC, Mac, N64, iOS, PS1SCi, Interplay EntertainmentViolence against pedestrians.[40] and animals.
1997Formula 1 97PC, PS1PsygnosisThe game was withdrawn from shops six weeks after its release due to legal wranglings with the FIA (Formula One's governing body), which objected to the use of the FIA logo on the game's packaging. It was re-released without the logo, but the FIA were left unsatisfied. The FIA lost a court case however, and the game continued to be sold without the logo.[41]
1998Thrill KillPS1Virgin InteractiveAfter Electronic Arts acquired the assets of Virgin Interactive in mid-1998, it quickly cancelled the release of Thrill Kill (which was due to be released in time for the holiday season) due to objections over the game's high level of violent content.
1999Kingpin: Life of CrimePCInterplay EntertainmentExcessive violence.[42]

2000s
Release dateTitlePlatformDeveloper/PublisherReason(s)
2000Dance Dance Revolution SoloArcadeKonamiIn 2002, a local arcade in San Diego, California removed a Solo 2000 machine after members of the local "Youth Advocacy Coalition" complained that the background movies of selected songs contained images that could promote drug and alcohol abuse, such as a scantily clad nurse, pills in "I'm Alive" and alcoholic drinks appearing in "Club Tropicana". The machine was replaced by a mix which did not contain the imagery.[43]
2000DaikatanaPCIon StormA highly controversial advertisement regarding John Romero's involvement with the game, which caused an equally highly publicized outrage.[44]
2000 Soldier of Fortune PC, Dreamcast, PS2 Raven Software In 2000, after receiving a complaint from a member of the public about the explicit content of the game, the British Columbia Film Classification Office investigated and decided the violence, gore and acts of torture were not suitable for persons under 18 years of age. In a controversial decision, the game was labeled an "adult motion picture" and was rated as a pornographic film. In Germany, the game was placed on the Index List of the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons.
2000Perfect DarkN64, Xbox 360, Xbox One (Rare Replay)Rare, Nintendo, Microsoft Studios (now Xbox Game Studios)As the first M-rated game published by Nintendo, the release of Perfect Dark was met with controversy since Nintendo - at least at the time - was famous for family-friendly video game franchises like Pokémon and Mario.[45]
2001Conker's Bad Fur DayN64, Xbox One (Rare Replay)Rare, Nintendo, Microsoft Studios (now Xbox Game Studios)Controversial for its "over-the-top" and "lewd" humor.[46]
2001Tear Ring SagaPS1TirnanogThe game, whose development was spearheaded by Shouzou Kaga, the creator of the Fire Emblem series, was subject to legal actions both during and after development by Nintendo, which owned the Fire Emblem intellectual property (partly due to the game being released for a competitor console). However, Nintendo was ultimately unable to stop the development or the sales of the game. Initially titled Emblem Saga during development, the game's name and other features were later changed to remove all direct references to Fire Emblem.[47]
2002Shadow Man: 2econd ComingPlayStation 2AcclaimAn attempt to promote this video game involved placing advertisements on deceased people's gravestones.[48]
2002Ethnic CleansingPCResistance RecordsRacially motivated violence, white supremacist themes.[49]
2002Kaboom!Browserfabolous999Players control a suicide bomber, the aim of the game being to kill as many people as possible.[50]
2002State of EmergencyPC, PS2, XboxRockstar Games (Take-Two Interactive), VIS EntertainmentContains Columbine-style violence, including political assassinations and coup d'états. Additionally, the game caused controversy in Washington due to the game's similarities to the World Trade Organization riots in Seattle.[51]
2003Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach VolleyballXboxTecmoMany critics have commented that the game's use of female bodies is often ridiculous at best, and some have found it offensive.[52]
2003WhiplashPlayStation 2, XboxCrystal DynamicsThe game generated some controversy over the animal cruelty, mainly by the RSPCA.
2003Laden VS USAPanyu Gaming Electronic Co.The game was based on the September 11 attacks and the packaging used a 9/11 photograph.[53][54]
2004The Sims 2PCEA GamesA player-made mod allowed for the blur effect that appears when a character is nude to be removed. However, the nude Sims are featureless.[55]
2004JFK: ReloadedPCTraffic SoftwareThe player is given the role of Lee Harvey Oswald as he assassinates U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Criticized for its controversial content matter in recreating the assassination and was condemned by a spokesman for Senator Ted Kennedy as "despicable".[56]
2004The Guy GamePC, PlayStation 2Topheavy Studios/Gathering of DevelopersAn adult trivia game that treated winners to full motion videos of young women in bikinis. One of the women that was part of the footage was unaware that she would be appearing in the game, nor was said woman in an age of consent when the video was filmed. In the subsequent lawsuit against Topheavy, Gathering of Developers, Microsoft, and Sony, an injunction banned further sales of the game. Topheavy however, released an edited version (removing footage of the woman in question) that added new footage and was later published as an interactive DVD title.[57]
2005Super Columbine Massacre RPG!PCDanny LedonneThe game simulates the events of the Columbine High School massacre, having the player take on the roles of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and reenacting the massacre.[58][59][60][61]
2005GunPC, PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Xbox 360ActivisionThe game's offensive depictions of American Indians prompted the Association for American Indian Development to call a boycott against the game.[62]
2004The PunisherPC, PS2, XboxVolitionInterrogation, torture, intense gun fights, drugs, and indiscriminate killing. Originally merited an "Adults Only" rating before being edited on appeal.[63][64][65][66]
2006BullyPS3, Xbox 360, PS2, Wii, iOS, Android, Shield Android TV, Shield Tablet, Shield PortableRockstar Games (Rockstar Vancouver) (Take-Two Interactive)Based upon its title, it was perceived that Bully glorified bullying. That the main character Jimmy could also kiss another boy was a matter of controversy.[67] Classification boards generally restricted Bully to a teenage audience: the US-based Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) classified the game with a T rating,[68] the British Board of Film Classification gave it a 15 rating, the Australian Classification Board rated it M,[69] and the New Zealand OFLC restricted it to persons 13 years of age and over. In 2007, Yahoo! Games listed it as one of the top ten controversial games of all time.[70]
2006The Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionXbox 360, PC, PS3Bethesda Softworks
Main article: ESRB re-rating of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Re-rated to "Mature" by the ESRB after a third-party mod revealed a nude topless corpse hidden in the game's data files. While the corpse did not warrant a re-rating of the game in and of itself, upon review, the ESRB noted that the game contained much more explicit violence than had been submitted to them in the original rating submission.[71]
2006Hitman: Blood MoneyPC, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3IO InteractiveExcessive violence and assassinations; magazine ads for the game featured pictures depicting murder victims.[72]
2006Mind QuizNintendo DS, PSPUbisoftRecalled in the United Kingdom due to use of the word "spastic", which is considered highly offensive in said country.[73]
2006Left Behind: Eternal ForcesPCLeft Behind GamesAccusations that the game promoted religious "convert or kill" violence, sexism and racism.[74][75][76] Some reviewers denied that the game contained any truly controversial gameplay,[77] but instead took issue with the game's clumsy controls, in-game advertising and lackluster AI.[78] Ars Technica called it "a relatively harmless and well-done piece of propaganda".[79]
2006Resistance: Fall of ManPS3Insomniac Games
Main article: Controversy over the use of Manchester Cathedral in Resistance: Fall of Man
The Church of England objected to the game's use of Manchester Cathedral's interior as a backdrop during a gun battle, and called for the game to be withdrawn or for the cathedral to be removed from the game.[80]
2006RapeLayPCIllusion SoftRape is a core part of the gameplay, as the player takes on the role of a chikan who stalks - and subsequently rapes - a mother and her two underage daughters. Three years after its initial release, significant controversy was raised in the UK Parliament and elsewhere, and Equality Now eventually pressured its distributor to withdraw distribution of it in Japan.[81]
2006Rule of RosePS2PunchlineThe Mayor of Rome called for the game to be banned from Italy, saying children "have the right to be shielded from violence".[82] The then European Union justice and security commissioner wrote an open letter condemning the game for "obscene cruelty and brutality". An Italian magazine, Panorama, claimed that in order to win the game players must bury a girl alive, which the game's European publisher disputed.[83] On the UK release day, the publisher announced that Rule of Rose would not be published in the UK, despite the game being approved for release by the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) and Video Standards Council regulatory bodies.[84]
2007BioShockXbox 360, PC, PS3, iOS2K GamesAn article in The Patriot Ledger, the local paper of developer Irrational Games,[85] argued that the game is "testing the limits of the ultra-violent gaming genre with a strategy that enables players to kill characters resembling young girls."[86] The game presents an ethical choice to players, whether to kill 'Little Sisters' for extra abilities or save them and receive less. President of 2K Boston Ken Levine defended the game as a piece of art, stating "we want to deal with challenging moral issues and if you want to do that, you have to go to some dark places".[87] Jack Thompson took issue with advertisements for the game appearing during WWE SmackDown's airtime, writing to the Federal Trade Commission and stating that M-rated games should not be advertised when large numbers of under-17s are watching.[88]
2007Mass EffectPS3, Xbox 360, PCBioWareFalsely accused by evangelical blogger Kevin McCullough of containing "rape and sodomy", which later led to the removal of McCullough's blog entry on Townhall.com. The game was featured on the Fox News Channel following the controversy,[89] with host Martha MacCallum, which included the headline "full graphic sex".[90] In actuality, the game's most explicit content is an indirect "sideboob" shot of a humanoid alien breast.[91]
2007Mario Party 8WiiNintendoUse of the phrase "Turn the train spastic! Make this ticket tragic!" by the character Kamek caused controversy in the United Kingdom, where the word spastic is considered offensive (which is the same issue that Mind Quiz raised). This led to a recall of the game; it was later re-released with the word changed to erratic.[92]
2008SporePCMaxisSpore's use and implementation of SecuROM digital rights management, including the game's activation policies, was subject to widespread criticism and lawsuits; the game was listed as the most pirated game of 2008.[93][94][95][96][97]
2008Muslim MassacrePCEric 'Sigvatr' VaughnThe game's contents and subject have been the subject of strong negative response; a spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain said "The makers of this 'game' and the ISPs (Internet service providers) who are hosting it should be quite ashamed of themselves. Anti-Muslim prejudice is already on the increase and needs to be challenged and not reinforced through tasteless and offensive stunts like this."[98]
2008Invaders!Douglas Edric StanleyAn art game exhibited at the 2008 Games Convention in Leipzig. It represents the September 11 attacks in the style of Space Invaders. Players move their bodies to move the cannon and use arm movements to fire.[99] Like the original Space Invaders, death (game over) is inevitable.[100] Many people considered it tasteless and inappropriate, and Taito threatened legal action for unauthorized use of Space Invaders content.[101] The creator later pulled the game.[101]
2008Silent Hill: HomecomingPS3, PC, Xbox 360Double Helix GamesThe game was initially banned and a rating refused in Australia and Germany for extreme violence and disturbing images which included graphic sexuality, naked characters, copious blood sprays, decapitations, partially dismembered corpses, and numerous scenes of attacks, fights, torture and death.[102] The Australian version was subsequently released with the MA15+ rating and censored graphics, while the Japanese release was cancelled altogether.
2008LittleBigPlanetPS3Media MoleculeLyrics from a licensed song, "Tapha Niang", were removed due to fears that Muslims would be offended, on the basis that it allegedly contained words from the Quran. This led to controversy about the removal itself.[103]
2008Too HumanXbox 360Silicon Knights The game was revealed to being developed using a stolen version of Unreal Engine 3, following a successful counter-suit by Epic Games (makers of the Unreal Engine), Silicon Knights having initially sued Epic Games for "breach of contract".[104][105] In November 2012, the counter-suit was ruled in favor of Epic Games, forcing Silicon Knights to recall and destroy all copies of the game and another Unreal Engine-developed game, X-Men: Destiny, as well as cancelling other titles that had been planned to use the engine.[106][107]
2008Limbo of the LostPCMajestic Studios The game's use of plagiarized assets from other games and movies prompted publishers, Tri Synergy, to stop publishing the game.[108]
2009MadWorldWiiPlatinumGames
2009Resident Evil 5PS3, Xbox 360, PC, PS4, Xbox One, Shield Android TV, Shield Portable, Shield Tablet, Nintendo SwitchCapcomThe game came under controversy for a pre-release trailer that contains scenes of racism,[109] according to Newsweek journalist N'Gai Croal in an April 2008 interview. He also stated that organizations and retailers would object to the game and that it would cause controversy on release.[109]
2009SawPS3, Xbox 360, PCKonamiSeveral news publishings stated that the game's only purpose was to torture and kill people in violent ways with no sense of restraint or morality whatsoever. Some editorials called it "depraved and inhumane" and stated that "Konami should be ashamed".[110] It was also listed in the "Top ten most controversial games of 2009".[111]
2009Left 4 Dead 2Xbox 360, PC (Steam)ValveThe cover art in the UK had to be altered due to a potentially offensive hand gesture being depicted.[112] The game was initially banned in Australia for its excessive violence and gore, but the uncensored version was later rated R18+ in 2014.[113] The game's New Orleans setting so soon after Hurricane Katrina was considered "a bad call".[114]
2009Fat PrincessPlayStation 3
PlayStation Portable		Titan StudiosCritics argued that the game concept and title were hostile to women.[115]
2009Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2PS3, Xbox 360, PC,Infinity Ward
Main article: Controversies surrounding Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
A optional mission in the game entitled "No Russian" has the player assume control of an undercover Central Intelligence Agency operative, joining a group of Russian nationalist terrorists who perpetrate an airport massacre. The player is given the option to skip it at any point,[116][117] and a message before the campaign also notifies players of the disturbing material. The game was discussed briefly in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom after the issue was brought to the attention of MP Keith Vaz, a longtime opponent of violence in video games, with fellow Labour Party politician Tom Watson arguing that the level was "no worse than scenes in many films and books" and criticising Vaz for "collaborating with the Daily Mail to create moral panic over the use of video games".[118] The mission was made optional before release[119] and removed from the game entirely.[120]

Activision later removed the Favela multiplayer map from Modern Warfare 2 following complaints from Muslim gamers, which shows picture frames on the second floor bathroom of one building within Favela. When viewed through a scoped weapon, the frames contain a quote from Muhammad that translates to "Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty", according to Islam Today. One of the paintings is located directly above a toilet.[121]

2010s
Release dateTitlePlatformDeveloperReason(s)
2010Medal of HonorPS3, Xbox 360, PCDanger Close Games, EA Digital Illusions CEThe multiplayer mode created controversy when it was revealed that players could play as the Taliban.[122] The developers responded by stating the reality of the game necessitated it, but due to pressure from various military officials and veterans organizations, the word "Taliban" was subsequently removed from the multiplayer part of the game in which players would directly play as the Taliban, instead replaced with the term "Opposing Force." However, even in light of this change, the game is still not to be sold on military bases. The AAFES Commander Maj. Gen. Bruce Casella said, "Out of respect to those touched by the ongoing, real-life events presented as a game, Exchanges will not be carrying this product." He continued, "I expect the military families who are authorized to shop the Exchange are aware, and understanding, of the decision not to carry this particular offering."[123][124]
2010 (cancelled)Six Days in FallujahPS3, Xbox 360, PCAtomic GamesShortly after the announcement of the game, Six Days was met with criticism by war veterans from the United Kingdom, as well as from a British pressure group, Stop the War Coalition.[125]
2011BulletstormPS3, Xbox 360, PCElectronic ArtsFox News Channel called out the title as the "Worst Video Game in the World" due to the extreme amount of violence; claims made in the original article were dispelled by video game journalists including Rock Paper Shotgun, but Fox News continues to assert the game as too violent.[126]
2011Portal 2PS3, Xbox 360, PCValveCBS News has deemed the game offensive to adopted children because Wheatley insults the protagonist by saying "Fatty fatty no parents". The daughter of the parents who reported this is in fact, adopted.[127]
2011Call of Juarez: The CartelPS3, Xbox 360, PCUbisoftResidents of Ciudad Juárez and Mexico protested the announcement of the game, believing it to highlight the Juárez Cartel, who are believed to be responsible for over 3,000 homicides in the city in 2010.[128]
2011 We Dare PS3, Wii Ubisoft Milan The game received a 12 rating by PEGI, and a PG rating by the ACB, implying that the game is suitable for children despite Ubisoft marketing it as an "adult party game." This drew criticism for both rating boards considering the questionable content in the trailer for the game. Because of this, Ubisoft shelved plans for a North American[129] and UK release (despite it eventually releasing in the UK,) while also blocking the trailer from being viewed on Youtube.
2011Dead IslandPS3, Xbox 360, PCDeep SilverAfter a development build of the game was released on Steam by mistake, it was revealed that the skill 'Gender Wars' (which the character Purna uses) was called 'FeministWhorePurna' within the game's code. Developer Deep Silver apologised and released a patch for the game to replace the offensive name.[130]
2011 (start of development)Star CitizenPCCloud Imperium GamesA crowdfunded game, Star Citizen has attracted criticism for the constant, frequent delays of the game's release deadlines, while continuing to raise additional funds,[131][132] with the developers facing legal actions from Derek Smart[133] and CryTek[134] as well as taking similar legal actions against critics of the development and funding practices associated with the game.[135][136]
2012Counter-Strike: Global OffensivePS3, Xbox 360, PC (Steam)ValveIn 2016, the game came under fire on the grounds of several players using third-party betting through the use of skin gambling, wherein players sell in-game cosmetics for real currency. This led to concerns of potential underage players participating in "skin gambling", which may lead to future gambling addictions, as well as the potential of match fixing within the game's competitive scene (see iBUYPOWER and NetcodeGuides.com match fixing scandal). Valve has since ordered a cease and desist against many Counter-Strike gambling websites.[137][138]
2012Medal of Honor: WarfighterPS3, Xbox 360, PCDanger Close GamesSeveral members of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) who worked as consultants for the game were disciplined for releasing classified information to the game's creators.[139][140]
2012Street Fighter X TekkenPS3, Xbox 360, PC, iOS, PlayStation VitaCapcom, DimpsIt was revealed that the game's downloadable characters were already on the disc in a ready-to-unlock form, leading to heavy criticism.[141][142]
2012Persona 4 ArenaPS3, Xbox 360Atlus, Arc System WorksThe PlayStation 3 version of the game includes a regional lockout, allowing the game to be played only if the game's region matches the console region, despite the fact that PlayStation 3 games are normally region-free, leading to a massive fan outrage.[143][144] The game's sequel, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax however, was region-free.[145]
2012Mass Effect 3PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii UBioWareWhile critically acclaimed overall, the ending of Mass Effect 3 was highly criticized as, among other issues, rendered all the decisions players had made in the trilogy, carried over through save files, moot, in contrast to marketing material BioWare had put forth for the game.[146] Due to a large reaction from the player base, BioWare released free downloadable content that provided a more cinematic ending sequence that addressed some of these concerns.[147]
2013Payday 2PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo SwitchOverkill SoftwarePayday 2, while having featured a large array of downloadable content, had been claimed by its developers would never include microtransactions. However, a major game update released in October 2015 included rewards that required the player to use real-world money to purchase keys to unlock, and with rewards that may not be usable if the player did not buy certain pieces of downloadable content. Fans of the game reacted negatively to the change.[148] In May 2016, Overkill was able to acquire full rights to the Payday series, and among other announcements relating to the series, announced they would remove the microtransactions from Payday 2.[149]
2013Tomb RaiderPS3, Xbox 360, PCCrystal DynamicsDuring an interview with Kotaku, executive producer Ron Rosenberg stated that one scene in the game depicts Lara Croft about to be sexually assaulted by a scavenger. She is forced to fight back and kill him in self-defense. Prior to the game's release, this quickly led to controversy concerning the possible "attempted rape" sequence. Studio manager Darrell Gallagher later denied this, stating that one of "the character defining moments for Lara in the game, which has incorrectly been referred to as an 'attempted rape' scene is the content we showed" where "Lara is forced to kill another human for the first time. In this particular selection, while there is a threatening undertone in the sequence and surrounding drama, it never goes any further than the scenes that we have already shown publicly. Sexual assault of any kind is categorically not a theme that we cover in this game."[150][151]
2013Saints Row IVXbox 360, PlayStation 3, PCVolitionDespite changes in the Australian Classification Board to adopt rules to use the R18+ rating for video games in January 2013, Saints Row IV was the first video game under these new rules to be denied classification, due to the presence of drug use and an in-game alien anal probe weapon.[152] Volition eliminated these elements from the game to obtain a MA15+ rating by removing the mission these elements were used in,[153] thus rendering the game's co-operative mode incompatible with versions from other countries.[154]
2013The Stanley ParablePCGalactic CafeAn in-game instructional video called "Choice" contained an image of a white man lighting a black child on fire.[155]
2014South Park: The Stick of TruthXbox 360, PlayStation 3, PCObsidian Entertainment,
South Park Digital Studios		The game was censored (by Ubisoft's decision) in Europe and Australia due to its depiction of an anal probing by aliens and the player-character performing an abortion. In their place, the game displays either a still image of a statue holding its face in its hand, or a crying koala, with an explicit description of events depicted in the scene. The German version was specifically censored because of the use of Nazi- and Hitler-related imagery, including swastikas and Nazi salutes, which in that country are outlawed outside of the context of "art or science, research or teaching".[156] The PC version remains completely uncut in Europe.[157]
2015Hotline Miami 2: Wrong NumberPCDennaton GamesThe sequel, like the first Hotline Miami, incorporates a large amount of violence as the player sets to kill off agents of the local mafia, but a preview build for the sequel includes a scene that is set up wherein the player's character then appears to rape a female antagonist, though this is later presented in the context of being part of a staged movie scene. Journalists felt that even though the game made it clear of the scene's setup, the inclusion of this scene went too far in taste levels.[158] Despite some changes and assurances made by the developer, the scene in the game caused the Australian Classification Board to refuse to classify the game, effectively preventing legal sale of the title in that country.[159]
2015Hatred PCDestructive CreationsA game about a suicidal mass murderer, in which the primary mechanic is about shooting innocent civilians in the murderer's fit of rage. The CEO behind Hatred has been accused of having neo-Nazi, anti-Islamic affiliations due to liking some pages on Facebook related to such beliefs.[160] The title has been highly controversial, and when the developers attempted to place it on the Steam Greenlight service, it was pulled by Valve due to the game's content; however, it has been brought back onto Greenlight by Gabe Newell, and later apologized for the removal.[161] The game was rated "Adults Only" (AO) by the ESRB, which prevents retail sales and its release on consoles and would likely prevent its sale on digital storefronts for personal computers.[162]
2015Playing History 2 - Slave TradePCSerious GamesThe game was created by Serious Games as an edutainment title to teach the user about slave trading. One game mode in the title was called "Slave Tetris", with the goal to try to fit as many African slaves on a boat as possible, using gameplay similar to Tetris; the developer had intended to show how inhumane the slave traders were and how such trade boats were packed to capacity, stating "it really gets people to think about just how absurd and cruel it is". When the mode was discovered by a wider audience due to discounted sales of the game and Let's Play broadcasts of it, many critics expressed distaste for the mode, considering it to be highly insensitive. The developer pulled the mode from the game following this outrage.[163]
2015Survival Island 3iOS and AndroidNIL EntertainmentA first-person action game in which the fair-skinned player-character has to fight and kill Indigenous Australians while destroying Australian fauna. After a Change.org petition, the game was pulled from the App Store and Google Play.[164]
2015Pakistan Army RetributionAndroidA first-person shooter game, based upon the 2014 Peshawar school massacre. Developed as part of the Peaceful Pakistan peace campaign, the game allowed the player to control a soldier during the attack and kill Taliban terrorists. After a negative review on the website of newspaper DAWN, calling the game to be of "poor taste",[165] other people also expressed criticism.[166] The game was subsequently pulled from the Google Play Store in January 2016.
2016OverwatchMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox OneBlizzard EntertainmentA team-based multiplayer shooter which includes a number of unique characters, and matches concluded with the winning character doing one of several possible victory poses that can be selected by the player. Some players found that the victory pose for one character (a young woman named Tracer who is also shown on the game's cover art) was overtly sexual and reduced the character to a "bland female sex symbol".[167] Blizzard removed the offending pose, replacing it with a pin-up model-inspired pose.[168]
2016Street Fighter VPlayStation 4, Microsoft WindowsCapcom, DimpsAn update for the PC version of the game released in September 2016 included a device driver named Capcom.sys, as a part of the game's anti-cheat measures, which was seen by players and security analysts as a rootkit. Capcom has since provided a rollback.[169] In 2017, an update which added M. Bison's classic Street Fighter II stage was taken down after fans noticed Islamic chants in what was actually a Buddhist temple.[170]
2016Baldur's Gate: Siege of DragonspearMicrosoft WindowsBeamdogSiege of Dragonspear is an expansion atop Beamdog's Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, itself a remastering of the original 1998 game, providing a narrative to explain events between Baldur's Gate and its sequel. Though the game was criticized by players on its release due to a number of software bugs, a controversy arose at what was perceived as a forced political agenda by the developers, in particular the inclusion of a transgender character.[171]
2016Pokémon GoiOS, AndroidNiantic, Inc., Nintendo
Main article: Pokémon Go § Criticism and incidents
Pokémon Go gained significant controversy after the game allegedly inspired criminals to commit robberies using the augmented reality feature. CNN reported that the geolocation feature was used for robbers to find and capture victims.[172] There have been several deaths that occurred while playing the game, such as the death of a Japanese woman who was hit by a driver playing the game.[173] In 2017, a Chinese-American grandfather was shot and killed by a security guard while playing the game.[174]
2016 Persona 5 PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 Atlus Within the game's dialog include scenes between main character Ryuji, a high school student, and two other effeminate men. Many fans of the series and critics commented poorly on these scenes as they showed the two men using stereotypical presentation of overly sexualized gay men, and appeared to be inappropriate attempts at creating sexual relationship between them and Ryuji as a minor.[175] Due to these complaints, Atlus announced for release of the expanded content in Persona 5 Royal, released in Japan in 2019 and in Western regions in 2020, that they would alter these scenes with updated lines "for the current generation".[176]
2017 Fight of Gods Microsoft Windows PQube Fight of Gods was designed as a satirical fighting game between various religious and mythical god or godlike figures. In September 2017, after Jesus was added as a playable character, the government of Malaysia considered the game "blasphemous", demanded Valve remove the game from Steam, and had its ISPs temporarily block the country's access to Steam. Valve eventually blocked sales of the game in Malaysia, allowing the service to be restored in the country.[177][178]
2017 Star Wars Battlefront II Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Electronic Arts In November 2017, the game received unfavorable critical attention when its loot box monetization scheme during its open beta period was revealed, which many felt was a "pay-to-win" scheme since some loot box rewards directly influenced multiplayer gameplay. Electronic Arts revisited the loot box approach prior to launch to address those concerns.[179] Just before the game's full launch, it was revealed that many of the playable heroes in the game would be locked until the player had earned enough in-game credits over time, or spent money on microtransactions to unlock them faster, further raising player criticism. Electronic Arts attempted to justify the change on the game's subforum at Reddit but it was met with outrage, making that comment the most down-voted Reddit post of all time.[180] Hours before the game's release, EA temporarily disabled all microtransactions for the game to review concerns by players and rework these in-currency systems after launch.[181]
2018 Standoff Microsoft Windows Revived Games Originally titled Active Shooter, the game was developed by Revived Games and was published by Acid Games in June 2018 on Steam. The game presented a first-person shooter based on a fictional school shooting scenario, with the game's description stating that the player can choose to be the SWAT team member to take down the suspects, or the students firing on the school. The game, which appeared on Steam shortly following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February 2018, came under criticism from students, parents, and politicians, directing concern towards the developers, publisher, and Valve for trying to profit off an emotional distressing situation.[182] Before the game could be released, Valve pulled the game and the developer from Steam, citing prior issues with "asset reuse" games by the developer and manipulation of Steam reviews.[183]
2018 Agony PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Madmind Studio A dark fantasy survival horror video game that puts players into the perspective of a tormented soul within the depths of Hell devoid of any memories whatsoever about its past. The special ability to control people on their path, and possess weak-minded demons, gives players the necessary measures to survive in the extreme conditions they are in.[184] Agony is infamous for being one of only four games to have received the "Adults Only" rating from ESRB due to violence and other extreme graphic content (including gay and lesbian sex scenes and genital physics), following The Punisher, Manhunt 2, and Hatred. The game was re-rated "Mature" after the developers agreed to tone down the violence, which also led to PEGI rating the game 18. A planned "Adults Only" unrated patch for PC was later dropped due to "legal issues".[185] However, on June 6, 2018, the developers said they were "talking with Steam representatives" about offering Agony Unrated as "a separate title produced and published by Madmind Studio and without the involvement of any publishers." For those who already own the original game, this version will be either free DLC or a separate purchase at 99% off, which currently is the highest possible discount on Steam's platform.[186] After announcing the financial problems of the company and canceling the Unrated version of the game, the basic game docked on August 1, 2018, with a considerable amount of updates on the platforms on which it debuted.[187]
2018 Bolsomito 2K18 PC BS Studios Bolsomito 2K18, a brawler game where the player fights "the evils of communism" and "the growing corruption and inversion of values that plagues [sic] his society", according to its description, while in-game, this is represented as attacking women, minorities, and LGBTQ persons. The game was released on Steam two days prior to the October 2018 Brazilian general election, where one of the candidates in the election was Jair Bolsonaro, thus inspiring the game's name. Bolsonaro was considered a far-right candidate in the election and led after the first round of voting. The Brazilian Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories has opened an investigation on both Valve and BS Studios, stating that the game and its close release to the elections "clearly intends to harm [the] Presidency of the Republic and thereby embarrass the 2018 elections" and "cause collective moral damages to the movements social, gays and feminists".[188][189]
2018 Diablo Immortal iOS/Android Blizzard Entertainment Diablo Immortal, a mobile game port was announced at the 2018 BlizzCon event, with Blizzard having teased something Diablo related in the weeks prior. Upon the announcement, fans at the event booed the presentation, and other fans took to social media to express discontentment with the announcement. Complaints from gamers ranged from concern that Diablo Immortal was a re-skin of a previous game developed by NetEase (who are also developing Immortal), to issues related to Blizzard longtime fans of the series by not releasing Diablo 4 on computer or home console. The situation was further stressed when Kotaku had claimed that inside sources told them that Blizzard had pulled a Diablo 4 announcement at the last minute, which Blizzard refuted the next day.[190][191][192]
2018 Assassin's Creed Odyssey PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia Ubisoft The main storyline in Assassin's Creed Odyssey features the ability to select one of two playable characters, the male Alexios or the female Kassandra, and gave players the ability to interact with non-player characters in various romance options, including gay relationships; this feature was stressed by Ubisoft in its promotional material for the game, given that they did not want to force the player into any specific relationship. In the finale of the game's downloadable content, "Legacy of the First Blade", the chosen character is shown to have settled down with a spouse of the opposite gender in a romantic relationship and raised a child, which ran against those who had chosen to role-play their character in gay relationships from the main game. Ubisoft apologized, stating that they wanted to show how the character's bloodline continued into future generations of Assassins, but agreed to change the story of the content.[193] Ubisoft released an update for this content in February 2019 that alters the end scenes to show that those who opted to play their character as gay will enter into a non-romantic relationship with a spouse for purposes of continuing the bloodline, retaining the romantic choices the player otherwise made before, as well as changing the achievement name for reaching this point from "Growing up" to "Blood of Leonidas" to avoid implications made by the former.[194][195]
2018 Super Seducer PC Red Dahlia Interactive Super Seducer, billed as "the world's most realistic seduction simulator", in which the player is taught by a pickup artist how to pick up women by going through multiple choice questions accompanied by video clips, came under fire by a number of left wing critics, who one described it as the "world’s sleaziest game"[196] and another for "normalizing rape culture"[197] Prior to its release, the game had its crowdfunding campaign suspended by Kickstarter, according to its press release was due to "inappropriate content, including but not limited to offensive or pornographic material" and "spamming or abusive behavior, offering rewards in violation of Kickstarter's rules."[198][199] During release, the developer came under fire for ordering a DMCA takedown request against a YouTuber after he made a video critiquing the game.[200][201] Its release on PlayStation 4 was pulled by Sony shortly before it was due for release.[202]
2019 Devotion PC Red Candle The Taiwanese horror game Devotion drew backlash from Chinese players after two Easter eggs were discovered that mocked Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. The first Easter egg consisted of a poster with text written on it referring to the president as a "Winnie-the-Pooh moron"; the children's literature character had previously been blocked online by the Chinese government for being heavily featured in Internet memes comparing him to Jinping. The second Easter egg consisted of a newspaper describing the incarceration of an individual under the alias "Steamed Bun," a euphemism for Jinping used by his critics to evade federal censorship. Following a review bombing campaign, developer Red Candle apologized for the Easter eggs' inclusion and stated that they would refund offended players. Reports from Chinese social media users also claimed that the game was pulled from Steam as a result of the controversy.[203][204] In December 2020, Red Candle had worked with GOG.com to bring the game back through that service, but GOG.com opted not to sell the game, stating it had received "many messages from gamers" criticizing them for doing so.[205]
2019 Rape Day PC Desk Plant Rape Day was listed as an upcoming title on Steam around early March 2019; according to its description, Rape Day was a "dark comedy and power fantasy" visual novel that allowed the player to "[control] the choices of a menacing serial killer rapist during a zombie apocalypse." The game's store page included numerous warnings related to the content, including "violence, sexual assault, non-consensual sex, obscene language, necrophilia, incest, and the death of a baby". Many journalists quickly expressed concern about the game's content based on the description and troubling screenshots and how it appeared to glorify rape, and opined that the game would be a type of litmus test of Valve's recently-developed hands-off policy in terms of Steam storefront curation, believing Valve should block the game. By March 6, 2019, Valve had issued a statement that it will not allow the game to be published on Steam, and removed its upcoming store page. In the company's statement, Valve said "We respect developers’ desire to express themselves, and the purpose of Steam is to help developers find an audience, but this developer has chosen content matter and a way of representing it that makes it very difficult for us to help them do that."[206][207]
2019 Ion Fury PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Voidpoint Initially titled Ion Maiden, Ion Fury was forced to change its title when the game's publisher was challenged with a trademark infringement lawsuit by the band Iron Maiden. After release, players found language within the game that was considered by some to be homophobic: a bottle of lotion labeled "Ogay" (parodying the brand Olay) and an inaccessible room containing the word "fagbag", allegedly a spoof on the title of the Duke Nukem theme song. Additionally, players on the game's Discord server found that some of the developers had previously used language insensitive to transgender causes. Developer Voidpoint and publisher 3D Realms apologized for the poor language, and vowed to donate US$10,000 to The Trevor Project as well as patch out the offensive content. A week later, facing backlash from confused players who thought the entire game was to be censored, Voidpoint and 3D Realms clarified that they were not censoring content intended to be included in the game and were only removing the offensive word found within the inaccessible area, though still stressing that the behavior on Discord was unacceptable.[208]
2019 NBA 2K20 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Stadia 2K Games Prior to the game's own release, NBA 2K20 received severe backlash for microtransactions components being advertised in a trailer which has blatant similarities to a casino. The heavy focus on these components in conjunction with the option to spend real-world currency on it has also caused many to criticize both PEGI and the ESRB for giving the game each organization's lowest possible age rating despite both boards claiming that gambling content, simulated or not, would warrant a significantly higher age rating.[209]

2020s
Release dateTitlePlatformDeveloperReason(s)
2020Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch Nintendo EPD The game was pulled from Chinese online digital sales as it allowed users to create their own displays in game, some which were used to support the ongoing protests favoring Hong Kong.[210]
2020Cooking Mama: Cookstar Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 1st Playable Productions The game was released without any approval of the IP holder Office Create, which started a legal dispute against the game's publisher Planet Entertainment,[211] resulting the removal of the game on the Nintendo eShop and an extremely limited print run.
2020EA Sports UFC 4 PlayStation 4, Xbox One EA Vancouver The game, released as a standard premium title, was updated about a month after launch to include short but full screen in-game advertisements from third-parties. Fans complained to Electronic Arts, who stated that while they had used ads for the game itself, they recognized the negative feedback from players over these third-party ads, and disabled them within a few days.[212]
2020Cyberpunk 2077 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S CD Projekt Cyberpunk 2077 was a highly anticipated game which had been planned for release around April 2020 but was pushed back until December 2020 between both technical issues and as part of the COVID-19 pandemic. This put it into after the release of the next-generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game as released performed generally well on the Windows platform, but the game's performance on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One was considered extremely poor; none of the pre-release material for the game showed the game working on these consoles, and players complained that they were led to believe the game would play as well on the older platforms. CD Projekt admitted they failed to test these versions as well as they had the other ports, and assisted players in trying to get refunds for digital purchases despite Sony and Microsoft initially refusing to provide these.[213] Within a week of release, Sony stated they would refund the game on the PlayStation consoles but at the same time, removed the game from digital purchase until further notice.[214][205][215]

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