Final Fantasy 16 seemingly banned for LGBTQ+ themes
It's a pretty big surprise that a Final Fantasy game could be discriminated against. Square Enix's series has had an incredibly long history of appealing to any kind of person, winning many over with its impressive narratives and turn-based combat that made for huge excitement in the era of limited processing power.
And now, as we move into an era of 3D open worlds and amplified remakes, the Final Fantasy franchise seems more appealing to all than ever. Try telling that to the countries that have banned it, though.
Final Fantasy 16 was "on its way to being banned"
In a depressing sign of the times, it's been revealed that Saudia Arabia has outright banned Final Fantasy 16 for "the publisher's unwillingness to make the necessary modifications." This is seemingly in relation to the LGBTQ+ content that is illegal in a collection of Middle Eastern countries.
It's not uncommon for certain territories to ask publishers to make alterations, and while we don't know how much this might've affected the story, it looks as though Square Enix has refused. You might remember when HBO's The Last of Us had a same-sex kiss censored.
Saudi Arabia's General Commission for Audiovisiual Media and Digital Game Association member Hattan Tawili has revealed on Twitter, that after Square Enix's "complete refusal to modify the content to suit the region," the game is "on its way to being banned."
Square Enix and Final Fantasy aren't mentioned by name, but fans have connected the dots. The company deserves some props for sticking to its guns and refusing to remove whatever the claim is referring to, but it's still a shame to see the game pulled in any region.
Final Fantasy 16 officially banned in Saudi Arabia
Click to enlargeConfirming earlier rumours and assumptions, the Public Authority for Media has revealed on Twitter that the game "has not been released in the Kingdom, due to the publisher's unwillingness to make the necessary modifications." This is all in connection to the laws that restrict LGBTQ+ content being distributed in the country.
It remains to be seen whether other territories will follow suit, but with the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) sharing the same views, and others like North Korea having similar censorship, it likely won't stop here.
It's a massive shame that accusations of archaic bigotry are actively getting in the way of video games that, ultimately, are for everyone. Regardless of their connections to the LGBTQ+ community, nobody wins this one.
