Mass Effect lesbian scene leads to ban in Singapore

by Steven Williamson on 16 November 2007, 10:22

Tags: Mass Effect, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Xbox 360, RPG

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Alien sex doesn't do it for me

What a strange world we live in, eh? Games get banned in different countries for all sorts of reasons, but is this the first time a mainstream videogame has been banned for portraying Lesbianism?

Pokeman games are banned in Saudi Arabia for apparently promoting Zionism. Soldier of Fortune Payback, Reservoir dogs and many others have been banned in Austrailia for their excessive violence, and there's a long list of countries that have banned games depicting any war which is set in their country, whether fictional or not - South Korea alone have banned Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.

But is the lesbian scene in Mass Effect really that offensive that it should lead to a ban? I've watched it a few times and I have to say I didn't reach for the tissues once. If someone ever says those tantalising words, 'lesbian scene' to me, it doesn't conjure up images of two videogame characters, of which one is an alien, having a quick peck and caressing each others thighs, but Singapore obviously think that it's outrageous and hence have banned the game from being sold in their country.

"'Mass Effect' features realistic content and interactions in the context of the science-fiction story line," Ian Tan, marketing communications manager for Southeast Asia said. "The game takes a mature approach to various relationships amongst characters throughout the game and the content in question is another dynamic of that."

It's no real surprise that this game has been banned when Singapore is a country that doesn't advocate homosexuality. In fact, any gay sex act in Singapore is considered to be an 'act of gross indecency and may see any Singaporean caught engaging in such frivolities serving a 2 year prison sentence.

Meanwhile, everyone else can look forward to some tame girl-on-girl action on the 23rd November when Mass Effect hits stores. Oh...the game is supposed to be pretty good as well.


HEXUS Forums :: 14 Comments

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But is the lesbian scene in Mass Effect really that offensive that it should lead to a ban? I've watched it a few times and I have to say I didn't reach for the tissues once

:lol:

Singapore for you
yeah you know how clean that place is.
…it doesn't conjure up images of two videogame characters, of which one is an alien, having a quick peck and caressing each others thighs,

I only read that far :(
“'Mass Effect' features realistic content and interactions in the context of the science-fiction story line,”


How can it be realistic content when its got an Alien in it, do we know what Alien's look like, do we know there bi-pedal like us, do we know they speak English, do we know they are blue, do we know they have distinct sexual characteristics.

No, we know bugger all about Aliens because were not in contact with them, so how can it be realistic when one of the characters involved is entirely made up…

How about in a million years when were all spacebound and crap we get some alien culture try to ban a game because it shows two characters holding hands and that particular alien cultures sex organs happen to be in there hands…

Complete tosh..
'[GSV
Trig;1266312']How can it be realistic content when its got an Alien in it, do we know what Alien's look like, do we know there bi-pedal like us, do we know they speak English, do we know they are blue, do we know they have distinct sexual characteristics.

No, we know bugger all about Aliens because were not in contact with them, so how can it be realistic when one of the characters involved is entirely made up…

How about in a million years when were all spacebound and crap we get some alien culture try to ban a game because it shows two characters holding hands and that particular alien cultures sex organs happen to be in there hands…

Complete tosh..

wow, someone got out of bed the wrong way :P Its only a game, don't have a cow :D