Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact banned in Australia for ‘implied sexual violence’

The fighting game Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact has not received a rating from the famously strict Australian ratings board.

Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact was effectively banned by the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts Classification Board for “implied sexual violence.”

While the ratings site itself didn’t give any specific reason – it simply suggests people contact the organization for more information as a “reason for refusal of classification” – the Australian Classification Board said in a statement that the game “contains a visual scene.” implied sexual assault where an adult male is exposed to persons under the age of 18.”

The first full-fledged fighting game Hunter x Hunter will be released in 2025 and will include 3v3 team battles with the Nen skill. It is currently unclear whether publisher Arc System Works will appeal the decision or censor its game to appease the board of directors.

Just last month, PlayStation removed Hotline Miami 2 from sale in Australia and refunded money to PS5 owners who bought the game, ten years after the infamous row surrounding its release.

Back in January 2015, designer Jonathan Söderström memorably advised Australian fans to simply pirate Hotline Miami 2 after its release was blocked by the Australian Classification Board due to its inclusion of a skippable scene showing simulated sexual assault.