Developer IllFonic announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the Australian Classification Board refused classification for the asymmetrical horror game Halloween: The Game, blocking its sale in Australia and New Zealand.
In response to a player, the studio confirmed that the refusal was not due to the presence of killer Michael Myers nor the deaths the game allows players to carry out, but to the presence of a controlled substance. "Despite all our efforts, the board denied classification to the game," said IllFonic.
As a result, the company will not be able to sell the physical or digital product in Australia and New Zealand. Reports indicate the substance would be marijuana, whose use gives advantages to the player controlling Michael Myers. IllFonic did not confirm that detail, and the refusal is not yet listed in the board's public registry.
It is not yet known whether IllFonic plans to modify the game for those markets, nor whether the ban will affect the release scheduled for September in other countries. The Australian board has previously refused classification for other games for depicting illicit drugs or violence, such as Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact, in 2024, and Disco Elysium: A Final Cut, which was released after an initial ban.
