Trouble down under

Saints Row: The Third became infamous for its dildo-shaped weapon, and it would appear that its sequel is trying to be even more tasteless. It showcases an item known as an "Alien Anal Probe", which can be inserted into the bottoms of unsuspecting foes.

Unsurprisingly, the inclusion of this weapon has resulted in the game being refused classification by the notoriously strict Australian Classification Board.

Here's what the board had to say:

The game includes a weapon referred to by the Applicant as an 'Alien Anal Probe'. The Applicant states that this weapon can be 'shoved into enemy's backsides'. The lower half of the weapon resembles a sword hilt and the upper part contains prong-like appendages which circle around what appears to be a large dildo which runs down the centre of the weapon.

When using this weapon the player approaches a (clothed) victim from behind and thrusts the weapon between the victim's legs and then lifts them off the ground before pulling a trigger which launches the victim into the air. After the probe has been implicitly inserted into the victim's anus the area around their buttocks becomes pixelated highlighting that the aim of the weapon is to penetrate the victim's anus.

The weapon can be used during gameplay on enemy characters or civilians. In the Board's opinion, a weapon designed to penetrate the anus of enemy characters and civilians constitutes a visual depiction of implied sexual violence that is interactive and not justified by context and as such the game should be Refused Classification.

Developer Volition has taken to Twitter to insist that the game will still appear in Australia at some point:

This suggests that Saints Row 4 could see some kind of patch which removes the offending item for Aussie players. We'll keep you posted when we know more.

[source eurogamer.net]