Australia is notorious for its strict video game Classification Board. Having “banned” games from retail sale in the country by refusing them classification. We Happy Few was met with the same fate: initially slapped with a ban, narrative designer Alex Epstein spoke out against this hoping to convince the board that this isn’t a glorification of drug use. Epstein emphasized the fact that the drug is fictional and meant to make a social commentary on the dangerous extremes counterculture ideology can reach.
It seems to have worked as the rating board decided to put the ban under review, resulting in the ban being overturned. Rather than being refused classification, We Happy Few is going to receive a R 18+ rating. This is the equivalent of a M for Mature rating here in the United States, requiring an adult 18 years or older to purchase the game. Below is the press release detailing the board’s decision: Media release?We Happy Few classified R 18+

3 July 2018
A three-member panel of the Classification Review Board has unanimously determined that the computer game We Happy Few is classified R 18+ (Restricted) with the consumer advice ?Fantasy violence and interactive drug use?.
The National Classification Code and Classification Guidelines requires the treatment of drug use to not exceed high at the R 18+ level. In the Classification Review Board?s opinion We Happy Few warrants an R 18+ classification because the interactive drug use is high in impact...