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Ubisoft banned South Park in Israel, even on Steam, show still airs regularly.

Theman2k

Member
So, basically Ubisoft banned the game from Israel.
It's not even available for purchase on steam, all the big retailers aren't selling it.
Even the official importer can't import the game to distribute it.
The reason apparently is that Ubisoft is afraid people will get offended from it's content, from the jew class to killing zombie nazi cows.

Funny thing is that the show still airs regularly in Israel, and all major game stores have huge demand for the game.

source

In my opinion, it's an arrogant move by Ubisoft.
Let the customers vote with their purchases, the show is really popular for a reason in Israel.

Thoughts ?
 

Nokterian

Member
Ubisoft gonna ubisoft. Even when PEGI 18+ classified it for a lot of EU country's like the netherlands they still censor it. It's beyond stupid.
 
I hereby declare that we round up any and all people who knowingly bought the South Park game and then were "offended" by it and launch them into the sun.
 

Calmine

Member
Kinda pathetic for them to do that. I could understand if the show was banned there but there is a demand for it and Ubi go be dicks about it.

What's next Watch Dogs being banned in fear that people might actually think they're being hacked?
 

Kerned

Banned
"Banned" is probably not the right word here though. That carries a pretty strong implication of external censorship. This is Ubi's own (probably dumb) decision.
 
"Banned" is probably not the right word here though. That carries a pretty strong implication of external censorship. This is Ubi's own (probably dumb) decision.

Yeah, banned implies that the Israeli government won't allow it to be released.
 
So, basically Ubisoft banned the game from Israel.
It's not even available for purchase on steam, all the big retailers aren't selling it.
Even the official importer can't import the game to distribute it.
The reason apparently is that Ubisoft is afraid people will get offended from it's content, from the jew class to killing zombie nazi cows.

Funny thing is that the show still airs regularly in Israel, and all major game stores have huge demand for the game.

source

In my opinion, it's an arrogant move by Ubisoft.
Let the customers vote with their purchases, the show is really popular for a reason in Israel.

Thoughts ?

This needs more info...
I don't think Ubi would ban the game. They want to sell and they lose nothing making it available. Maybe Israeli authorities banned?

I don't know either... Ijust think it makes no sense for Ubi to ban.
 

Durante

Member
"Banned" is probably not the right word here though. That carries a pretty strong implication of external censorship. This is Ubi's own (probably dumb) decision.

I find it amusing in context that the one phrase that comes to my mind reading about this is "vorauseilender Gehorsam", which is of course German. It's also one of the few idiomatic German phrases I really don't know a good English translation for. It means to obey an order which is anticipated to come, with the subtext that such an order may in fact not even have been given had it not been anticipatorily obeyed.
 

BigDug13

Member
This is yet another example of game media being scrutinized differently than other media types, such as violent movies and TV shows with Mature rating being ok, but violent games with M rating are not. South Park TV show is ok. South Park video game with those same themes is not.
 

cuyahoga

Dudebro, My Shit is Fucked Up So I Got to Shoot/Slice You II: It's Straight-Up Dawg Time
Is this a first? I know nothing about the Israeli game scene. Have they declined to sell other games?
 

Mondy

Banned
Ubisoft's PR department has to be the most gutless in the industry. When was the last time they took a creative risk that didn't fall into their laps like South Park did?
 

Miletius

Member
I'd wonder how Israelis felt about the game, to be honest. Of course censorship sucks and I'd rather not see it if possible. But I'm not discounting the fact that the materials in game could be sensitive to a mostly Jewish state.
 

Jomjom

Banned
I'd wonder how Israelis felt about the game, to be honest. Of course censorship sucks and I'd rather not see it if possible. But I'm not discounting the fact that the materials in game could be sensitive to a mostly Jewish state.

Well if they were really offended the show wouldn't be airing there.
 

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
I'd wonder how Israelis felt about the game, to be honest. Of course censorship sucks and I'd rather not see it if possible. But I'm not discounting the fact that the materials in game could be sensitive to a mostly Jewish state.

Matt Stone is Jewish. I know a lot of Jewish people who find it hilarious so I'm not sure it's a sensitivity issue.
 

Theman2k

Member
So now it'll just get pirated in Israel. Good job.

This.

And all my gamer friends pirated it on PC because it's not coming out even on consoles.

Everyone just comes to me saying: "Dude, did you played the new south park game ? It's fucking AWESOME !!!"
 

Kinthalis

Banned
Pretty stupid on Ubisoft's part. The peopel will vote witht heir wallets (assuming the government isn't stupid too and has idiotic sensor laws).
 

Miletius

Member
Well if they were really offended the show wouldn't be airing there.

The content in the show is somewhat different from the content in the game. Not saying that either should be censored, but the game itself does go rather hamfist with making fun of Jews and Nazis. Not that the show doesn't either, but I'd hesitate to go "omg cenzored" without more information.
 
Did Ubisoft really think the Jew class would offend Israel? I question the effort of them not trying to offend anyone. It is like the total opposite of what South Park is about.
 

RageBot

Banned
Did Ubisoft really think the Jew class would offend Israel? I question the effort of them not trying to offend anyone. It is like the total opposite of what South Park is about.

Israeli here.
Many people would be offended, however, the people who would've been offended are the same people who pirate anything anyway imo.
 

Sojgat

Member
Typical Ubisoft nonsense. I really wish someone else had picked up the title after THQ folded. Why even bother with a property notorious for offending people, if your deathly afraid of offending anyone?
 

rjc571

Banned
I don't understand, are they not releasing it in Israel because they feel the game is anti-semitic? If this is the case, why would it be okay to release it anywhere else? By doing this, are they saying that racist content is okay as long as you don't expose it to the groups who would be most offended by it?

Disclaimer: I'm not familiar with the content of the South Park game and I have no idea how offensive it is. I'm just trying to understand Ubisoft's rationale here.
 
I don't understand, are they not releasing it in Israel because they feel the game is anti-semitic? If this is the case, why would it be okay to release it anywhere else? By doing this, are they saying that racist content is okay as long as you don't expose it to the groups who would be most offended by it?

Disclaimer: I'm not familiar with the content of the South Park game and I have no idea how offensive it is. I'm just trying to understand Ubisoft's rationale here.

Well, you have a Beserk class name Jew and the main plot is Zombie Nazis, so probably yes they were worried about controversy.
 

Winternet

Banned
israeli here. the people in the forums i visit didnt pirate, they imported physical pc copies from VGP/BASE/others. apparently that works.
 
So, basically Ubisoft banned the game from Israel.
It's not even available for purchase on steam, all the big retailers aren't selling it.
Even the official importer can't import the game to distribute it.
The reason apparently is that Ubisoft is afraid people will get offended from it's content, from the jew class to killing zombie nazi cows.

Funny thing is that the show still airs regularly in Israel, and all major game stores have huge demand for the game.

source

In my opinion, it's an arrogant move by Ubisoft.
Let the customers vote with their purchases, the show is really popular for a reason in Israel.

Thoughts ?

First we don't have any big game retailers, secondly the reason given doesn't make any sense whatsoever considering the game is aimed towards fans of the show and finally even the most casual gamers I know import their games so no biggie.
 
Ubisoft is handling this game incredibly poorly. Censoring the game for no reason in countries where the game should not be censored, and now refusing to release the game for no reason in a country where it can be released.

I miss THQ already.
 
Why not let the country decide? If it's truly offensive they'll ban it themselves. And contrary to what some might think Israel is a rather progressive and educated country. Everything Ubisoft does these days annoys me.
 
Why not let the country decide? If it's truly offensive they'll ban it themselves. And contrary to what some might think Israel is a rather progressive and educated country. Everything Ubisoft does these days annoys me.

Ubisoft didn't let all those European countries decide whether to censor the game or not. They're idiots.

But gamers are the worst consumers as proven time to time again - South Park was the top seller in UK charts. Ubisoft can do whatever they want and they'll get their money anyway.
 

atr0cious

Member
I don't understand, are they not releasing it in Israel because they feel the game is anti-semitic? If this is the case, why would it be okay to release it anywhere else? By doing this, are they saying that racist content is okay as long as you don't expose it to the groups who would be most offended by it?

Disclaimer: I'm not familiar with the content of the South Park game and I have no idea how offensive it is. I'm just trying to understand Ubisoft's rationale here.

This is a good point. Could Israel come at them saying their omission was an admission of guilt?
 
This is a good point. Could Israel come at them saying their omission was an admission of guilt?

I'm not sure how it would be an admission of guilt considering Parker and Stone made the game along with Obsidian, not Ubisoft. Those guys don't feel guilty about anything. Also, one of them is Jewish.
 
Funny thing is that the show still airs regularly in Israel, and all major game stores have huge demand for the game.

Having finished the game, I think it's safe to say that the game is a thousand times more offensive (with hilarious effect) than anything they put on the air.
 

Durante

Member
I'm not sure how it would be an admission of guilt considering Parker and Stone made the game along with Obsidian, not Ubisoft. Those guys don't feel guilty about anything. Also, one of them is Jewish.
If anything, it's an admission by Ubisoft that they don't really understand the game they're publishing :p
 

atr0cious

Member
I'm not sure how it would be an admission of guilt considering Parker and Stone made the game along with Obsidian, not Ubisoft. Those guys don't feel guilty about anything. Also, one of them is Jewish.

I don't mean them. I mean Ubisoft, as the publisher of the "anti-Semitic" material, would be held responsible. Matt and Trey are obviously not worried, but if Ubisoft had to keep it out of the country, you would think there would be legal consequences if they didn't pull it, otherwise, they're just losing money.
 

Jisgsaw

Member
The reason apparently is that Ubisoft is afraid people will get offended from it's content, from the jew class to killing zombie nazi cows.

Why would israelies be offended to kill nazis cows?
There aren't even really bad jew jokes (compared to the TV show) in the game.

But then again, why did they censored the game like they did in PAL regions, when there is so much worse in the game that didn't get censored?
 
I find it amusing in context that the one phrase that comes to my mind reading about this is "vorauseilender Gehorsam", which is of course German. It's also one of the few idiomatic German phrases I really don't know a good English translation for. It means to obey an order which is anticipated to come, with the subtext that such an order may in fact not even have been given had it not been anticipatorily obeyed.

As another multilingual speaker, I love phrases like these. Thanks for introducing it. Very appropriate for the situation as well. It all comes down to Ubisoft either not understanding the game they published, or a certain region in which they operate.
 
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