Two games were banned in Australia in 2026.
EREWHON (2019) was Refused Classification in April and HALLOWEEN: THE GAME (2016) in August.
Erewhon
Developed by Clockup / 2018
The Classification Board banned EREWHON, a Japanese visual novel, in April 2026.
The applicant was the Australian Border Force – Cargo Operations & Examinations, NSW.
Halloween: The Game
aka Halloween: Pre-Order Content
aka Halloween – Digital Deluxe Edition
Developed by IllFonic / 2026 / Official Site
On 2 July 2026, HALLOWEEN: PRE-ORDER CONTENT was assigned an R18+ rating (High Impact Violence, High Impact Drug Use, In-Game Purchases, Online Interactivity and Chat).
It was followed by a Refused Classification decision on 15 July. Several days later, this was removed from the National Classification Database, leaving the R18+ as the sole entry.
Both decisions were issued through the automated International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) Global Rating Tool. The applicant was IllFonic, INC.
New breaks
Several weeks later, the games’ official X.com account announced HALLOWEEN: THE GAME had been banned.
August 9, 2026
– X @HalloweenTVG
Despite every effort on our part, the Australian Classifications Board has denied HALLOWEEN: THE GAME a rating. The denial was not based on the presence of the iconic slasher, Michael Myers, or the outstanding kills that can be performed in the game, but rather the presence of a controlled substance. Unfortunately, to our disappointment (and certainly yours) this means that we cannot sell the physical or digital product in both Australia and New Zealand.
It is not uncommon for an IARC rating to be incorrectly described as a decision of the Classification Board. So initially, it was uncertain if the statement was referring to the 15 July IARC RC.
The Classification Board refused to comment, except to state they had ‘…not yet published a decision in relation to HALLOWEEN: THE GAME’.
Confirmation
On 14 August, the Refused Classification entry was uploaded to the National Classification Database. The decision was made on 22 July, a week after the IARC RC, but withheld for over three weeks. UI Entertainment, the applicant, had submitted the game for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
The 9 August announcement sparked five days of intense speculation, forcing the Board to clarify its decision.
August 14, 2026
HALLOWEEN: THE GAME has been classified RC – Refused Classification by the Classification Board.In making this decision, the Classification Board has applied the ‘Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995’, the National Classification Code (Code) and the Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games 2023 (Guidelines).
HALLOWEEN: THE GAME contains illicit drug use that is linked to an incentive or reward, in that use of the drug provides a gameplay advantage to the player. It is on this basis that the game has been refused classification, as required under the Code and Guidelines.
Material classified as RC cannot be sold, hired, advertised or legally imported in Australia.
– Statement on Halloween: The Game
– Classification Board
Questions and complaints to the Classification Board were met with a form letter which explained the RC rating in more detail.
August 15, 2026
On 22 July 2026, the Board classified HALLOWEEN: THE GAME, RC (Refused Classification). This means that the computer game cannot be sold, hired, advertised, or imported into Australia, and it may be illegal to possess it in certain jurisdictions.The Board observed gameplay footage in which the player takes on the role of the masked Michael Myers to kill as many victims as possible, or plays as a civilian trying to survive until the match timer ends. The footage includes the player’s use of marijuana to provide a gameplay advantage by granting an ability that may assist in surviving the match. The drug use is therefore linked to an incentive or reward. The Board also considered that the substance is unambiguously depicted as an illicit drug. The item is expressly identified as a “joint” through on-screen text and is accompanied by a clear visual icon depicting a marijuana cigarette.
– Steven Thomson, Director, Classification Board
Deleted IARC R18+
In the week following the Board’s statement, the 2 July IARC R18+ for HALLOWEEN: PRE-ORDER CONTENT was removed from the National Classification Database.
On 19 August, HALLOWEEN – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION was assigned an R18+ rating (High Impact Violence, High Impact Drug Use, In-Game Purchases, Online Interactivity and Chat) from the IARC Global Rating Tool. The decision disappeared from the National Classification Database the day after it was uploaded. The rating and consumer advice were identical to the 2 July IARC decision.
As well as HALLOWEEN: THE GAME, the DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION includes ‘Exclusive inmate Michael Myers skin, two exclusive civilian characters: Richard and Alexis, advance access for the “Final Girl” Laurie Strode cosmetic and HALLOWEEN: THE GAME comic’.