Konami’s long-running Silent Hill franchise is getting a new entry this year, but the game might not be released in all regions. As noticed by users on the Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit, Silent Hill f has been given a Refused Classification rating in Australia. The game’s page on the Australian classification website does not offer any details about the rating, instead directing interested parties to reach out with any questions. However, the government’s official website outright states that media that gets the RC rating “cannot be sold, hired, advertised or legally imported in Australia” and “contains content that is outside generally-accepted community standards.”
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It’s possible Konami could appeal the decision, or make some adjustments depending on the material the country is specifically objecting to. This wouldn’t be the first time that a publisher has had to appeal a rating, and it’s possible Konami could get Silent Hill f cleared for release with minimal changes. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how things play out, but hopefully the game can secure a release in the region so fans don’t end up missing out.
Unsurprisingly, the decision by the Australian government has led to a lot of speculation from Reddit users. The cast of Silent Hill f, including main character Hinako Shimizu, is much younger than we’ve seen in past series entries; while Silent Hill 2‘s James Sunderland is depicted as a middle-aged man, the cast of Silent Hill f all seem to be Japanese students. It’s possible that the government of Australia objected to the violence towards these younger characters, but there’s really no way of knowing for sure.
Hopefully things will get straightened out, and Silent Hill f can be released in all regions. There seems to be a lot of anticipation surrounding the game, and reception to the most recent trailer has been overwhelmingly positive. It seems like Konami is really changing things up for this new series entry, with a very different setting than we’ve seen in the past. However, it still looks and feels like a new Silent Hill, and that’s definitely a good thing.
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After years of neglect, Konami seems to be focused on restoring the Silent Hill franchise back to its former glory, In addition to Silent Hill f, last year saw the release of Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake, which was both critically and commercially successful. Obviously, the publisher is going to want to get this new game into the hands of as many fans as possible, in order to continue growing the series and rebuilding its reputation. Hopefully that means the publisher will do whatever it takes to make sure Silent Hill f gets released in Australia and any other region where it might have similar difficulties.
Do you think Silent Hill f will end up released in Australia? Are you looking forward to the next game in the series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
