Rant follows, you’ve been warned.

I’m sick of “cultural sensitivities” getting in the way of gaming. I get it. The world isn’t always a stable place. But this is gaming. It was bad enough that LittleBigPlanet’s release date was delayed, but then earlier I read that Fallout 3 isn’t going to be released in all parts of the world.

Now, I can pick up a copy of the game if I want…and that’s all fine and good. Bethesda announced, though, that Fallout 3 won’t be coming to India. Originally, Microsoft was set to exclusively release this title for the 360, but due to “cultural sensitivities,” gamers in that territory won’t get to play at all.

Bethesda won’t comment further on the situation, so it is a bit unclear as to just what parts of the game are considered too harsh for India, but choosing not to release the game is worse than hurting a few feelings, in my opinion. Put a warning with the game, delay the release and edit anything in question, or…how about this for a novel though…realize that gamers around the world are, in the most part, fucking mature enough to just enjoy a good game.

That’s the problem – some people are not mature enough, and it scares developers and publishers. In general, that’s not the gamer’s fault, because it is the radical groups and the people who haven’t actually played the game who throw hissy fits, but we all pay the price. How long before censorship of games spreads beyond a few isolated incidences? How many games have been delayed or significantly edited from a better version because people were scared?

And against, this isn’t happening because of gamers’ reactions. This is happening because of the reactions of people who, for the most part, don’t even play the game. This is like the mommy groups who freak out every time a violent game like GTA is released.

Look, developers don’t just make something violent or controversial for the sake of it (at least, most of them don’t). Games have a point, a story, a voice. If you don’t play though it, you can’t understand that. And you know what? Sometimes it is just about making the game fun. This is gaming, not politics. It doesn’t always have to be serious.

So if you haven’t played a game, shut the hell up about it. If you’re not a gamer, keep your opinion to yourself. I’m sick of ignorant fucks from around the world being the reason that companies like Bethesda can’t just release games as they want.

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