Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic role-playing shooter Fallout 3 will now not be available in India at all. The game was only due to be released by Microsoft on Xbox 360. But Microsoft India has stated that due to the potential for the game to offend “cultural sensitivities” it will now not appear at all. And Internet speculation is growing as to what it could be in the game that could offend. The most commonly-blamed element? Moo cows…
Yup, mutated cows with two heads are one of many humorous touches to the grim setting of the game. And worse than mutating (and being able to kill and eat) a sacred animal, Bethesda have nicknamed the animal “Brahmin” in the game. Which is the highest caste in India.
It’s a shame for Indian gamers, as Fallout 3 is set to be one of the best games of the year. And a shame for all gamers, as it seems, what with the LittleBigPlanet controversy, games publishers are now more likely to censor themselves than wait for an actual censor to clamp down on them. Only Rockstar in recent years has actually been responsible for mainstream games that push censors. And that can’t be a good thing.
Out 31 Oct on PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | from £35 | Bethesda (via Gaming Indians)
Brahmin is also the name of a leather company.