Update: The version of Call of Duty: WWII Australians will receive is the same as everyone around the world, Activision Blizzard has confirmed with Stevivor.
“The Australian version of Call of Duty: WWII is the same version scheduled for release worldwide on November 3,” an Activision Blizzard representative said.
Original story: A Call of Duty WWII sexual assault scene was removed from the Australian version of the game, Kotaku recently discovered.The amendment was uncovered after Activision applied for a reclassification of the game earlier in the week.
“On 13 October 2017, Activision Publishing applied to the Australian Classification Board to classify a modified version of the game Call of Duty: WWII,” The Australian Classification Board told Kotaku.
“On 17 October 2017, the Australian Classification Board classified the modified game R 18+ with consumer advice of ‘High impact violence, online interactivity’.”
Specifically, “a reference to sexual violence that is justified by context” was removed from the title, the Board continued.
The reference involves the player walking up to soldiers who are about who rape a woman; the player then has the choice to stop the soldiers or leave. If the player leaves, the original game produces the sound of a man unzipping his fly, followed by screams from the victim, implying her sexual assault.
In the amended game, the woman’s clothing has been altered and the sound of the unzipped fly removed.
Call of Duty: WWII was first classified back in August. That classification was R18+, as was this week’s reclassification. The game is available next month on Windows PC, Xbox One and PS4.
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