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Home Fallout updates

Bethesda removes the word 'morphine' from Fallout 3 universally

10:12 PM on 09.09.2008, Brad Nicholson 47 comments

Bethesda removes the word 'morphine' from Fallout 3 universally photo
     Fallout

Bethesda vice president of marketing Peter Hines has decided to clear the air regarding the banning and subsequent unbanning of Fallout 3 in Australia over what their governing body called an improper in-game use of the prescription drug “morphine.” The body, the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, bans games on the basis of “promoting or encouraging proscribed drug use.”

After the initial ban, Hines related that Bethesda removed the prescription drug name from Fallout 3 universally, and replaced it with a fictional drug. He said that it was an attempt to “avoid confusion among people in different territories.” After replacing the famous painkiller’s name with a bogus name, the game was rated by the OFLC without an issue.

Hines brings up this fact because he feels that a “misconception” has been perpetuated by the media surrounding this issue. He wants to make sure that consumers realize that every version of Fallout 3 is the same. Also, to make sure that every region has the same experience, Hines and his team at Bethesda developed a new universal language. This language, while new and relatively uncharted, is easily learned in minutes if you buy their software.

[via Edge]


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Evil Cheese's Avatar
Evil Cheese at 09/09/2008 22:13
Yay Communism! Remember to beat up that fat kid after class who wouldn't run, so your gym teach made the entire class run ten extra laps.
MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 09/09/2008 22:14
I'm pretty sure that in the future drug names, such as cocaine, will be replaced with names like "happy feel good numby numb stuff"
Stahlbrand's Avatar
Stahlbrand at 09/09/2008 22:19
weak.
Gameboi's Avatar
Gameboi at 09/09/2008 22:21
Just say no to Morphine? Is this some underhanded plot against Sterling? I demand a recount!
MotoRobo's Avatar
MotoRobo at 09/09/2008 22:23
Fuck the OFLC. All these socialist governments (America, Britain, Canada, etc.) seem to be in a contest to see who can take Satan's dick further up the ass. Where's Man's ally?
Spitfire's Avatar
Spitfire at 09/09/2008 22:24
WTF is the big deal... the drugs in the original games were like Buff, Jet, Rad-X and Psycho.. there was no morphine or prescription drug names. Rock on people making controversy where there is none.
Stonedfox's Avatar
Stonedfox at 09/09/2008 22:33
@ taumpytears

Oh it was worse for me, after failing to get the book banned at my elementary school, some psycho christian conservative mom made it so we couldn't watch the Harry Potter movie in School...ever.
Zen Albatross's Avatar
Zen Albatross at 09/09/2008 22:36
Okay so by the same logic, Valve is in the wrong for making the HEV suit in Half Life 2 say, "Major laceration detected: Morphine administered" when you're low on health.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 09/09/2008 22:42
God, that's lame.
comradetrotskii's Avatar
comradetrotskii at 09/09/2008 22:55
Fun Fact:

Australia is the worlds largest producer of morphine for medical purposes.
Agnostic's Avatar
Agnostic at 09/09/2008 23:11
They should rename the drug O.F.L.C.
lem's Avatar
lem at 09/09/2008 23:18
Yes, but OFLC doesnt relieve pain for gamers in the slightest.
Skribble's Avatar
Skribble at 09/09/2008 23:20
Its not a big deal to the game, no.

But to censorship, it is.

They shouldnt HAVE to fucking change the names to happy numby numb or whatever the fuck they are now. Yes the original Fallout games had those names, but did Bethseda name them that in Fallout 3? No, they fucking didn't, and now they have to.

Stop undermining the act just because it isn't "controversial".
Wexx's Avatar
Wexx at 09/09/2008 23:40
LAYM.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 09/09/2008 23:41
Well, at least now I'll know what to call whatever they make up to call the drug.
aaronf's Avatar
aaronf at 09/10/2008 00:21
Jesus H. Christ, political correctness is out of control these days. Screw you Australia!
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 09/10/2008 00:25
Morphine > Pip Pills
harrmonica's Avatar
harrmonica at 09/10/2008 01:33
morphine is a no go, blowing peoples heads off though, that's just fine...f*cking ridiculous.
Endstiem's Avatar
Endstiem at 09/10/2008 04:02
"Jesus H. Christ, political correctness is out of control these days. Screw you Australia!"

Hey dude, fuck you. Direct you trolling to our classification board, not us.
KaL YoshiKa's Avatar
KaL YoshiKa at 09/10/2008 04:09
It's like people want to deliberately misinterpret the OFLCs stance.

It's simple - if drugs are defined as being fantastic wonderful things and are given correct naming (such as in Fallout) then with Australia this earns you an R rating. Thanks to one particular clown in SA we're being cock blocked for an R rating. The OFLC doesn't have a choice because that MAKES it an R rating. They're not masterminding some massive conspiracy. I'm sure the violence is so barely under R rating (or more likely they let it slide which is why we desperately need an R rating.

As for cases like Max Payne or Half Life and drug usage...all I can suggest is they get around on technicalities. Also in regards to violence and drugs...need I remind anyone here that in the US the stance on nudity. (See Witcher censorship and Fahrenheit).
Endstiem's Avatar
Endstiem at 09/10/2008 04:29
That is true Kal... we need a goddamn R rating.
exodus1925's Avatar
exodus1925 at 09/10/2008 04:57
Cripers mite, thers ah dingowe eetin' me byby! Git ther morphine! (etc)
topcow's Avatar
topcow at 09/10/2008 05:22
Whatever, nobody really cares. Just release the game already.
Murumasa123's Avatar
Murumasa123 at 09/10/2008 05:57
Wont effect the game in any way but censorship is still disgusting.
Crumpet Lips's Avatar
Crumpet Lips at 09/10/2008 06:44
the censorship is pretty shit and the OFLC here in Australia just doesn't work.

Still fucked off with most of you american fuck heads in the Destructoid community telling every australian to get fucked because our government hasn't put in a R18+ rating, thus blocking that little bit more freedom that the OFLC should be allowed to have already.

The point is, the drug name change has absolutely NO affect on the games playability, story, ANYTHING. DOES NOT AFFECT IT so fucking get over it you emo fuck heads.
Demtor's Avatar
Demtor at 09/10/2008 07:13
*sigh* Wtf is this bullshit? Thanks Australia.
Skribble's Avatar
Skribble at 09/10/2008 08:52
Attorney General Michael Atkinsin

^^^^^^

This is the man to be angry with, not Australia or the Classification Board (formerly OFLC). This man denied Australia the benefits of an R18+ rating.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 09/10/2008 09:56
I remember the second time I broke my left arm... morphone was there for me the way nobody else could be.

I can't wait for Fallout 3!
savagesaladin's Avatar
savagesaladin at 09/10/2008 10:25
Whats the big deal about morphine? If you're in a lot of agonizing pain, use it. Whats wrong with that, Australia?
l33tminion's Avatar
l33tminion at 09/10/2008 11:14
As long as I can have my Buffout and Mentats, I'm satisfied. I'm not sure "morphine" really fits into the fake-50's naming scheme anyways.
mix's Avatar
mix at 09/10/2008 11:36
Crumpet Lips is angry :(

Morphine = bad

Shotgunning old ladies heads of = fine

.........just saying
RWarrior1CO's Avatar
RWarrior1CO at 09/10/2008 13:42
The point is, the drug name change has absolutely NO affect on the games playability, story, ANYTHING. DOES NOT AFFECT IT so fucking get over it you emo fuck heads.

Wow, you must need some morphine.

Also, this is one of the most pointless cases of censorship I've heard about in a while. And it doesn't set a great precedent, either. Just one country's silly law is affecting how the game will be released world-wide. I don't like it one bit.
braulio09's Avatar
braulio09 at 09/10/2008 16:34
prescribed*
Too Much Coffee Man's Avatar
Too Much Coffee Man at 09/10/2008 17:52
They should have just kept it Morphine and shipped it to Aus under whatever rating they wanted to give it. Then let the consumer backlash against the ratings board fix it for them.

Also Morphine isn't the prescription name it's the chemical name. prescription names for it would be like Roxanol, Avinza, Oramorph SR, MSIR, MS Contin, Rescudose, Kadian
:)

The whole thing is retarded anyway. There are drugs just as dangerous in bathroom sink cabinets everywhere anyway. All they should have done to stay responsible is to make sure the addictiveness of the drug is accurately articulated if they're going to call it Morphine. That's it.
faultymoose's Avatar
faultymoose at 10/04/2008 03:00
How many times must it be said that this isn't an issue of censorship? It's an issue of classification, and Australia not having an R18+ classification for video games means that a game requiring that classification can't be retailed in Australian stores.

Bethesda are choosing to censor the game themselves. Take it up with them, or the OFLC. I have zero opposition to the game needing an R18+ rating due to how it fictionalises the use of a prescription drug. I have a major problem with the lack of an R18+ rating, however.
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