We Happy Few to be Allowed in Australia with an R18+ Rating

After initially being denied, We Happy Few will be released in Australia after all thanks to a successful appeal to the Australian Classification Review Board. The game will now be rated with an R18+.

Last month, the indie survival and adventure game developed by Compulsion Games was refused classification and, as a result, was not allowed to be sold in the country. This was because of the board's concerns over the "Joy" mechanic in the game. Joy is a fictional pill that the player and NPCs take to fit in with society. This was considered "an incentive or reward for drug-use."

Last week, the developers issued an appeal to the review board, encouraging fans and other community members to be a part of the conversation surrounding the game's rating. The decision was officially handed down Tuesday, though the reason for the change has yet to be published. Compulsion Games had this to say:

"We are extremely pleased with the decision of the board and excited that our Australian fans and new players will be able to experience We Happy Few without modification," said Compulsion Games in an official post. "We want to thank everybody who got involved in the discussion, contacted the board and sent us countless messages of support. Your involvement made a huge difference."

Australia's video game climate is not as good as you might find in other English speaking countries. Tight restrictions on classifications and generally higher prices have led many individuals to explore alternative means of playing the games they want. It's good to know this is starting to shift.