Recent tweets from the Saudi Arabian General Commission for Audiovisual Media, which serves as the ratings board for the country, suggest that Final Fantasy 16, the latest RPG blockbuster from Square Enix, has been banned from launching in Saudi Arabia.

The commission claims that Square Enix was not willing to make the “necessary adjustments” to the game to suit the region’s strict values, although an exact reason for the ban was not provided.

Speculation has arisen that Final Fantasy 16 may have been banned due to its depiction of LGBTQIA+ relationships, as several prominent game journalists in the region have implied that the game features such content.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has tightened restrictions around popular media that portrays same-sex relationships, leading to the banning of films such as Disney’s Lightyear and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which featured inconsequential characters.

Despite these restrictions, Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in the gaming industry through its Public Investment Fund, which has claimed significant shares in companies such as Nintendo, SNK, Embracer Group, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, and Take-Two.

Many of these companies have released games with LGBTQIA+ identifying characters. For example, Take-Two’s Borderlands features a lesbian couple, a gay couple, an asexual siren, a bisexual hero, and a pansexual hero.

It is unknown whether Final Fantasy 16 was banned in Saudi Arabia due to its depiction of similar heroes. Regardless of the reason, the game will not be sold in the region for the time being. It remains to be seen whether Square Enix will choose to modify the game to bow to pressure from Saudi Arabia.

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