Why Final Fantasy 16 Is Banned In Saudi Arabia

On May 3, Saudi Arabia’s Public Authority for Media Twitter account stated that Final Fantasy 16 will not release in the country due to “the publisher’s unwillingness to make the necessary modifications.” This game is the latest in a long list of titles banned in the country, including Spec Ops: The Line, The Last of Us Part 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and most entries in the God of War franchise.

However, while Saudi Arabia’s Public Authority for Media sometimes states the exact reasons why a game is banned, sometimes it doesn’t. Currently, Final Fantasy 16’s sits in the latter category. However, that hasn’t stopped the internet from speculating, and some compelling theories have emerged from all of that speculation.

The most prevalent theories revolve around Final Fantasy 16’s rumored inclusion of violence, drug use, and sexual content such as prostitution. According to the ESRB, the game earned an “M for Mature” rating due to its extreme violence (including scenes of dismemberment), sex scenes that include a trip to a brothel (as well as partial nudity), and other traditionally mature content. While any of that content could have gotten the game banned in Saudi Arabia, other games that feature somewhat similar content are available in the region. That has led to some speculation that there could be something else in the game that pushed it over the top.

Specifically, rumors have swirled about a potentially prominent homosexual character in Final Fantasy 16 for quite some time. Some believe that character could be the game’s main character, while others have speculated that the game will simply feature more intense and prominent sexual scenes than we’re used to seeing in a Final Fantasy game. While the ban by no means confirms that a homosexual character is in Final Fantasy 16 (or that the game was banned because of that character), it certainly gives credence to that theory. Saudi Arabia previously banned The Last of Us Part 2 due to its depiction of a relationship between Ellie and Dina. If the country’s rating board did it once with such a big-name exclusive title, it stands to reason it would do it with another one like Final Fantasy 16, again assuming LGBTQ+ representation is the root cause.