We’ve just received word that copies of Saints Row IV are being recalled Australia-wide.
In what distributor Deep Silver is calling a “serious manufacturing issue”, the incorrectly classified version of the game is being sold in Australia and, as a result, all copies of the game on shelves are being removed.
A statement from Deep Silver reads as follows:
Unfortunately over the weekend, it has come to light that the PlayStation 4 retail release of Saints Row IV: Re-Elected has a serious manufacturing issue and a nationwide recall is now underway in Australia.
A manufacturing issue has caused an incorrectly classified version of Saints Row IV: Re-Elected for our territory to be released. This strictly affects PlayStation 4 retail versions.
All customers who have purchased the PlayStation 4 version of Saints Row IV: Re-Elected are encouraged to return to their retailer for a full refund.
Replacement copies with the correct content are on order and will arrive with retailers soon.
As you may remember, the original version of Saints Row IV was refused classification in Australia upon its initial release in 2013. Lated a modified version of the game was resubmitted and it passed classification at MA15+. We have been told that the new PS4 version of the game wasn’t re-submitted for classification, since the content of the game itself had not been changed, but it looks as though the version of the PS4 game being sold was the version that was refused classification, hence the recall.
Comments
47 responses to “Saints Row IV Being Recalled From Stores Across Australia”
So what they are saying is “We accidentally gave you the awesome version, so here have this cookie instead”.
At the risk of being fined for a classification breach
True… but exactly who will dob on you though? =P
Unless police decides to raid your home and seize your copy… of course if police are raiding your home you probably have bigger problems!
They are protecting their retailers too
For the record, its not an offence to OWN and PLAY RC’d games in Australia, only to sell them
I still wouldn’t take any chances with something like Rapelay, for example, as you could get done under child pornography laws regardless of the classification issue.
Child porn laws go beyond the regular classification laws. In that case it is illegal to possess it at all.
I don’t think there are any other examples of laws that ban Refused material. (other than Western Australia, where possession of any RC material is also banned)
Unless you’re in WA. Then it is
It’s not us, the customers who buy and play the game, that would be fined, it’s Deep Silver who would be slapped with what i assume to be big fines for basically selling something that was not approved by the classification board. Maybe “not approved” is not quite right, it sounds like they were selling content that was specifically banned.
Yes that’s already a given. Hence i said further down that as far as retailers are concerned it compulsory to do a return. Consumers are a different kettle of fish though.
And judging from the article seems like your typical production mess. Basically the PS4 copies packaged and sold was the NA RC version instead of the edited AU version. Hence the recall.
that being Deep Silver can’t be held responsible if the *consumer* is the one who doesn’t return the copy.
Then suddenly eBay.
you cant even walk around with the dildo bat in SR4, unless you get the ETD dlc
Or a USA steam key 😉
A USA steam key or steam gift will automatically be converted to a modified version of the game if steam ever detects your IP address and determines that you are from Australia.
A serious manufacturing issue to me should be something like the disc being autoejected when you click on the main menu and the disc being razorsharp so it takes off a finger or two
Soo what you’re saying is that my PS4 copy is actually now a collector’s edition?
AN “illegal” collectors edition
Only illegal to sell, not to possess.
“I will sell you this $400 coffee mug that includes a FREE copy of Saints Row IV (the RC version)”
Well, Matt never said he wanted to sell it, he just asked if it was a collector’s edition =)
I wonder if the Xbone will have the same problem. Did we also get the un-edited version that may require a recall?
Given they’ve specified the PS4 version, you’d assume the XBone version that got manufactured was the “correct” (i.e. nobbled) version. Thank god for region free consoles.
Suddenly I have an urge to look around for a PS4 copy of Saints Row IV, I can’t explain it.
Wasn’t there also a piece of DLC that didn’t release in Australia because of the classification stuff?
Can someone correct me here..
A recall is technically not mandatory (for the customer not the supplier) for the product to be returned right? I mean of course if you have a broken appliance then you would be happy to return the product for a replacement refund…
But in this case… who exactly in their right mind would return their copy for the “inferior” version?!
maybe they’ve finished it already and want the full refund? that’s about the only reason I can think of.
EB would give you one anyway, with its 7-day trial period.
when did it come out? last tuesday? that’s 7 days, now you have a bit longer to finish it I suppose.
it’s a good game though, the retailer won’t be losing any money on this so if you like it you may as well keep it.
It came out last Friday here (we had a 1 day delay from intial scheduled release date). I preordered it and tried to price match elsewhere. After calling everywhere it seemed that jb eb and the gamesmen were the only ones that had stock
Got it for 63.20 (20% off $79)
I doubt they’re expecting anyone to return it, but this might cover them from getting a fine from the Classifications Board.
True, it’s more like recalling an email message!
I wonder… Would/could Deep Silver block access to the game with a patch?
Maybe give gamers a chance to “do the right thing” by returning it and if they don’t, just block them so they can’t play it.
Why?
Because technically, this version has been refused classification in Australia, and is therefore illegal? I assume?
Don’t get me wrong, it’d be great if they did nothing, but I’m just curious as to where the law sits on this topic.
I don’t see how punishing legitimate consumers by blocking the game they legally purchased would be something Deep Silver would ever do, particularly when there’s nothing actually illegal going on here with people owning these copies of the game. Besides, in the hypothetical situation where this was actually on the cards, since the version on the disc is another region’s version, the only way to possibly block it from use would be to block EVERY copy of that version.
But there is no issue with playing it – the rules are that the game cannot be SOLD in Australia in that state, nothing about you playing the uncut version
How then would they block an Australian player who bought the uncut copy of the game on a holiday in HK? Logistically its just doesnt make sense. That person hasnt broken any laws of Australia, so why should they be penalised?
I think technically bringing that game into the country would be illegal. But only a problem (for you) if they catch you actually bringing it in.
I thought it was busy down the street today. Must have been all those people rushing down to return their copy of saints row 4……..you know, before they get mortally bankrupted and eat baby or whatever is ment to happen if an Aussie plays an adult game.
Yeah…. people will DEFINITELY return their banned copies of the games when asked to…
*pats Xbox and PS2 copies of Manhunt that were ‘recalled’ as well*
Oh no, I played the unaltered version! Vision going blurry… Urge to stick rockets up peoples butt in a way that’s clearly not sexual but technically rape rising… ARGH!!
I was happy to get my money back. I’ve already got the US version on PS3 (with all the DLC) and I claimed the Gat out of Hell expansion off the retail code that came with the game (which wasn’t worth it TBH)… So in the end I got my $90 back and ended up with Gat out of Hell for free. I think I win.
^^^ This guy is all win ^^^ Nice work.
And now people are rushing out to buy a copy. I call it a publicity stunt. It wasn’t selling well so they tell people that there is something wrong with the game and now people who don’t have it will flood EB, jb and other retailers trying to find it.
Hanlon’s Razor applies in this case: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
In this case ‘malice’ can be replaced with ‘sneaky marketing stunts’. They screwed up and now they’re losing sales, have to pay to get all existing stock recalled, and provide new stock to retailers. There’s no upside.
And so everyone will just buy it from either the PSN or Xbox US stores digitally or just buy a disc (cheaper most likely) from overseas.
Is the (Australian) PSN version similarly affected, or was it only the physical versions that were messed up?
(And speaking of PSN, any sign of Suikoden yet?)
The only issue I had with the rerelease was that I wouldn’t have the uncut version (I have a uk copy on ps3)
Problem solved
From the sounds of things these are the ‘first’ edition which means they should be pretty easy to recognize. Clearly says ‘first edition’ under the name on the front cover
The Australian Classification Boards need to be reviewed, or stop being so ban-happy. Gamers are just going to buy US versions most of the time anyway, because they don’t want the babied version of the game.
You clowns, of course it’s not illegal to own an RC game lolz. Paranoid much? As if they could enforce a mandatory consumer return anyway. Even in WA/NT the cops have much more important things to attend to. The ACB is a joke to begin with, but who cares – people just DL via US PSN/XBL or download the PC version….Or import. I’ve had the uncut version of Saints Row IV on PS3 for aggggges now and will DL it on PS4 as I have done for every other banned game. In practice, absolutely no one cares about the ACB anymore. They’re totally irrelevant in this digital age, plus DL from overseas means 50% savings. Just ignore these bans and obtain what you damn well please.
Tip: Retailers which sell preowned ganes and imports often have RC games for sale. I bought Blitz The League, BMX XXX, Soldier of Fortune Payback, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude etc. from various stores locally. I imported The Witcher 2, MK9 (pre-R18+), Manhunt, Postal 2, Silent Hill Homecoming, South Park, LFD2 (pre R as well), Darksector, Shellshock 2, The Last of Us (censored in PAL regions), God of War Acension (censored in PAL regions), God of War (also censored in PAL), Vice City, GTA3, GTAIV pre-patch and plenty of others. Customs really don’t care TBH.
Anyone who buys censored versions is a fool. Period. The drug use in SRIV is so sad and non-eventful that it shows just how laughable those who created this system really are. Murder OK, put a fake substance into a fake, digital body? BANNED!
Next on my list? Hotline Miami 2. The government and these wussbag publishers can shove it!
What is missing from the edited version that the unedited version has?