Silent Hill f Has Not Been Refused Classification in Australia

The Classification Board in Australia has no longer refused classification for Silent Hill f, despite reports over the past weekend. The upcoming horror game is now awaiting classification ahead of its release. This update came after Stevivor received an official comment from the board regarding the new game’s status. [Thanks, Stevivor!]

The Australian Classification Board initially featured a page that revealed Silent Hill f had been refused classification, meaning it was effectively banned from sale in the country. However, this appears to be an automatic classification provided through the IARC Global Rating Tool, which publishers can use to self-report the content of their game.

However, it’s historically been a problem in Australia, where games tend to get an automatic rating higher than the one assigned by the Classification Board itself. Games such as We Happy Few and Kingdom Come: Deliverance have also been reported to have been refused for classification through this system, despite releasing in Australia without issue. A recent statement from the Board itself has confirmed that Silent Hill f is still awaiting a rating and has not been refused classification in Australia.

The Australian Classification Board has a rocky history with video games. This is due to the highest rating (R 18+) originally not being applied to games in the way they would for movies. This was changed in 2013, but its requirements remain strict. Games which feature drug use as a form of reward, sexual violence or “high impact violence” are usually refused classification. Silent Hill f’s Steam page features a warning about the game containing child abuse and drug-induced hallucinations. These are likely reasons for why the system initially claimed the game has been refused classification.

Silent Hill f is the next upcoming game in Konami’s horror series. Originally announced in 2022, a full trailer was shown off at the latest Silent Hill Transmission in March 2025. It will be set in Japan during the 1960s and features a story written by Ryukishi07 (When They Cry series).

Silent Hill f is currently in development for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.