Recent inquiries into the status of Silent Hill f have prompted the Australian Classification Board to clarify the game's classification status. Contrary to initial reports suggesting that the title had been refused classification in Australia, the Board has officially confirmed that Silent Hill f is not currently classified as ‘Refused Classification.’ In a statement issued to Stevivor, the Classification Board emphasized that the previous entry recorded on 14 March 2025 has been removed from the National Classification Database.
The statement from the Classification Board continues, indicating that a full classification decision will be published in the National Classification Database prior to the game's release. Although the Board did not explicitly confirm the nature of the previous error, it appears to stem from an issue with the IARC Global Rating Tool, a system that allows publishers to self-rate their games. This tool has faced scrutiny in the past for inaccuracies and misclassifications.
Initially, a page on the Australian Classification Board's website suggested that Silent Hill f had indeed been refused classification through the IARC tool. However, following the public's reaction to this information, the page was subsequently removed, leaving only a message stating, “You are not authorized to access this page.” This has raised questions about the transparency of the classification process for video games in Australia.
Details surrounding the content of Silent Hill f may have contributed to the initial classification concerns. The game's Steam page describes it as containing “depictions of gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence.” The presence of such intense themes, particularly drug use, likely played a role in the classification process, prompting further review by the Board.
Announced in October 2022, Silent Hill f is presented as a completely new narrative set in 1960s Japan. The game promises a beautifully crafted yet horrifying world, with the story penned by Ryūkishi07, a renowned figure in Japanese visual novels known for his work on murder mysteries and psychological horror themes. This new direction in the franchise has generated significant excitement among fans and gamers alike.
As the situation develops, the gaming community eagerly awaits further updates regarding the classification status of Silent Hill f. We will continue to monitor the situation and report back with any new information from the Australian Classification Board regarding the game's release and classification decision.
