10 Iconic Video Games Banned For Ridiculous Reasons
4. Minecraft - South Korea - The Cinderella Law
There are plenty of games out there that have been banned across the world that you can identify just by looking at them. Minecraft, the pleasant hive of block-building creativity, is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind.
Whilst not outright banned, there were certain restrictions put on Minecraft’s audience in South Korea. The “Cinderella Law”, also known as the “Shutdown Law” made it illegal for minors to play games online between 12AM and 6AM. This was designed keep the nation’s youth focused on education and work.
To enforce this, South Korean legislation made it so that gamers had to have an Xbox Live Account to play the title. Because Microsoft requires those opening an account to be 18, suddenly fans in this part of the world were locked out of the title until they full-blown adults.
Lucky for them, the law was repealed a month later but for a moment there the game was essentially an 18+ or R rated title. What an odd thought. Minecraft, one of the most sought after game for gamers of all ages for a while, out of reach for one of its target demographics.