Listen up all you grown-up gamers, if you caught wind of that titillating Wii and PS3 game that's in the works from publisher Ubisoft, don't bother getting excited.
Well, don't get excited if you live in the United States that is. That's because we Americans won't be getting our hands on "We Dare."
That's right, "We Dare" — a party game that seems to ask players to spank and nuzzle each other as well as perform some kind of strip-tease — has been deemed too risqué, too controversial, too ... something ... for American audiences.
And yet, at the same time, the game will be released in Europe with a 12+ rating — which means it's cool for kids 12 years and older.
The confusion and the controversy all started when the following game trailer hit the web last week:
The ad began making the YouTube rounds and — surprise! — stirred up some controversy (as well as gales of laughter) along the way.
According to IGN, the video — which had been available worldwide on YouTube — was then abruptly made region-restricted (you can still view it in Europe). Of course, thanks to the Internet, you can never truly restrict anything (see above).
But what is this game, exactly?
A European Ubisoft press release describes "We Dare" like this:
We Dare gives players the opportunity to choose from 40 hilarious, innovative and quirky mini-games. Players can use the controllers in the most unusual ways... On the Wii up to four friends will be able to create and customise from head to toe their own cheeky avatars, personalising them to fit their tastes, to match their likeness or be the person they’ve always wanted to be: be it a Femme Fatale, a Jock or the Girl next door… Once ready, they will have the opportunity to set the mood of the party to one of the suggested themes: Enchanting, Persuasive, Naughty, Adventurous or Brainy.
Cheeky avatars? Femme Fatales? Naughty themes? Oh my!
I checked in with Ubisoft and they have confirmed that the game is a no-go for the United States and, it seems, Canada as well. "We have no plans to publish this game in North America at this time," a Ubisoft rep told me.
It will, however, make an appearance in the Europe territories, I was told. And, according to British newspaper The Telegraph, it will arrive with a teen-friendly rating.
So, paint me ... confused.
No, I don't think this game looks like that much, oh, fun. In fact, it looks ridiculous. That said, what's wrong with making grown-up games for grown-up players? After all, there are a whole lot of grown-up gamers out there. Meanwhile the Wii and PS3 — with their suggestively-shaped controllers — are ripe territory for, well, suggestive games.
So must we Americans always be so dang prudish?
That said, the 12+ rating in Europe is a bit of a head scratcher to say the least. Granted, I've only seen the trailer but it does appear that stripping is somehow involved.
Needless to say, some UK parents have been upset by the decision.
Laura Pearson, a mother from Birmingham, told the The Telegraph, "I have a 13 year old daughter and if I knew she was playing such a highly charged sexual game with boys, I would be appalled. It is encouraging under-age sex."
But Laurie Hall, director general of the Video Standards Council, told the newspaper that the trailer for the game is "more extreme" than anything in the game itself.
"There is no sexual activity," he said. "There is suggestion and innuendo if you’re that way inclined but you don’t actually see anything."
UK politicians have apparently now called for the game to be kept off shelves while its sexual content is investigated.
Meanwhile, some gamers have pointed out that "We Dare" is no different than that, say, that good ol' fashioned game called Spin the Bottle.
Ah well, while it appears we here in America won't be able to damn our souls to hell with a game of "We Dare," we can still enjoy the trailer, which is being remixed with great zeal. Check out IGN's analysis of what's really going on in this trailer. Also, don't miss this parody complete with "Donnie Darko" music. And here's my personal favorite: "We Dare" the "Inception" remix.
For more game news, check out:
- 40 percent of 'Angry Birds' players cheat ... kind of
- Nintendo 3DS is coming. Should you get in line now?
- Blind man plays video game flawlessly
Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things right here on Twitter.