On Monday, the Ministry of Culture issued a notice banning online games that feature Mafioso kingpins, marauding street gangs or any sort of hooliganism predisposed to organization.

Such games, the ministry said, “embody antisocial behavior like killing, beating, looting and raping” and “gravely threatens and distorts the social order and moral standards, easily putting young people under harmful influence.” [Link]

Yeah, not too surprising given the other stuff banned by the MOC, but still, kind of a bummer. Grand Theft Auto type games are damn fun, although I’m not really into games where I need to drive around within a time limit. Too much pressure — stresses me out. Free-form carnage is more to my liking.

Anyway, here’s the watchword for online game developers for the future:

1. No to glorifying the Mafia.

2. Rape of human beings is not allowed.

3. Property crimes in simulated cities is not good.

However, the jury is still out on these:

1. Glorifying murderous martial artists and soldiers.

2. Rape of dragons and orcs.

3. Pillaging of medieval villages.

4. Large-scale murder of zombies and other types of undead.