PixlBit

Police raid shops as Iranian youths decry EA.

It is common for video games to be banned in different parts of the world for a variety of reasons, from violent content to a conflict with cultural mores. However, Battlefield 3 has been banned in Iran and it not only marks the first time a video game has been made illegal to play in the country, but the ban also comes at the request of an Iranian youth group.

The online petition, which has over 5000 signatures at the time of this report, states that “The Battlefield 3 promoters have coincidentally released and introduced this game exactly when America is campaigning to demolish Iran’s reputation as a peaceful nation and to induce fear into the heart of people elsewhere against Iran.“

The issue with Battlefield 3 comes from a part in the single player campaign that takes place in the Iranian capital of Tehran, and involves an American attack on the city. “In today’s current political and social climate, using a video game to portray us, the Iranian nation, as terrorists does very little to help the rest of the world to see us in anything other than negative light,” the petition continues.

While it should be noted that EA has no official presence in Iran and does not have any licensed resellers in the country, many shops sell pirated copies of the game. "In that Battlefield 3 is not available for purchase in Iran, we can only hope the ban will help prevent pirated copies reaching consumers there," EA commented. Shops that sell games in Iran have been raided, with some shop owners being arrested, even before the ban was made public.