Take a peek into today’s Straits Times if you haven’t. A Xbox 360 game, Mass Effect has been banned by the Media Development Authority just because it contains a same-sex love scene. It’s not just a sex scene, it’s one between a human woman and a female alien (both fictional and 3D-modeled though). The decision to ban causes an outcry amongst avid gamers resulting in many of them sending irate complaints to local gaming website deputy director.

Now, if you think the recent news on the repeal 377A saga hasn’t elicited any monetary losses, here’s one very indirect one.  Just like what Miss Germaine Ong (Deputy Director, Gameaxis.com) mentioned, many desperate gamers will resort in downloading these games, or buying them from overseas. It will also be a demand in the ersatz market, I see pirates beaming with a sales opportunity.

Who didn’t like forbidden fruit? I guess the more MDA attempts to censor and ban, the more people will attempt to seek out such content.

Oh, we hear about Singaporeans being conservative about such issues eh? And I bet those who sent complaints were homosexuals then? I seriously doubt so, these gamers may comprise of both. It goes to show that such gay content that exist in movies, games or any forms of media do not necessary appeal to homosexuals, straight people do want a peek into these content as well.

And it’s not about protecting the young anyway, you take away something they wish to see only prevents an opportunity in educating them the proper way. And perhaps, delayed gratification in this case may not be a good idea.

Here’s a very clear scenario of what retaining 377A may have caused. MDA’s decision to ban that gay content of Xbox game may be greatly influenced by that piece of legislation. MDA’s decision then causes people to turn to illegal downloads, or cause a spike in bootleg sales.