Kalypso has confirmed that Thailand has refused distribution of Tropico 5, a strategy game where players take control of an island nation as a dictator named El Presidente.
This ban isn't terribly surprising since the country has been under a military dictatorship since May 22. In its justification, The Board of Film and Video Censors in Thailand believes that "some contents of the game are not appropriate for the current situation."
Simon Hellwig, Global Managing Director for Kalypso Media Group, has responded to the effective ban: "Tropico 3 and 4 both enjoyed successful releases in the country and although the Tropico brand does have a realistic political element to it, the scenarios and content are all delivered with a certain trademark tongue in cheek humor."
Stefan Marcinek, another Global Managing Director, snidely remarked that "This does sound like it could have come from one of El Presidente's own edicts from the game."
