Tell Me Why is Not Available for Purchase in 13 Countries

While Tell My Why has reached great success in the countries it IS available in it seems there are a handful of countries that you can't purchase it in.


Published: September 10, 2020 5:02 PM /

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Tell Me Why Not Sold in 13 Countries cover

Dontnod Entertainment's newest game Tell Me Why is being played around the world right now, but it has recently come to light that you can't purchase this game in 13 countries.

Tell Me Why is the latest game from Dontnod featuring a heavy emphasis on narration and atmosphere. Much like Life is Strange, players are introduced to a cast of characters and must uncover secrets by solving puzzles.

Central to this game are its dual protagonists Tyler and Alyson Ronan, a pair of twins with a supernatural bond to one another. Unfortunately, one of these two characters raises an issue in certain countries around the world.

Tell Me Why Not Sold in 13 Countries slice

Which Countries Aren't Selling Tell Me Why?

The South China Morning Post reports that Tell Me Why is currently unavailable for purchase in that country. Chinese gamers are used to getting around such restrictions, but getting the game through alternative channels presents a new problem: there is no support for Mandarin Chinese, the dominant language in that country.

Further investigation on the game's SteamDB page notes that it is currently unavailable for purchase on that platform in these 13 countries:

  • China
  • Indonesia
  • Kuwait
  • Russia
  • Malaysia
  • Pakistan (listed as "South Asia")
  • Peru
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Ukraine
  • Qatar

Why is Tell Me Why unavailable in these regions? It largely comes down to local laws and culture. For example, Russia's "gay propaganda law" prevents the publication of any content or speech that presents homosexuality as a societal norm. Many Middle Eastern countries have similar laws, and China has been inconsistent with what is and is not allowed in the country in terms of LGBT Media.

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that this game will be made officially available for sale in these regions. That said, it's unlikely that gamers won't be able to get their hands on it somehow, even though their language might not be supported — after all, enthusiasts have been creating fan translations of foreign media around the world for decades and it wouldn't be surprising to see this game get the same treatment.

As for the rest of us, Tell Me Why is still very much available for purchase. You can buy it for PC and Xbox One via the game's official website.

What do you think of Dontnod's Tell Me Why being banned in several countries? Do you think gamers will be able to get it anyway in those regions? Let us know in the comments below!

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More Info About This Game
Learn more about Tell Me Why
Game Page Tell Me Why
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Platforms
PC, Xbox One
Release Date
August 27, 2020 (Calendar)
Genre
Adventure
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