10 Most Controversial Games of All Time

Like any other art form, video games are no strangers to controversies. There are plenty of titles out there that have generated controversy over the years. While some of them have gone on to be successful, others were taken off the shelves in various countries. Here are our picks for the most controversial video games of all time.

Most Controversial Games of all time 

Grand Theft Auto series

This series of open-world games has faced controversy for its depictions of violence, crime, and sexual content. Various entries in the series have been criticized for their mature themes and have been the subject of numerous debates.

Manhunt

Developed by Rockstar Games (the same company behind GTA), this stealth-based psychological horror game sparked outrage due to its extreme violence and the player's ability to perform brutal executions on enemies.

Postal 2

Known for its gratuitous violence and offensive humor, Postal 2 drew criticism for its controversial content and was banned in several countries.

Mortal Kombat series

The Mortal Kombat fighting game series has been at the center of controversy due to its graphic and gory finishing moves, known as "fatalities." It played a significant role in the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in the United States.

Custer's Revenge

This early adult video game for the Atari 2600 drew outrage for its explicit sexual content and racist themes, as it depicted a pixelated General Custer raping a Native American woman.

Night Trap

This Sega CD game from the early '90s was criticized for its violent and sexual content, which led to congressional hearings on video game violence and the creation of the ESRB.

Hatred

This is an isometric shooter game that revolves around a mass-murdering protagonist. Its extreme violence and dark themes led to it being briefly removed from the Steam platform before being reinstated with an "Adults Only" rating.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

The "No Russian" mission in this game generated controversy for its graphic depiction of a terrorist attack on an airport. Players had the option to skip the mission, and it came with a content warning.

South Park

The Stick of Truth

While praised for its humor, this game faced backlash for its crude and offensive content based on the South Park series, which includes explicit depictions of sex and violence.

Six Days in Fallujah

This game, which aimed to depict real-life events from the Iraq War, was met with controversy due to concerns over its portrayal of a sensitive and recent conflict. It was eventually canceled but later revived for development.