There is no such thing as bad publicity, and the age old adage holds true. Playstation 2 fans who love horror games may not have heard of the Rule of the rose, but the latest decision to ban it has garnered it a host of publicity. Originally developed by Sony for Japan only, the game drew widespread criticism owing to its themes of child violence and sexuality despite being rated 16+.

While the debate rages, whether the themes are sinister or sexual, the game has already been released in the United States. European justic minister Franco Frattini has gone on record by calling it "obscene".