"Just Pirate" Hotline Miami 2 if It's Banned in Australia, Dev Says

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number developer Jonatan Söderström, also known as "Cactus," has told Australian players they can go ahead and pirate the game if it doesn't get an official release in their country.

On Wednesday, it emerged that the Australian censor refused to classify the top-down shooter, based on what it deemed as scenes of strong violence, as well as what it determined as a rape scene.

Söderström made the comment in an email to an Australian fan who asked what's the best way to purchase the game if it doesn't get an official release in the country. The exchange was posted to Reddit and later confirmed as authentic by publisher Devolver Digital.

If it ends up not being released in Australia, just pirate it after release," Söderström said. "No need to send us any money, just enjoy the game!"

Developer Dennaton Games has since responded to the ban, writing in a statement that it feels the Australian Classification Board has "stretched the facts."

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is the sequel to 2012's stylish, ultra violent top-down shooter, which so far has sold more than a million copies. The game was originally set to release on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita in 2014, but is now set to release in the first quarter of this year.