The Australian Classification Board today rejected Deep Silver’s Saints Row IV — the first game to be refused classification since the ACB implemented a new rating system earlier this year.

According to the ACB, the game is too violent and promotes drug use.

“In the Board’s opinion, Saints Row IV includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context,” the ACB said in a statement(Opens in a new window). “In addition, the game includes elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer game guidelines.”

Without classification, the game cannot be sold in Australia’s retail stores, according to(Opens in a new window) The Guardian.

The ACB has a R18+ (restricted to 18 and over)(Opens in a new window) rating, which highlights material that contains adult themes — high-impact sex scenes and drug use. But even that wasn’t enough to cover the newest installment of the Saints Row series.

Game maker Deep Silver did not immediately respond to PCMag’s request for comment, but told Joystiq(Opens in a new window) that developer Volition is tinkering with the game to create a friendlier version that will fit ACB’s standards.

Last year, Australia passed a law(Opens in a new window) allowing the purchase of titles aimed at gamers 15 years and older, resulting in the R18+ rating, which went into effect(Opens in a new window) on Jan. 1. Since then, the Board has classified 17 games as R18+, ACB director Donald McDonald said today.

Saints Row IV is set to launch in the U.S. on Aug. 20 and in Europe on Aug. 23. Check out the game’s NSFW trailer below.

For more, see PCMag’s Hands On With Saints Row IV at E3.