Hotline Miami 2 Disappears from Some PlayStation Libraries

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number has been taken down from the PlayStation Store in Australia after an oversight led to its release without an official age rating from the Australian Classification Board. This mishap resulted in the game being removed from users’ libraries, with refunds being processed where applicable. Originally launched in 2015, Hotline Miami 2 was inadvertently listed on the Australian PlayStation Store following its native PS5 re-release in 2023.

After the success of the original Hotline Miami in 2012, developer Dennaton Games and publisher Devolver Digital followed up with another hit in 2015. The sequel debuted on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, and PC, later becoming available on Nintendo Switch in 2019, Xbox One in 2020, and finally on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2023. Although Devolver Digital has teased a third installment in the beloved series, fans are still eagerly awaiting updates on the potential trilogy.

Upon its 2015 release, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was refused classification in Australia due to a controversial scene depicting sexual assault. This decision rendered the game unavailable in the region. However, in October 2023, Devolver Digital announced that Hotline Miami 2 would receive a native upgrade for PlayStation 5, inadvertently leading to its unauthorized listing on the Australian PlayStation Store. A year later, Sony began removing the game from players' libraries and delisted it from the store, as reported by Press Start.

Refund Process for Australian PlayStation Users

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was also part of Sony's expanding roster of free games available through PlayStation Plus. This means users who downloaded the title in Australia via the subscription service will not receive a refund. In a recent email sent to Australian players who owned Hotline Miami 2, PlayStation stated that it had "taken steps to remove the product from customers who obtained the game through PlayStation Plus" after discovering it lacked proper classification. For those who purchased the game, a separate communication indicates that refunds will be processed via the original payment method, potentially taking between 30 and 60 days to reflect on bank statements.

Interestingly, this isn't the first instance of the game being accessible in Australia. In 2019, Devolver Digital launched the Hotline Miami Collection for Nintendo Switch, which included both Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. Despite the sequel being banned in the country, fans were able to buy the collection through the Nintendo eShop. However, that collection has since been removed from the Australian storefront.