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[SaturnSaturn]

All of the games passed CERO, PEGI and ESRB while not being censored, so when Sony decides to censor it anyway its a worrying trend.
So this is the hill i will die on, not because i have any interest in those games but because censorship always has a snowball effect.
Who knows what Sony will deem "inappropriate" in a year if this keeps up?

 

[Rock And Roll]

I've been anti-censorship forever, but this isn't actually censorship, its PR. Strictly speaking its image management.
Censorship is about proscribing material within a certain territory or jurisdiction, preventing anyone from making it available under penalty of law or economics*.

Basically by moving all product approval to a single location, the intent I assume is to set a global standard for content, and naturally the nature of the standard is what is felt to be reflective of current cultural mores in the place of institution. Effectively its cultural imperialism, but the motivation isn't moral or political, its basically risk aversion in service of the bottom-line.

In that respect its actually understandable from a pure business standpoint, particularly given the present climate. The point though is that one provider restricting content to what they feel to be brand-appropriate isn't censorship per se. Its like asking why when Disney branched out from their traditional family-friendly offerings, they resurrected/created separate marques to release under. The reason is obvious.


*Economic censorship is when the law makes is such that although a type of material is not illegal, selling it is restricted in such a way that it becomes non-viable economically. How the French authorities killed theatrical porno in the 80's is a great example of this.

They are literally side by side screenshot comparisons of games being available on PC/Switch beside the heavily altered PS4 versions. That is censorship. If you blur/beep/edit something out, that is censorship. If this were brand management, they would just not allow these games on their platform at all. Also as it has been pointed out many times before over many different threads, Sony seems to have no problem having games like Dream Daddy on their platform, Spiderman slinging around in a speedo, or depicting lesbian relationships in TLOU2. You don't see a pattern on what they choose to allow and what they choose to censor? I'd say they are trying to cater to a certain type of audience.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

All of the games passed CERO, PEGI and ESRB while not being censored, so when Sony decides to censor it anyway its a worrying trend.
So this is the hill i will die on, not because i have any interest in those games but because censorship always has a snowball effect.
Who knows what Sony will deem "inappropriate" in a year if this keeps up?

Really depends which side of the hill people are on.

Digital platforms always strive to be some kind "we are open to everyone, join us"..... App store, YT, Twitch, FB you name it. The second they hit huge critical mass of big time users and money, they turn the switch on to curate content they seem unsavoury because now they can throw their weight around. Suddenly they all morph into Mother Theresa.

99.9% of people don't care that those companies crack down on content. And since these anime games only focus on a small segment of gamers, most gamers won't care either.

It will likely be capped at kiddie sexualization since Sony USA seems to be calling the shots and the loss of sales due to pissed of anime gamers won't move the needle. Anything to do with violence and blood will always be open. Sony themselves churn out blood and guts God of War already.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

It's the obsession with it that's the issue. You'd think you were depriving some people of water the way they complain about covered-up female characters. And like StreetsofBeige said, the complaints frequently revolve around costumes and poses that are clearly meant to arouse horny boys, not the mere presence of sexy characters. They're looking for softcore porn and can't even admit it.

This is bullshit. What people care for is FREEDOM. What content is banned doesn't matter , what matters is the fact of censorship impacting the videogame industry by the influence of the PC crowd.

There are billions porn contents over the internet and some people claim that you need videogame for jerking off? My goodness.

 

[Shmunter]

Well done Dualshockers for covering a topic that can get you lynched these days if not in line with the Woke garbage. Respect.

 

[dopey]

It's the obsession with it that's the issue. You'd think you were depriving some people of water the way they complain about covered-up female characters. And like StreetsofBeige said, the complaints frequently revolve around costumes and poses that are clearly meant to arouse horny boys, not the mere presence of sexy characters. They're looking for softcore porn and can't even admit it.

What's wrong with that ? We as a species enjoy looking at people/characters we find sexually attractive. Does it disturb you that people enjoy playing with characters in very sexy costumes ? Your attempts at shaming really makes you come across as one of said puritans.

 

[danielberg]

I mean sony is now censoring to a worse extend than nintendo yes worse than the family brand of consoles, the disney of consoles... this alone should tell everyone no matter what side they fall on that sony at the very least has taken it too far.

 

[Dr. Claus]

This is bullshit. What people care for is FREEDOM. What content is banned doesn't matter , what matters is the fact of censorship impacting the videogame industry by the influence of the PC crowd.

There are billions porn contents over the internet and some people claim that you need videogame for jerking off? My goodness.

Both users have had such described to them so many times they should have it memorized by now. They have no intent on having a discussion, but just to call people "perverts" for wanting freedom of art in games. Just ignore them.

 

[Lightsbane]

This is bullshit. What people care for is FREEDOM. What content is banned doesn't matter , what matters is the fact of censorship impacting the videogame industry by the influence of the PC crowd.

There are billions porn contents over the internet and some people claim that you need videogame for jerking off? My goodness.

Even if you did need games to jerk off, that would be no one's business but your own.
As long as you're an adult, you should have access to any content you desire, as long as it's legal. If these were pictures of actual children, there would be a real problem for them to address.

On the other side of the bridge, there's the freedom of the developers, publishers and artists to create the games that they want to create.
And their reasons for including scantily-clad people are, again, no one but their own. They could be artistic. They could simply be trying to sell some more copies. It's irrelevant.
As long as it's within the scope of the law, you have to make a choice: either don't include it on your platform at all because you don't want to be associated with it -- maybe you want to be kid-friendly or something, no adult content whatsoever -- or include the original version. Untampered.

It's not hard.

 

[Clear]

I'd say they are trying to cater to a certain type of audience.

That's the definition of brand management.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

I mean sony is now censoring to a worse extend than nintendo yes worse than the family brand of consoles, the disney of consoles... this alone should tell everyone no matter what side they fall on that sony at the very least has taken it too far.

I mean here is Compile Heart advertising Moero Chronicle H for the Switch while also mocking Sony's policy:



Which translates to roughly, “Moero Chronicle H’s exclusive download for the Nintendo Switch will make the heart pound. For the scratch and undressing mode, the mysterious light, and the mysterious cloth, and the [censorship] regulation – there is none!”

If you were to tell me during the Wii U days that Sony would be more prudish than Nintendo and Nintendo would be the more creatively permissive company, I would've asked you if I could have whatever you're smoking.

 

[Iorv3th]

Is there a list of games that have been censored?

If you were to tell me during the Wii U days that Sony would be more prudish than Nintendo and Nintendo would be the more creatively permissive company, I would've asked you if I could have whatever you're smoking.

During the PS2 days the PS2 was the only console with BMX XXX censored.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

It's nice to see people speaking up about this.

 

[Rock And Roll]

That's the definition of brand management.

Through censorship. Glad we agree

 

[Airbus Jr]

What's going on here with the ongoing anti Sony agenda posters ?

Feck the haters

Bloodborne 2 is all I need

Sony ftw

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

During the PS2 days the PS2 was the only console with BMX XXX censored.

That's true, but the God of War games used to have nudity, 3 in particular is very graphic.

So it seemed like Sony went through a period of time where they were more lenient.

 

[pimentel1]

....

 

[Iorv3th]

A long time ago, I seemed Sony had their nails in here, trying to dictate themselves as the king of systems. They also seemed to be dictating the culture we are now seeing. Any truth to this?

Are you serious?

 

[The Mad Draklor]

Is there a list of games that have been censored?

During the PS2 days the PS2 was the only console with BMX XXX censored.

IIRC, BMX XXX would’ve been rated AO had it not been toned down. An AO rating means no physical release and since it was back in the PS2 days, that would’ve mean no PS2 version at all.

 

[pimentel1]

....

 

[Pantz]

Buying a sexy video game is harder than buying porn these days. You can load up the web browser on PS4 and watch porn but they censor softening gel in DOAX 3 Scarlet. Both of those could be controlled by parental controls if that was an issue.

I feel like the market is big enough for a new digital platform to come along sell big AAA games alongside even AO rated games in their own section and everything in between So long as they are rated and are legal to own/sell. Let me know when that store comes around.

 

[CatCouch]

IIRC, BMX XXX would’ve been rated AO had it not been toned down. An AO rating means no physical release and since it was back in the PS2 days, that would’ve mean no PS2 version at all.

I never heard about an AO threat. BMX XXX was uncensored on Xbox and Gamecube. Only Sony required it to have black bars or whatever they did to edit it.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I called this months ago and nobody cared. All the "big" gaming websites have been quiet about Sony's agenda as expected but customers shouldn't.

 

[Fuz]

A long time ago, I seemed Sony had their nails in here, trying to dictate themselves as the king of systems. They also seemed to be dictating the culture we are now seeing. Any truth to this?

Super OT: There's a little town in Sardinia called Pimentel. Now I'm curious where your nick comes from.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I mean sony is now censoring to a worse extend than nintendo yes worse than the family brand of consoles, the disney of consoles... this alone should tell everyone no matter what side they fall on that sony at the very least has taken it too far.

I actually like new Nintendo.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

I never heard about an AO threat. BMX XXX was uncensored on Xbox and Gamecube. Only Sony required it to have black bars or whatever they did to edit it.

Really? Then I must have remembered it incorrectly.

 

[Iorv3th]

I’m just saying i remember sony having their nails all over the internet trying to push sony big, nintendo puny. And then those that were the biggest fans derided those who were not, and some seemed to be the SJW culture that migrated to Reset. I’m probably wrong, but it was an observation i noticed. Yes, I’m aware Reset is now big about Nintendo now.

Furthermore, Sony products were being pushed by users the way its still happening at Reset.

People push what they enjoy and whats big. When PS3 and 360 were out a lot of people shit on the PS3. It's just public opinion it will probably change again next generation. There is/was no Sony agenda just as there was no MS agenda with the 360.

 

[Shouta]

That's true, but the God of War games used to have nudity, 3 in particular is very graphic.

So it seemed like Sony went through a period of time where they were more lenient.

Didn't they let the Witcher 3 go uncensored for PS4? Putting aside countries where regional edits occurred, of course.

I do find it funny there's a lot of hubbub about this because, particularly with anime games and VNs, there was a lot of this sort of thing done for console versions all throughout previous generations. I don't think Sony has ever been lenient about anime smut.

 

[Hecaton117]

Well, it's enough of a fit that people on NeoGAF regularly devote entire threads to it and mount passionate defenses claiming that Sony will struggle if it continues its policy. If it wasn't really that much of an issue for them, they wouldn't rail against it seemingly non-stop. To borrow from Hamlet, methinks they doth protest too much.

I find it ironic that you haven't followed your own advice.

For some reason you are under the illusion that if you repeatedly tell people to stop discussing an issue they are interested in on a discussion forum they will actually listen to you. That seems a bit narcissistic.

Not to mention attempting to dictate to others what falls under "artistic integrity" and trying to judge what reasons are appropriate when it's not your position to do so.

 

[pimentel1]

.....

 

[Senhua]

All the examples so far have been of censoring sexual images of what clearly looks like 11 year-old girls that are labeled as (at least in NA translations) 18+ or some other species entirely.

Yet, sony is within their right to censor 1000 year old beings who look like 12......

Sigh, here we go again.

Please tell me where in the pic looking like minor from your western view (I'm asian, so maybe I'm bias)

 

[Dunki]

But then it also means you shouldn't screech like a banshee when it's taken out, and shouldn't throw a fit when a developer decides against including gratuitous T&A in the first place.

I will say my opinion. Will I attack people for it? No I will just not buy ANY censored game that was changed based on localization or public outrage. I acknowledge changes through differences with Licensing like changing Opening themes like they have to do in the Yakuza Series but thats it.

But for the rest no matter how small the change I will not support it. I will rather buy a so called uncensored T&A game and never play it then to buy a censored one. I also considering not to buy a PS5 unless this shit is changing again. And I have bought ALL Sony consoles so far (no handhelds). I also bought Hatred because of the outrage and never played it.

This industry is big enough for every kind of game. And when a absolute Niche game has to pbey to western imperialistic pressure I will do what ever I can to support the developers going against these assholes.

As I see it, it's good to make games a more inclusive place, and that means representing women and minorities as more than just trophies and background objects. But it is important to remember that these are video game characters, and that a game isn't bad so long as it isn't being out-and-out bigoted.

We are talking here about fucking niche games. Games women also can find hilarious. So no it is not inclusive to censoring games. Inclusive would be to allow every kind of game no matter what it is. And then the people can decide what they want to play. If you do not like these kind of games do not buy them. It is pretty easy. I also do not buy feministic propaganda trash like a boring gone home.

But I also would never demand such games should not exist. Every game and developer should be able to do what they want to do. And when these kind of changes happening in the background and Sony is forcing them to do it even to released games then there is something really wrong here.

 

[down 2 orth]

Respect to this guy for saying what needs to be said.

 

[Screamer-RSA]

I just hope this bs doen't affect CP2077. CDPR should be able to make the game they want to make.

Hopefully they release a different version for the PS4/5 so that that can be the version no body wants to get, wonder what Sony will think about that

 

[Grumpy Toe Nail]

Lol.

If, as you say, they don't care whether the content is there or not (they do) it's only more time, effort and money to remove content. Might as well keep it in then.

i like T&A in my games but dont know a single person irl who even has the slightest idea about this censorship. They probably have some data showing it'll scare away more potential customers than it'll attract. I dont honestly think sony gives a fuck about the morals behind it, this is just money.

 

[mejin]

Till now the censorship is on nintendo level from decade ago...costumes basically. It's ridiculous, but this is no puritanism...it' hypocrisy at best.

 

[down 2 orth]

i like T&A in my games but dont know a single person irl who even has the slightest idea about this censorship. They probably have some data showing it'll scare away more potential customers than it'll attract. I dont honestly think sony gives a fuck about the morals behind it, this is just money.

Games buzz always starts on forums before dispersing to the general public. Hence: influencers, console wars, forum implosions, and all that good stuff.

 

[llien]

Sigh, here we go again.

Please tell me where in the pic looking like minor from your western view (I'm asian, so maybe I'm bias)

Looks like mid 30 to me.

 

[llien]

It's the obsession with it that's the issue. You'd think you were depriving some people of water the way they complain about covered-up female characters. And like StreetsofBeige said, the complaints frequently revolve around costumes and poses that are clearly meant to arouse horny boys, not the mere presence of sexy characters. They're looking for softcore porn and can't even admit it.

Could you elaborate the difference between "presence of sexy characters" and "chars meant to arouse horny boys"?

 

[Viliger]

Mark Kern is still trying to get into relevancy I see.

 

[Endless Fluff]

I don't know if I'd call it puritanism, but whatever Sony is doing right now is only the beginning. danielberg has already said it... Sony is worse than Nintendo right now and this should tell you how bad the current situation is.

Sigh, here we go again.

Please tell me where in the pic looking like minor from your western view (I'm asian, so maybe I'm bias)

According to Jason Schreier she's obviously pedo bait. I mean... she is drawn and is showing underboob while spreading legs.

*gasp* SHE IS THE DEVIL trying to seduce StreetsofBeige and Aurelian.

But then it also means you shouldn't screech like a banshee when it's taken out, and shouldn't throw a fit when a developer decides against including gratuitous T&A in the first place.

You know. I would be kind of okay with it IF the developer themselves decided to keep that content out in all versions... but it ISN'T the developer that is deciding what's okay and what isn't. It's Sony and the fact that everyone on PS4 gets a gimped version of a game.

Reminds me of the good old days when we germans got "special versions" with game modes removed because they were too "problematic" (Zombie and Arcade modes in Call of Duty for example).

 

[{insert code here}]

Yeah I might have to pass on the PS5. I've got a big enough PS3/PS4/Vita backlog to get me through the next decade easy. Worst case scenario I could buy an Xbox but that would have to be like a red alert/Armageddon type worst case scenario.

 

[LegendOfKage]

It's my opinion that you sound like a conservative Christian talking about Night Trap 25 years ago. If you disagree with that, please tell me what has changed, and how the way you feel now is different than the way they felt then.

I'm definitely not a conservative Christian. Night Trap had its problems, but it was pretty tame in practice. And my objection is not that there's sexuality presented in these games -- it's that there's a whole contingent of guys freaking out over what's really a minor issue, and being disingenuous about why they want that content to stay.

That's not even close to what I asked. How is the way you feel about sexuality in video games now different than the way conservative Christians felt 25 years ago? How are you not trying to accomplish the same goals? How is your moral crusade different from theirs?

Even above, you're suggesting that Night Trap "had its problems," which I assume you mean from a moral perspective.

 

[Helios]

Without examples of this "censorship" this is kinda just a baseless claim.

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/why-...ay-ot-censorship-controversy-central.1467221/

• Super Seducer was approved and released. It passed Sony's approval checks, got a low enough rating, and was devoid by itself of any encouragement for "politically incorrect" actions, as they would lead to a game over, or any kind of sexual imagery. However, directly in response to gaming media complaining about the existence of a pick-up artist game in 2018 (as they should dating and self-help books should be made illegal, apparently) Sony retroactively pulled the game from its store after one day.
• Omega Labyrinth Z: While rejected in a couple of European countries, its cancelled PS4 Western version was cleared by legal authorities in the US and approved by PEGI and ERSB for mature, not adult-only ratings. The decision is confirmed to come from Sony, the Western publisher is looking for ways to port it to Steam or other platforms, and the Japanese publisher is doing the next game in the series exclusively on Switch.
• Nekopara Vol.1: Delayed indefinitely in the West for PS4 the same week as Omega Labyrinth Z. Already available on Steam. Fate of Volume 2 (announced for PS4 and Switch) unknown.
• Senran Kagura Burst Re-Newal: Cleared by ERSB/PEGI, rejected by Sony who asked for specific parts of the game to be cut. Steam version unaffected. The cut content was allowed before.
• Million Arthur VR: Shortly delayed to remove head patting
• Happy Manager VR: Delayed for half a year, major changes from pre-release, most interactions with girls you meet relegated to a gallery mode that shows functional but not interactive VR, with some scenes in fixed camera.
• Nora to Oujo to Noraneko Heart: A visual novel uncut on PC, covered with towels just enough to avoid frontal nudity for Switch, and covered with huge beams of light only leaving the head visible for the PS4/PSV versions.
• Sugar Daddy, a homoerotic visual novel, was on the other hand approved by Sony.

There are more examples in the OT thread if you want to delve deeper. Kudos to Pot Meet Kettle

 

[petran79]

That guy is clearly alt-right. His post history should be exposed

 

[Dunki]

That guy is clearly alt-right. His post history should be exposed

So what? does it make his statement wrong?

 

[petran79]

So what? does it make his statement wrong?

I was only jesting

 

[Helios]

I just hope this bs doen't affect CP2077. CDPR should be able to make the game they want to make.

Hopefully they release a different version for the PS4/5 so that that can be the version no body wants to get, wonder what Sony will think about that

I think they'll be fine. Witcher has a lot of nudity and Sony is okay with that. Whether they're okay with it because CDPR is a big enough company or because censoring Witcher would be their biggest PR blunder, who knows.

 

[Thiagosc777]

I think they'll be fine. Witcher has a lot of nudity and Sony is okay with that. Whether they're okay with it because CDPR is a big enough company or because censoring Witcher would be their biggest PR blunder, who knows.

Mortal Kombat used to have nice looking women, and now they are all covered up.

 

[Clear]

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/why-...ay-ot-censorship-controversy-central.1467221/

There are more examples in the OT thread if you want to delve deeper. Kudos to Pot Meet Kettle

The first two examples are the important ones, as they show that basically their existing content approval was not passing muster in either a legal* or cultural sense. Given that none of the other games were going to sell for shit anyway, I can see why they'd err on the side of caution.

*To be accurate Omega Labyrinth Z was banned in 5 countries (Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the UK ) essentially making an EMEA release pointless.