Capcom Exec Blasts Game Censorship

Resident Evil Director Thinks Game Censorship Sucks With the October release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered looming, criticism of Japan's CERO rating board intensifies. The game's creators are voicing their frustration over the censorship applied to the remastered version in Japan.

Suda51 and Shinji Mikami Condemn Shadows of the Damned's Censorship

CERO Faces Backlash Again

Resident Evil Director Thinks Game Censorship Sucks Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, the writer and producer duo behind Shadows of the Damned, have openly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship imposed on the Hella Remastered console release. In a recent GameSpark interview, they questioned the rationale behind the restrictions.

Suda51, known for Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the need to create two versions of the game for the Japanese market. He stated, "Creating two versions presented a significant challenge, impacting our workload and extending development time considerably."

Shinji Mikami, renowned for his work on mature titles like Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed disappointment with CERO's approach, suggesting a disconnect with modern gamers. He commented, "It seems odd for non-gamers to censor games, preventing players from experiencing the full intended experience, especially when there's an audience eager for mature content."

Resident Evil Director Thinks Game Censorship Sucks CERO's rating system, including CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has been a subject of debate. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a pioneer in the horror genre, featured graphic content. Its 2015 remake, retaining this signature gore, received a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the effectiveness of these restrictions, stating, "While regional restrictions are unavoidable, I always wonder about the players' perspectives. What's the purpose of these limitations? Who are they targeting? They certainly don't seem to be considering the players themselves."

This isn't CERO's first encounter with criticism. In April, EA Japan's Shaun Noguchi highlighted inconsistencies, citing the approval of Stellar Blade (CERO D) while rejecting Dead Space.