Resident Evil Director Thinks Game Censorship Sucks

The upcoming October release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered has reignited the debate surrounding Japan's CERO age rating board. The game's creators, expressing significant frustration, have openly criticized the censorship imposed on the remastered version for the Japanese market.

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

CERO Faces Renewed Backlash

Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, the creative minds behind Shadows of the Damned, have voiced their disappointment with Japan's CERO rating system. In an interview with GameSpark, they criticized the censorship applied to the Hella Remastered console release. Suda51 highlighted the significant development challenges, stating, "Creating two versions of the game – one censored and one uncensored – was incredibly demanding, impacting our workload and extending development time considerably."

Mikami, renowned for his work on mature titles like Resident Evil, argued that CERO is disconnected from modern gaming audiences. He stated, "It's perplexing to see non-gamers censoring games and preventing players from experiencing the complete creative vision, especially when there's a clear audience for mature content."

CERO's rating system, including categories like CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has been a source of contention. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a groundbreaking horror title, featured graphic content, a characteristic maintained in the 2015 remake, which received a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the rationale behind the restrictions, stating, "While regional restrictions are a professional reality, I constantly wonder about the impact on players and fans. What is the purpose? Who benefits? It certainly doesn't seem to prioritize the players themselves."

This isn't the first instance of CERO facing criticism. In April, EA Japan's Shaun Noguchi highlighted inconsistencies, citing the approval of Stellar Blade with a CERO D rating while rejecting Dead Space. This ongoing controversy underscores the need for a more transparent and player-centric approach to game rating in Japan.