Censorship Criticized by Resident Evil Director

The upcoming October release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered has reignited criticism of Japan's CERO age rating board, with the game's creators voicing their displeasure over censorship imposed on the Japanese release.

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 openly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship applied to the remastered version's Japanese console release. In an interview with GameSpark, they voiced their frustration with the restrictions, questioning the rationale behind them.

Suda51, known for Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the necessity of creating two versions of the game – a censored one for Japan and an uncensored version for other regions. He highlighted the significant increase in workload and development time this entailed.

Shinji Mikami, renowned for his work on Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed his disappointment, suggesting that CERO is out of sync with modern gamers. He argued against non-gamers dictating censorship that prevents players from fully experiencing games, especially those with mature themes.

CERO's rating system, including classifications like CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has been a point of contention. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a pioneering horror title, featured graphic content and its 2015 remake, retaining this signature style, received a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the purpose and target audience of these restrictions, suggesting they don't reflect the desires of the gaming community. He emphasized the lack of consideration for player preferences in the decision-making process.

This isn't CERO's first encounter with criticism. In April, EA Japan's Shaun Noguchi highlighted inconsistencies in CERO's ratings, citing the approval of Stellar Blade with a CERO D rating while rejecting Dead Space. This latest controversy further underscores the ongoing debate surrounding game censorship in Japan.