Resident Evil Director Thinks Game Censorship Sucks

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

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 publicly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship applied to the remastered version of their game. In an interview with GameSpark, they openly challenged CERO's restrictions and questioned the rationale behind them.

Suda51, renowned for titles like Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the necessity of creating two versions of the game—a censored version for Japanese consoles and an uncensored one. He highlighted the significant increase in workload and development time this entailed.

Shinji Mikami, celebrated for his work on mature titles such as Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed disappointment with CERO's disconnect from the modern gaming landscape. He argued that non-gamers dictating censorship prevents players from experiencing games in their entirety, despite a clear demand for mature content.

CERO's rating system, encompassing classifications like CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has long been a subject of debate. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a groundbreaking horror title, featured graphic content. Its 2015 remake, retaining its signature gore, received a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the effectiveness and target audience of these restrictions, emphasizing his concern for the players' experience and suggesting a disconnect between the censorship and the desires of the gaming community.

This isn't the first time CERO's practices have drawn criticism. In April, EA Japan General Manager Shaun Noguchi highlighted inconsistencies, citing the approval of Stellar Blade with a CERO D rating while rejecting Dead Space. This latest controversy underscores the ongoing tension between content creators and Japan's game rating board.