Resident Evil Director Slams Game Censorship

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 frustration over censorship.

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 imposed on the remastered console version of their game. In an interview with GameSpark, they openly challenged CERO's decision-making process and the resulting restrictions.

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 markets. He highlighted the significant increase in development time and workload this entailed.

Shinji Mikami, renowned for his work on mature-rated titles like Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed disappointment with CERO's disconnect from the modern gaming landscape. He argued that non-gamers imposing censorship prevents players from experiencing the game's full intended impact, despite the existence of a dedicated audience for mature content.

CERO's rating system, including classifications like CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has been a source of contention. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a pioneer of the horror genre, featured graphic violence. Its 2015 remake, retaining the series' signature gore, received a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the rationale behind the restrictions, emphasizing his uncertainty about the target audience for such censorship and suggesting it doesn't align with the desires of players.

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 latest controversy underscores ongoing concerns about CERO's rating practices and their impact on game development and player experience.