Resident Evil Direct Slams Game Censorship

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 frustration over censorship.

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

CERO Faces Backlash Again

Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, the creative minds behind Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered, have openly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship applied to the game's Japanese console release. In an interview with GameSpark, they questioned the rationale behind the restrictions.

Suda51, known for Killer7 and No More Heroes, confirmed the need to create two versions of the game – a censored version for Japan and an uncensored version for other regions. This, he stated, significantly increased development time and workload.

Mikami, renowned for his work on Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed disappointment, arguing that CERO is disconnected from modern gamers. He highlighted the irony of non-gamers dictating content restrictions, preventing players from experiencing the full intended experience, despite a clear demand for mature titles.

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

Suda51 questioned the effectiveness and target audience of these restrictions, emphasizing his uncertainty about the impact on the players themselves. He wondered about the purpose of the restrictions and to whom they are truly directed, suggesting they don't serve the interests of the gaming community.

This isn't the first instance of CERO facing 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.