Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Japan-Set Game Faces Censorship and Limited Release

Assassin’s Creed fans, the long wait for a Japan-set installment is almost over with Shadows hitting the shelves soon. However, players in Japan will be experiencing a slightly different version than what’s available globally.

This new chapter in the Assassin’s Creed saga, like its predecessors, doesn’t hold back on the action-packed assassination theme. But in an intriguing shift, Shadows has chosen the captivating backdrop of Japan—a setting that’s been on many fans’ wishlist for years. Though it’s exciting that the game launches in Japan as well, the Japanese edition will have toned-down content to align with the country’s rating guidelines.

The game has been given a “Z” rating by CERO, Japan’s rating board, restricting it to adults over 18. Yet, CERO deemed some of the violent content too extreme, prompting Ubisoft to alter the game’s final version for this market.

Ubisoft Japan addressed this on Twitter, explaining, “For Assassin’s Creed: Shadows (CERO: Z), adjustments were made in the Japanese edition to adhere to CERO’s criteria,” as translated by VGC. A notable change is the removal of the option to toggle on and off dismemberment in the game settings. Consequently, the ability to separate heads and limbs from enemies is permanently disabled, and the depiction of severed body parts has been altered.

This decision was clearly made to ensure the game could be released in Japan, even with the mature rating. It’s a bit ironic, though, that players in Japan won’t fully experience a game set in their own cultural landscape. But hey, that’s how it goes sometimes in the realm of game regulations!

My colleague Dom recently had the chance to dive into the game, finding the dual protagonist feature to be a refreshing change that the series has sorely needed. He also noted that the new Immersive Mode, especially appealing to Shogun fans, promises to be a highlight.

Mark your calendars for March 20, when Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be available on Xbox Series, PS5, and PC. Get ready for an epic adventure through the Land of the Rising Sun!