Spike Chunsoft released the Japanese version of on December 21st Baldur’s Gate 3 published by Larian Studios for the PS5. Japanese fans who have already gotten their hands on a copy seem particularly amused by the creative decisions involved in self-censoring the characters’ private parts.
Even before release, it was announced that the Japanese PS5 version of Baldur’s Gate 3 would contain some changes compared to the global version – that is, explicit content such as depictions of blood and genitals would be self-censored.
While the standard version of the game lets you choose whether to allow or hide nudity in cutscenes, these options have been removed from the Japanese version, making it censored by default.
However, the self-censorship of characters’ genitals using a single, carefully placed fig leaf appears to have had primarily a comedic effect. The amusing measure even contributed to that people are completely okay with these cuts. But why is it so popular?
Yatta!
Well, for one thing, it’s simply an amusing picture. But there is a little more context: namely a bizarre song and music video that has apparently burned itself into the collective memory of many Japanese people. We’re talking about “Yatta!”, a parody song from 2001 by the fictional boy band “Green Leaves”. The music video shows the members wearing nothing more than their underwear with a fig leaf detail. The song was a chart hit at the time and lives on today as an immortal internet meme.
But back to Baldur’s Gate 3. Why is the Japanese version censored at all? Games ported to consoles in Japan must limit depictions of genitalia to comply with CERO guidelines. Fortunately, there are no regulations regarding the form in which this self-censorship must take place. Hence the amusing fig leaf approach, which has apparently hit a completely unexpected nerve of nostalgia among Japanese players.
In any case, the creative decision to censor character privacy in Larian Studio’s Baldur’s Gate 3 seems to have struck a completely unexpected chord of nostalgia and humor among Japanese gamers.
via Automaton Media, images: Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios, Spike Chunsoft
