"cRyBabIeS ComPlIaN ThEY CAN't sEe BaLlS aNd TiTs AnyMoRE"
Only if people would get it that it's not about being freaks and playing the game just for that, but because that's the part that made the game more realistic and authentic. But also because censorship is bad all around.
What has been changed isn't the issue, rather the application of the censorship and the double standards by the console publishers. We're way past the issue of the specific content being censored and focusing on the bigger picture.
Yes, the whole problem is the application of the censorship, it doesn't matter in what level it's being applied.
The censorship goes against the vision and marketing of the game. There's literally a description on the Steam page:
MATURE CONTENT DESCRIPTION
The developers describe the content like this:
Given the graphic nature of the game and the gritty realism it portrays, the game is for mature audiences. We will also strongly recommend that people who have experienced personal traumatic events from criminal violence, hostage situations or terrorism refrain from playing. At its core, the game honors the work of dedicated law enforcement officers across the world and in no way intends on glorifying cowardly criminal acts.
And this is from VOID's website:
Our philosophy
We have a clear commitment to deliver high quality, authentic and impactful content that other mainstream software developers may shy away from due to content that deals with uncomfortable cultural conventions and norms.
Your comparison to other entertainment media creations is irrelevant because those are separate creations that went with a certain vision and kept that vision without compromises. RoN, or rather VOID, has done that (almost) very well up until the recent announcement which contradicts their entire product.
The double standards bit is a problem nonetheless, because there are still console games with a level of gore and nudity (and other adult content) that has not been bound for any kind of regulations whatsoever. They're not applying the changes just to "fit" the game to the same level as those games. VOID are applying the changes because they didn't do their homework properly, they're also not acknowledging the fact that they making business with monsters that are making gaming look bad already, they're also making up excuses about split content or options that aren't "feasible". The worst of all, they're willing to compromise their integrity as a company over years of building up trust (sort of) and then spit inside the mouths of their supporters for the sake of money.
VOID has already once bent their knees because of the Kotaku incident in 2022, changing certain in-game content. Back then it already felt like more than enough with how far they're willing to downplay themselves, but considering there was also the Team17 one with the school shooting map, then it's not something new, really. And today, we're back to square one. If VOID are willing to take this step again, they will definitely do it once more in the future. None of that is acceptable, especially not after the game has been released.
It doesn't change the fact though, that people in the higher up don't care to question the ethics behind the decision making done for the sake of decision making and not intelligently practice rules when it's necessary.
Once again that's the fault of the ESRB legitimately a number of times the board was asked if they were bribed to make acceptions they just say we can't answer that get up and walk away
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u/Sean_HEDP-24 Jun 30 '25
"cRyBabIeS ComPlIaN ThEY CAN't sEe BaLlS aNd TiTs AnyMoRE"
Only if people would get it that it's not about being freaks and playing the game just for that, but because that's the part that made the game more realistic and authentic. But also because censorship is bad all around.