- Stellar Blade promised to launch without any censorship in all regions.
- However, following patches, one particular costume was censored, and gore was turned down.
- This has led to heated arguments on social media and a petition with over 12K signatures.
Stellar Blade has received positive reviews, and tech experts have praised it highly for being ultra-polished and bug-free. At the same time, the game has attracted a lot of unjust criticism because of the protagonist, Eve and her design.
Despite the controversy, developer Shift Up stood by its decisions and promised to launch an uncensored version of the game across all regions. However, fans found the day-one patch added censorship to a few outfits and gore.
This small detail sparked further controversy, spawning a petition that has reached a whopping 12K signatures.
Why it matters: While Stellar Blade was initially criticized for exaggerating its designs, the developer’s decision to move slightly in the opposite direction seems to have caused another wave of outcry.
This petition has been created by Mark Kern, one of the original designers of World of Warcraft. He appears to be at the centre of this controversy.
What we received after our good faith purchase was not the same as advertised.
-Mark Kern
As stated earlier, the game was marketed to be uncensored in all regions. This is the main reason for the complaint, with players claiming they spent money to play what was advertised.
Even though this petition was created just one day ago, it has grown astronomically. The next goal is 15K signatures, but this will be no big challenge at this rate.
I can't believe someone had to ask the creator directly in person to get an answer about the censorship pic.twitter.com/DiOfcgHvTr
— Kevin (@KevinCl8778) April 26, 2024
The issue has gained so much recognition that director Kim Hyung Tae was asked about it in person.
He replied that Shift Up is discussing the problem, considering the possibilities of rolling back to the pre-patched version of the outfits. Apart from the outfits, fans have noticed less gore in the final build.
As for the petition, Mark Kern has come up with a bizarre plan to free Stellar Blade. It involves steps like cancelling the PS Plus subscription and contacting relevant people, including the game’s creators.
While there is an argument to be made about censorship, the situation surrounding this petition seems bizarre, to say the least. The most likely explanation for the sudden changes appears to be PlayStation’s intervention.
PlayStation has a long history of censorship, so it seems unlikely that Shift Up will revert these changes on its own. However, with the current outcry, PlayStation might also reconsider its decision.
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[News Reporter]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree, while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over a year because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.
