PlayStation Censors Upcoming PS5 and PS4 Game Before Release

By Tyler Fischer

An upcoming PS4 and PS5 game is being censored ahead of its release, and it appears Sony is to blame. The last few years, PlayStation has earned a reputation for censoring games. The most noteworthy example of this was Devil May Cry 5, which Capcom had to censor on PS4 to get the game on the platform. The scene in question involved nudity, or more specifically, a naked woman's butt, which, in the PS4 version, was covered up with a lens flare. 

The latest developer finding the need to censor their game to release on PlayStation platforms is developer LKA, who, alongside publisher Wired Productions, released a joint statement revealing that their upcoming game together, Martha Is Dead, is being "modified" on PS4 and PS5, which will render "some elements no longer playable. Developer LKA and publisher Wired Productions don't go into any further detail about the modification than this, nor do they cite PlayStation as the force behind the changes, but they do note the PC and Xbox versions will not be undergoing any modifications, indirectly confirming the suspicion that their hand is being forced. As a result of these changes, the game's physical release on PS4 and PS5 has been delayed. 

"Martha Is Dead is a narrative adventure recommended for adult audiences only, with play consisting of potentially discomforting scenes and themes that may distress some players," reads the aforementioned statement. "Both Wired Productions and LKA have always been open and honest about Martha Is Dead content, with the sensitive depictions in play consistently communicated to the media since the game was announced in 2019. This content is also flagged clearly and repeatedly within the game Itself before play begins. It is with regret that we have had to modify the experience on the PS5 and PS4 versions, with some elements no longer playable. After over four years of passion and hard work, Developer LKA now requires extra time to make these unplanned changes. Martha Is Dead, as a result, will still launch digitally on both PS5 and PS4 on Thursday, February 24th, 2022, but the physical retail release will be delayed to a yet to be disclosed date; although we anticipate this to only be a small number of weeks. Our physical edition will still contain the bonus content of a double-sided poster, digital tarot cards, and Martha Is Dead Digital EP. We will update players with the date we ship this edition as soon as we have the information. The PC and Xbox versions of Martha Is Dead are both unaffected by these developments and will launch with the full unedited gameplay as planned."

As noted, it's unclear what changes are being made to the PS4 and PS5 versions, but we should find out soon, with the game scheduled to hit PlayStation consoles, Xbox consoles, and PC on February 14 (a trailer for the game can be viewed here).

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