Blizzard Forced to Censor StarCraft II

[Tom Goldman]

Blizzard Forced to Censor StarCraft II

The highly anticipated StarCraft II wasn't able to properly land on Korean soil without a few changes.

Korean website Fomos is reporting that slapped [http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=65548] with the equivalent of an "adults-only" rating in the region after Blizzard submitted the latest build last month.

The elevated rating came as a surprise to Blizzard as it was hoping for one that supported the game for ages 12 and over. This is the exact rating StarCraft II has now been given in South Korea, but only through censorship.

On May 11, Blizzard submitted a new version of StarCraft II to the Korean Game Ratings Board that changed the game's blood to black and excluded smoking and vulgarity scenes. Blizzard is happy with the age 12 rating, saying via a translation at TeamLiquid [http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=119967&currentpage=21]: "Since Starcraft II was originally developed to be a game adolescents could enjoy, we're very pleased with the Game Rating Board's decision. ... In the remaining time until StarCraft II goes on sale, we'll do our best to continue to perfect the game so that even more fans can enjoy it."

While Blizzard is planning to release the newly censored version of StarCraft II to get the game in as many hands as possible, the company is still debating whether or not to release an uncensored version as well. If you ask me, I just think the new version will freak Korean kids out when they bleed a different color than Terran.

Note: This does not affect StarCraft II in other regions, such as the U.S.

Via: 1up [http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179413]

Permalink

 

[therandombear]

Just exactly what falls under "vulgarity" in their opinion?

Black blood, kinda cool tbh.

 

[xanith02100]

There had better be an uncensored version still. I for one, am not 12, and so I would like the grit that always befit the Scarcraft series intact.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

That doesn't seem too bad. I doubt many hardcore fans will care too much about the blood or smoking as long as the game play is unchanged.

 

[Brad Shepard]

Really, what is so damn bad about the game that it gets Censored? Can someone tell me please?

 

[KeyMaster45]

Korea must be spending time with the Australian ratings board, well it was only a matter of time I suppose.

 

[Asehujiko]

That doesn't seem too bad. I doubt many hardcore fans will care too much about the blood or smoking as long as the game play is unchanged.

The hardcore fans are the ones that always insist on playing as the yellow team on most maps because of the tiny, tiny advantage in camouflage. So yes, they will not appreciate a darker, more opaque blood spray that might slightly obscure other, still living units near the recently deceased.

 

[DarkPanda XIII]

Really, is there that much blood and gore coming out for the game?

Sadly, I lacked the Desktop I wanted to play the Beta, so I ended up missing my chance, but really, was there that much?

Or is Kerrigan showing off more breasts now? @.@

 

[The Hairminator]

Really, what is so damn bad about the game that it gets Censored? Can someone tell me please?

It's not the game they intended it to be, although in this particular case no one seems to think it's terribly bad. I can agree.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

Repeat after me....It is the job of parents to "protect children" not the government.

 

[Brad Shepard]

Repeat after me....It is the job of parents to "protect children" not the government.

But when the parents fail, they blame the government, its a never ending circle, thats why the censor everything, Digimon, Pokemon, Starcraft, even Yu Gi Oh cards.

 

[Dyp100]

Really, what is so damn bad about the game that it gets Censored? Can someone tell me please?

Games are still seen as "kids stuff" and therefore gets censored more heavily then other things?

People want the full experience?

IDK, Censorship is just a terrible thing to me.

 

[samsonguy920]

Koreans want to be stupid, that's fine, but Blizzard better not be thinking of throwing that censored crap in the US.

 

[Delusibeta]

Really, what is so damn bad about the game that it gets Censored? Can someone tell me please?

It's not the game they intended it to be, although in this particular case no one seems to think it's terribly bad. I can agree.

Basically, swearing and smoking got cut from the cut scenes and that old favourite, recolouring the blood, was used. Still feel the original rating was politically motivated, but whatever.

 

[Deofuta]

Ive been told/read that the slapping of the AO rating was part of a power struggle between Blizzard and the Korean gaming aficionados on the Pro Game scene. If I can find the link to the report Ill be happy to post it.

 

[Ne1butme]

Really, is there that much blood and gore coming out for the game?

I am playing the beta, and some of the death animations are pretty gory. My favorite example is the terran marine getting killed by a protoss zealot. There are several animations. One has the marine bisected vertically, with the two halves peeling apart like a banana. Another one is a lateral bisection. The torso falls off and legs stand there for a bit before falling over.

Now, you usually don't see this detail because the camera is zoomed out and you're too busy to notice, but it's there. When zoomed in all the way, it's something you'd expect in an M-rated game.

I don't know what the US rating will be, but an M is not unwarranted.

 

[DarkPanda XIII]

Really, is there that much blood and gore coming out for the game?

I am playing the beta, and some of the death animations are pretty gory. My favorite example is the terran marine getting killed by a protoss zealot. There are several animations. One has the marine bisected vertically, with the two halves peeling apart like a banana. Another one is a lateral bisection. The torso falls off and legs stand there for a bit before falling over.

Now, you usually don't see this detail because the camera is zoomed out and you're too busy to notice, but it's there. When zoomed in all the way, it's something you'd expect in an M-rated game.

I don't know what the US rating will be, but an M is not unwarranted.

Ahh, okay, That works by me....wished for some Kerrigan titties ;.;

 

[Delusibeta]

I don't know what the US rating will be, but an M is not unwarranted.

If Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starcraft_2] is to be believed, Blizzard got away with a T in the US. No such luck in the rest of the world: Australia gave them an M and PEGI handed out a 16+.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Really, is there that much blood and gore coming out for the game?

I am playing the beta, and some of the death animations are pretty gory. My favorite example is the terran marine getting killed by a protoss zealot. There are several animations. One has the marine bisected vertically, with the two halves peeling apart like a banana. Another one is a lateral bisection. The torso falls off and legs stand there for a bit before falling over.

Now, you usually don't see this detail because the camera is zoomed out and you're too busy to notice, but it's there. When zoomed in all the way, it's something you'd expect in an M-rated game.

I don't know what the US rating will be, but an M is not unwarranted.

I like the burning animations the most. There is nothing more satisfying to do while playing Protoss then to see toasty roachies fall to your thermal lance.