Catherine Publisher Talks About Covering Up Game's Risque Art

[Lionsfan]

Don't see a huge problem with this, yeah it's full of hypocrisy but if it gets the game released over here then I'm fine with that. Seriously people, it's just Cover Art, if it bothers you so much then print off an original version and stick it on your game. It's not like the Game itself underwent censorship

 

[Deverfro]

Well atleast they left the in game content alone, and also It wont be as emmbarassing when your girlfriend or mum or whoever finds it xD

 

[drisky]

Looking at the old boxes again I can see the problem. Would have liked it to be unchanged, because it wasn't all that bad, but what ever.

 

[Owlslayer]

Well, at least it comes to the USA. But i also find it a bit silly that it got blocked, but oh well.
And no deadline for good old Europe, eh?
Well damn.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Because we all know, pictures with suggested sexuality damage a childrens brain, right? Right.

Your post pretty much sums up everything wrong with how sexuality is treated in america. It's something kids below 16 (or so) needn't be exposed to...or else something horriblee will happen...i guess.

I'm not saying it causes much damage in the way you're thinking of. And you know what? It is wrong how sexuality is being treated in America. People make too big of a deal about something that literally has to happen for humanity to survive. But overindulgence is just as bad as complete abstinence and unnecessarily throwing in tits on the box art of a video game when it can easily be censored and give off the same message is wrong. Call it hypocritical, but being overly sexual for no reason just so you can spit the first amendment back at whoever challenges it is silly and annoying.

It's not that I'm suggesting everyone castrate themselves because every sexual urge is completely immoral and you'll burn in hell forever because you once glanced and a Playboy when you were 13. But I am suggesting that other people believe that and no matter how crazy you might think it is some people don't want anything like that anywhere near their kids and would get extremely upset when you could avoid any parental outrage by just panning the camera up slightly. And if you really think this isn't that bad, would you like to explain buying this game in the presence of a parent/grandparent? While you might feel that it's not that bad, other people do.

Don't see a huge problem with this, yeah it's full of hypocrisy but if it gets the game released over here then I'm fine with that. Seriously people, it's just Cover Art, if it bothers you so much then print off an original version and stick it on your game. It's not like the Game itself underwent censorship

Which is what bothers me even more about these comments... the game itself wasn't even touched and you can still buy the game with the original box art on Amazon if you really want to... so what's the problem?

 

[Chelsea O'shea]

still grabbing the game on my 360. so the box art is censored,its the game that matters.

as long as i don't lose content i don't care.

 

[hedges1001]

these guys never saw the agarest box then ANIME HOT SPRING FTW!!

 

[feeback06]

still grabbing the game on my 360. so the box art is censored,its the game that matters.

as long as i don't lose content i don't care.

This is exactly how I feel. My boxes sit on a shelf, it's the game I'm concerned with.

 

[Seieko Pherdo]

I don't why they could just put a thing of cardboard around it, might been cheaper too. While the change of the art isn't that big of a deal considering how America markets things anyway wanted this cover censored just seems stupid.

 

[Realitycrash]

It's the US, why are people still surprised? Or even ***** about it?
..Because censor should always be fought, I guess.

 

[Suicideking]

But this stuff is ok?

I honestly think there is a prejudice. Catherine looking animeish and coming from Japan probably influenced a few people's decision more than they care to admit.

That chick looks kind of anime-ish herself.

It should be noted that this censorship is only for certain skittish retailers like Walmart and we don't know if Walmart carried X Blades. Maybe they didn't for exactly the same reason.

Actually Wal-mart did/does carry X-Blades, and it should be noted that the X-Blades cover was changed for the US release.

 

[Ubermetalhed]

So the 'west' is now specifically the US?

I'm sure us Europeans will be getting unedited copies anyhow.

 

[ramox]

Because we all know, pictures with suggested sexuality damage a childrens brain, right? Right.

Your post pretty much sums up everything wrong with how sexuality is treated in america. It's something kids below 16 (or so) needn't be exposed to...or else something horriblee will happen...i guess.

I'm not saying it causes much damage in the way you're thinking of. And you know what? It is wrong how sexuality is being treated in America. People make too big of a deal about something that literally has to happen for humanity to survive. But overindulgence is just as bad as complete abstinence and unnecessarily throwing in tits on the box art of a video game when it can easily be censored and give off the same message is wrong. Call it hypocritical, but being overly sexual for no reason just so you can spit the first amendment back at whoever challenges it is silly and annoying.

It's not that I'm suggesting everyone castrate themselves because every sexual urge is completely immoral and you'll burn in hell forever because you once glanced and a Playboy when you were 13. But I am suggesting that other people believe that and no matter how crazy you might think it is some people don't want anything like that anywhere near their kids and would get extremely upset when you could avoid any parental outrage by just panning the camera up slightly. And if you really think this isn't that bad, would you like to explain buying this game in the presence of a parent/grandparent? While you might feel that it's not that bad, other people do.

You see, where i live people like the ones you discribe exist too. The ones which for some odd reason have issues with displayed (or even suggested) sexuality.
The big difference though is, here they are not the braud majority. They are a bunch of old people which didn't notice that a new decade has started or misguided feminists. In america it is a widely accepted and even supported standard.

I would assume the reason for that is simply because somehow that prude mindset was enforced for so long that people started to see it as normal. So much so that no one even questiones the status quo. Because, "no tits on the cover, so what?" Right?
That my friend is how non-chance happens.

And about your question at the end. That is the difference i talk about at the begin. Your average mom (maybe not grandma, but that depends) wouldn't even ask for an explanation. Son boys a game about sex? k, cool, whatever.
See where i'm getting at?

 

[Callate]

Sheesh, retailers. Carrying any copies of Basic Instinct 2 or Wild Things? Grow a spine.

 

[boag]

ugh, so how long will it be before Catherine gets labeled as a sex/rape simulator?

Seriously, the game is probably the freshest most original thing to come out in a while and im afraid it might get diced by the media. :\

 

[shiajun]

Everything about sex v violence has been said and done, Americans are weird etc...

My point, is that gaming WILL NOT be taken seriously while shit like this can be allowed to happen. Graphic sexual imagery is used to advertise pretty much everything. I walk past images of women in extremely sexual lingerie(Ann Summers shops on the walk route into the office = win) every day... Video covers, music albums... But games aren't given the green light because they're seen as for kids, even the blatantly mature ones like Catherine.

This. It is being censored because people in charge are still thinking all games are being marketed toward kids. It is tainted with USA's pathologic prudishness (where it's alright for a kid to catch a glimpse of suggestive violence but not if it's suggestive sexuality), but this is the problematic issue behind this. A product being marketed to adults with a coherently themed artwork and publicity material wouldn't be wrong. Ah! But it's a game, then surely kids must be protected since surely they are the only possible client for these things, right?

 

[CommanderKirov]

The one thing I cannot believe...

People are getting up and arms about the fact that the game promotional material is censored?

Cannot we all get focused on you know... The game parts of the game instead of "How much of teh sex" is on the cover?

 

[ProfessorLayton]

You see, where i live people like the ones you discribe exist too. The ones which for some odd reason have issues with displayed (or even suggested) sexuality.
The big difference though is, here they are not the braud majority. They are a bunch of old people which didn't notice that a new decade has started or misguided feminists. In america it is a widely accepted and even supported standard.

I would assume the reason for that is simply because somehow that prude mindset was enforced for so long that people started to see it as normal. So much so that no one even questiones the status quo. Because, "no tits on the cover, so what?" Right?
That my friend is how non-chance happens.

And about your question at the end. That is the difference i talk about at the begin. Your average mom (maybe not grandma, but that depends) wouldn't even ask for an explanation. Son boys a game about sex? k, cool, whatever.
See where i'm getting at?

But the problem is in the ambiguity. If it's not universally socially acceptable, chances are you shouldn't push it for the time being. Times will change and so will people's opinions on what is and isn't socially acceptable. I don't know where you're from, but where I'm from people aren't exactly very smart or accepting. I personally don't think it's worth it to offend them for no reason (even if they shouldn't be offended in the first place) when you could easily edit the image and make it fine. I honestly believe that in 50 years or so everyone will look back at the fact that we felt the need to censor this and laugh about it but right now there's no reason to be upset when something like this happens. You can still buy a game with the original art so there isn't a problem.

 

[rileyrulesu]

Honestly! WHY SO MANY NEWS POSTS ABOUT A GAME ABOUT SEX WITH POTENTIAL NUDITY??!!

I mean it was already weird at first, but now 20 news posts about it later... Well, it's a LOT weirder.

Seriously guys, WTF?

 

[DarklordKyo]

ugh, so how long will it be before Catherine gets labeled as a sex/rape simulator?

Seriously, the game is probably the freshest most original thing to come out in a while and im afraid it might get diced by the media. :\

Similar accusations to the above didn't stop Mass Effect from being a best seller (hell, Fox claimed those accusations along with the originator). There's no such thing as bad publicity as they say [besides, I didn't see any pedophilia claims for Disgaea just because the 3 main characters are the netherworld equivalent to early teens (for those not in the know, the disgaea exchange rate from human to demon\angel is 1=100, a 1 year old human is equal in age to a 100 year old demon), so I don't think a similarly obscure game like Catherine would gain them].