Developer Shift Up has announced that Stellar Blade will have an “uncensored” release worldwide, including in Japan. This means that the game’s content will be the same everywhere you buy it.
The announcement on social media didn’t explain exactly what will be uncensored, but it likely refers to violent and sexual content being consistent across all versions of the game.
Sometimes, games have to change certain things to be released in different countries because each region has its own rules for age ratings. If a game is deemed too mature, it might need changes to get the desired rating. In some cases, a game might even be banned from certain regions if it doesn’t meet the rating criteria.
「Stellar Blade」 offers the same uncensored version in all countries, including the Japanese version.
ステラブレードは、日本版を含むすべての国で検閲されていない同じバージョンを提供しています。#StellarBlade #PS5 #Uncensored pic.twitter.com/dJojSgZH9y— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) April 21, 2024
However, Stellar Blade has received a Mature rating from the ESRB and an 18 rating from PEGI, which means it includes blood, gore, strong language, suggestive themes, and violence—typical for a game with this rating.
Fans who were worried about censorship in certain regions are happy about this news. But just because the game is uncensored doesn’t mean you’ll see revealing content all the time. The game director suggested that players dress the character Eve modestly to improve her stats, warning that revealing outfits don’t provide defense and could lead to quicker defeat.
Stellar Blade will launch on April 26, exclusively on PlayStation 5. You can try a demo of the game now.