Shadows censors gore and violence for Japanese release

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is preparing for release in Japan with altered graphics to comply with the country’s CERO ratings board regulations.

Ubisoft has made the decision to inform players in advance about the modifications that will be made to the game. This announcement was shared on Ubisoft’s official Japanese X account.

『アサシン クリード シャドウズ』海外版（北米・欧州）と日本版 表現差異について#AssassinsCreedShadows pic.twitter.com/v3XrcppwMf

— Ubisoft Japan (@UBISOFT_JAPAN) January 24, 2025

Notable changes include the removal of the feature to toggle gore and amputations, with the Japanese version unable to depict such violence.

The announcement also includes a mysterious statement: “Some of the Japanese audio played in the overseas versions (North America and Europe) has been changed.” (Translation: Google)

The reasoning behind this alteration remains unclear. Since the announcement of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, there has been criticism regarding Ubisoft’s commitment to historical accuracy, with some of this criticism originating from Japan.

It is possible that the changes made in the Japanese version are intended to obscure any creative liberties taken that may be more apparent to Japanese audiences familiar with their own history compared to western fans.

Instances like this highlight the differences in censorship practices between the west, which tends to censor sexually provocative content, and Japan, which has its own issues with censoring violence.