Excitement is building as the console release of the co-op tactical shooter Ready or Not is just around the corner. However, developer Void Interactive has found themselves in a bit of a dilemma. The PC community has launched a review bombing campaign against the game due to content changes aimed at meeting the policies of global platforms and age rating bodies. Void Interactive has clarified that these changes are minor and necessary to ensure a unified set of assets and features for full cross-play support between platforms. Despite the adjustments, the game will maintain its gory and violent nature, including full limb dismemberment (although now only for characters while they are alive), with many levels remaining unchanged. One significant change Void is making involves the removal of nudity in the game. While video game ratings often permit graphic violence, nudity is a sensitive issue. Characters that previously featured nudity or exposed genitals will now be depicted with underwear. Additionally, there have been alterations to scenes involving children to adhere to rating guidelines. Void Interactive has provided side-by-side comparisons on Steam to showcase the specific visual changes being made to the PC version of Ready or Not: Twisted Nerve: The girl is now depicted as sleeping instead of convulsing. A Lethal Obsession: Nudity involving the ghillie suit suspect has been adjusted. Hide and Seek: Female hostages now wear underwear. Narcos: Police informant hostage now wears underwear. 23 Megabytes a Second: 'Photo of Minors' objective model was revised. Post-mortem dismemberment has been disabled (dismemberment for living characters remains unchanged). While some players are critical of these changes, others are more accepting. Void Interactive emphasized transparency in their decision-making process, acknowledging that these adjustments are common when seeking various ratings for media content. Similar instances of content modifications for ratings purposes can be seen in other games like Conan: Exiles. The aim is often to avoid restrictive ratings and reach a wider audience. Ready or Not has received an M rating in the US and an 18+ rating in Australia, with Void potentially aiming to reduce restrictions for the game's console release. Ready or Not is set to launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 15th.
