New: 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' Faces Censorship in Japan

Assassin's Creed Shadows: Japan's CERO Rating Leads to Content Changes

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows (AC Shadows) has received a CERO Z rating in Japan, resulting in content alterations for the Japanese release. This rating, reserved for 18+ audiences, necessitates changes to comply with Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) guidelines.

Content Differences Between Japanese and Overseas Versions:

The Japanese version will notably remove dismemberment and decapitation, modifying depictions of wounds and severed body parts. While specific details haven't been released, adjustments to the Japanese audio dubbing are also expected. Conversely, the international versions will offer players the option to toggle dismemberment and decapitation via in-game settings.

CERO Z Rating and its Implications:

A CERO Z rating signifies content deemed inappropriate for audiences under 18. CERO's rating system considers various factors including violence, sexual content, antisocial behavior, and language. Games failing to meet CERO's standards risk non-rating, preventing their release in Japan. This isn't unprecedented for the Assassin's Creed franchise; prior installments like Valhalla and Origins also received CERO Z ratings due to their violent content. The Callisto Protocol and the Dead Space Remake are recent examples of games that did not receive CERO ratings and were consequently not released in Japan.

Changes to Yasuke's Description:

Further adjustments involve the description of Yasuke, a key protagonist. Japanese language versions on Steam and PlayStation Store have replaced "samurai" (侍) with "騎当千" (Ikki tousen), meaning "a warrior who can face a thousand enemies." This follows controversy surrounding the previous "black samurai" description, a sensitive topic within Japanese history and culture. Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, previously stated the company's focus on broad audience appeal, not promoting specific agendas.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.