The announcement came from Ubisoft, who said that some graphical content will be censored in Japan in order to comply with the Japanese rating board CERO.
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), and translated via deepl, Ubisoft Japan said, “In order to comply with the regulations of the reviewing authorities, the Japanese version of “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” (CERO:Z) will differ in some of the game’s expressions.
“The game settings have been changed so that the player cannot amputate the head and limbs of enemies at any time during play. The expression of the cut surface of the body has been changed,” it continued.
Ubisoft’s decision comes following the Japanese rating board CERO’s ‘Z’ rating, which although means that the game cannot be sold to anyone over 18, CERO still determined that the game was too violent to be sold in Japan. Ubisoft’s change means that the game can now be sold in Japan, but still have the CERO Z rating.
This isn’t the first time that Japan has imposed such strict rules on games either. In 2023, CERO banned the Dead Space Remake due to violence and also banned The Callisto Protocol in 2022. On the other hand, Stellar Blade passed with a CERO D rating, meaning the game is not suitable for those under the game of 17.
Following two delays, Assassin’s Creed Shadows officially launches March 20, 2025 on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X and PC.
What do you think of Ubisoft’s decision to censor the game in Japan? Do you agree with CERO’s rating on the game? Let us know on the GPlayr forum.
For more GPlayr coverage, check out the news that more Xbox games will become multi-platform and Red Dead Redemption 2 Hits New Concurrent Record on Steam Thanks to $15 Sale