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Sony clamps down on sexual content in PS4 games

Sony has confirmed it's new standards for sexual content in PS4 games, and that could have an impact on the titles you see.

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engadget.com
hulk_bash19871623d ago (Edited 1623d ago )

Not a good look for Sony and the Playstation brand for sure. The ESRB ratings are more than enough for consumer awareness. At that point it's up to the parents to make informed decisions about what to buy their kids.

WilliamSheridan1623d ago

I expect them to back pedal on this one soon...

Shiken1622d ago

@WilliamSheridan

What makes you think that? History has shown that Sony thinks they can do whatever they want when they are on top.

I think they will back pedal, but only once they lose a chunk of their install base next gen. They will still be healthy, thank god. But investors will not be happy.

lxeasy1623d ago

Why the hell do they censor sexual content so much yet they clearly don't censor violence in their games. People always treat sexual content like its evil or taboo and its not.

Nu1623d ago

Some of my favorite porn involves lesbian action

gleepot1623d ago

certainly you speak for everyone

Kados1622d ago (Edited 1622d ago )

Yep, very odd world we live in now. Parents have no issues with their kids watching movies with beheadings or disembowelments, but one set of animated tits in a video game and god have mercy. People have become such prudes about basic human anatomy. They must be ashamed of themselfs for having these evil things attached to their bodies.

Salooh1622d ago (Edited 1622d ago )

I don't care about what sony does, my comment is not about my side in this issue, it is about why people naturally hate to see sexual content being normalized. Because this type of content does have an immediate influence to the daily behaviour of most adults and most of the time it is bad influenece, it mess around with the personality far more than the usual violence exposure because it is far more personal than the violence content, which in turn mess the daily routine of an adult once they submit to that content, so imagine that type of exposure to children, it mess with their life. Even if you are confident, smart, strong, mature in handling such content, in general people are not like that so for them it is better to be away from it than treat the bad influence.

Reminder, i don't care about sony decision, i'm just commenting on what you said about the 'people'. I'm probably gonna be down voted as usual but i don't care :P

SkatterBrain1622d ago (Edited 1622d ago )

didnt God of War used to have Sex Scenes with breast shown and The Bad Guy in The Last of Us gave me a creepy Vibe with Ellie apart from wanting to eat her and Lots of Sony Movies got Nudity

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Nu1623d ago

Guys this is why Microsoft doesn't do what Sony does. Seems like Sony is pulling some Nintendo moves as of late

CrimsonWing691623d ago

Oddly enough Nintendo isn’t censoring the games Sony are.

UltraNova1622d ago (Edited 1622d ago )

Crimson,

Nintendo can't sensor games on their system because they outright deny their release to begin with. I'll let you decide what's worse for the consumer.

That said this is something Sony needs to stop doing and get with the times. Its up to parents to look after their kids and the type of content they are allowed to consume.

rob-GP1622d ago

People keep bringing up MS in this debate yet they refused to comment and these types of games aren't on their platform... The most probable reason is that MS has a similar list of rules on their side as well, only Sony is in the spotlight because they have allowed them until now whereas others may not have allowed them at all.

fathertime44641622d ago

The most hilarious part of this is that the Japanese culture is extremely open when it comes to nudity and sex. This is just plain silly

froy4021622d ago

That's why it's not censored in Japan duh

fathertime44641622d ago

@froy402
Sony is a Japanese company dah. so it's hilarious that they would go this route

1621d ago
rainslacker1622d ago

I'm really curious why Sony feels they could be held legally liable in some way for allowing this content on their system. I mean, OK, for the underage anime girls, fair enough. They don't want to seem like they promote that. But the rest of it, it just doesn't make sense with the reason given. There is nothing illegal about nudity or sex in games, movies, books, or TV. All these years, and I can't think of a single instance of any media group or entity having to deal with it in court. The last time that happened was with Jack Thompson when he tried to get violence banned.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1621d ago
SegaGamer1623d ago

The move will help developers "offer well-balanced content" that doesn't "inhibit the sound growth and development" of young people

Oh please, these same young people are playing games where you can blow people's heads off. Sony's logic on this is so backwards.

I'm 30 years old, I don't need you people telling me what I should and shouldn't see. You're also not the parents of these kids. It should be down to the parents to monitor what their kids see, not you people.

Age ratings exist for a reason, if parents are going to ignore that, then that is up to them.

Rachel_Alucard1623d ago (Edited 1623d ago )

They don't care about age ratings they care that people are broadcasting titles on their platform on Twitch and any child could access it. It's beyond pathetic. Like if I openly play Neptunia on PS4 and other people watch, that's not allowed without altering the content to annoying levels. The content still gets through like modified CG, and all they've done is lose money, future customers, annoy people, and Japan possibly lost jobs as well.

1623d ago
rainslacker1622d ago (Edited 1622d ago )

So, instead of censoring the content in the games, make it required that those scenes be blocked from capture. They already have this ability built into the system. I'd rather have the games uncensored, than have to protect the twitch streamers logging in to see the cleavage of some female gamer trying to make a name for herself by showing off more than you would ever see in any Neptunia game.

No Way1622d ago

So then the streaming sites should require "age of consent," which of course.. is easily faked. But, this still goes back to the parents. Don't let them stream anything if you don't want them to see certain things.

EddieNX 1623d ago (Edited 1623d ago )

It's like having your freedom taken away from you. Sony - greatest company in gaming!!!!!!!!

Soon theyll add a feature to the PS4 that blacks out your house and says LIGHTS OUT!!!!! at 9:30

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HeisenbergX1622d ago

EddieNX god you are so pathetic and desperate you know that

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PurpHerbison1623d ago

Video games are the least of our worries... Kids have access to hardcore porn at like age 6 these days. Kids can also boot up their tablets and watch real horrible acts of violence if they really wanted to.

CrimsonWing691623d ago

Essentially Sony is saying M rated games are for kids. What a joke, Sony treats their consumers like children that need to be sheltered from nudity and sex, but Mortal Kombat gore and blowing people up in sadastic fashion is A-OK for the kiddos.

Rachel_Alucard1623d ago (Edited 1623d ago )

Blame parents. One time when I was younger I was at a department store in the video game section. 2 parents were asking me about Grand theft auto san andreas and what was in it so they could buy it for their 10 year old son. I told them flat out without sugarcoating and the biggest concern they had was sexual content. No care for the violent gang wars, blood, cursing, crime portrayal, drugs, etc. just 2 people doing it. My aunt let my 7 year old cousin watch Saving private Ryan and my grandma brought up "isn't this rated R?" and she says "Oh I'm fine with him seeing blood and violence, just not sex."

Where did this mindset come from where this is acceptable? It's seeped into western culture at some point, and the only possible answer i have is what the Bible said to everyone.

dumahim1623d ago

What? You didn't know that a random boob or a bare butt cheek will "inhibit the sound growth and development" of young people?

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ziggurcat1623d ago

"The rule appears to have affected a number of titles already, including Devil May Cry 5. Western PS4 versions of the demon battling game used a lens flare to hide Trish's behind in a cutscene where the Japanese PS4, PC and Xbox One versions show a (very mild) instance of nudity."

author's using old info to spread FUD. that's been patched by Capcom, and that same thing appears on all versions... https://www.dualshockers.co...

Rachel_Alucard1623d ago

The original article he's citing from is WSJ and WSJ is locked behind a paywall or browser addon so nobody can read it basically. He added that part in there himself. I was thinking about changing the headline title since when you read it, it looks like it's the same kind of report we've had for months but this is literally the information we've been wanting since it started. The big Why.