Zerodiv's mahjong game Taisen Hot Gimmick: Cosplay-Jan has recently made it onto the Switch's Japanese eShop, previously being available exclusively in the country on PlayStation 2. Being the family-friendly company that Nintendo is, however, the game's lead image on the digital storefront has been replaced with a much more innocent version.
If you've never heard of the game, it essentially plays as an adult-themed mahjong title - which we'd imagine is a pretty niche market, but each to their own. The game only supports Japanese language options, and is unlikely to ever be localised for western audiences, but this Switch version trailer should give you an idea of what the gameplay is like.
The first image below shows the game's leading image on Switch, with the one below that showing how it looked originally. While some readers will have no issue with the second image, here's your warning to stop reading if you're easily upset or affected by adult themes.
And the original...
The changes certainly do make it seem more family-friendly, but this obviously doesn't change the content of the game itself, so we're not sure what this really achieves. Similarly, titles such as Gal*Gun 2 and Senran Kagura Reflexions have made it onto the platform with no issues, so Nintendo's stance on what is or isn't acceptable seems to be a little on the blurry side.
We imagine you've got something to say on this topic, so let us know by posting something below.
[source japanesenintendo.com]
Comments 74
Maybe I'm old enough to see it without repercussions but still don't want to pass upon it in the eShop listings without warning.
Well the eShop should be an E rated zone I would say. Same way when you go to the movies some trailers are rated ok for all audiences despite it's for an R film. That being said it really is on the parents to keep an eye on kids, Nintendo is down with the kink.
I saw this on the Japanese eShop a while ago and was suprised that it was there.
...but it's not really a big deal is it?
kids stop getting in the way of my games.
If you are 'upset' over a picture of a girl showing her knickers, maybe it's time to get a life!
What a friend of mine always did on his son PS4 is just restricting stuff in parental controls to the age of his son (his son is almost 12 so he can only play games up to 12pegi)
I wonder if Switch can do the same, after what happened with some games on Nintendo systems I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to not censor as extreme but just put the responsibility at parents, setting up parenral controls takes 10 minutes of your life...
Or are most parents to lazy to do so.
Btw Switch is not for kids, most parents I know refuse to buy such expensive device for their kids, it could be just the case in my country because Switch is €320 over here, PS4 €220 and Xbox One S €199, but I do see parents buying the older 2ds which is €79.
Because it has been deemed unacceptable to criticise the banning of the "Ash with blackface" Pokémon episode, no one is allowed to get upset about this censorship.
I am surprised they even bothered given how long it was like that in the Coming Soon section.
Keep images like this off of its eShop listing, and let the ratings board do the rest.
Meh. So it's like some SNES games that existed. Whatever, free market. Surprised it had the original shop cover so long, though.
When I lived in Japan adult Mahjong games were not niche, every arcade had several of them. Changing the image is totally appropriate. Unless they’re going to allow you to filter out games with racy pictures from the eshop, or hide games from the menu on your switch, all cover images need to be family friendly.
It's fine to want to keep the storefront family friendly. Anti-Matter might see it.
@magnumc500 I get what you're saying, and agree. But typically you don't see a trailer for Rambo before a feature film of Wreck-It Ralph
The only difference is her mouth being wider and more open in the original. They toned down her mouth a bit.
Hmmm... I mean, I don't necessarily disagree with the idea behindmthe change; the first image definitely seems more appropriate for a thumbnail list where eveeryone will browse through it. But doesn't that then obfuscate/misconstrue the content of the game it's for to some extent?
Wouldn't things be better servd by hooking the eshop into the parental controls and having "mature" games not show up for accounts that are under parental controls not to allow them? And maybe even add a checkbox or something to the store so that even accounts that are empowered to see "mature" content games have to willingly and consciously bring them up?
The girl looks distressed in the original image as well. Doesn’t look to happy about her current situation.
I don't care much about this kind of game, but they have a parental control well implemented, so why not lock adult-ish content with it?
Allow people to play the original game instead of a censored version.
It is not critical in this case but it would piss me off to have some actual content missing because of censorship.
@DawgP they shouldn't censor the game nor use this as a thumbnail.
There is parental controls for a reason on the Switch, parents should start using that.
I don't mind them changing a storefront picture as long as they leave gameplay alone but you gotta wonder if this is kinda misleading I can definitely see some people buying this and not getting what they we're expecting hopefully they look at the screenshots.
@Dezzy : Yet he speaks of wanting to bereave the Pokémon Sawk of its robe so that he can fondle its "sexy" bod. He's quite inconsistent with his prudishness.
News flash, everyone has a rear end!
Grow the hell up you easily offended people!
@Gauchorino This isn't censorship. The Trump administration calling for journalists to be jailed is censorship; this is a platform holder or publisher (it's unclear which) making a business decision, much the way Disney choosing not to air an episode featuring racist imagery is a business decision, not censorship.
@Gold_Ranger You do see the irony of how offended people are about this decision, right?
@PanurgeJr that's called self-censorship which is the same but deicided by the person/company themself.
Japan does this quite a lot on Nintendo systems because of how quickly triggered a small but loud group of people disliking it in the west is.
Meanwhile 99% of the west doesn't care or associate it with what that 1% screams.
Geez, she's not even wearing a thong! Someone intervene and get this girl some real underwear, before she descends into fashion hell via granny panties!
A lot of commenters are getting the wrong impression. The game itself wasn't censored at all - just its thumbnail on the eshop. That's perfectly reasonable, especially if the game's rating and description make it clear that it's an adult game. That way those who don't want to accidentally stumble upon such content don't have to worry about a thumbnail in the eshop, while also having a clear warning in the game's rating/description about what it entails.
Misleading title. The game itself wasn't censored, just its presentation on the online storefront.
Considering anyone can browse the eshop, establishing restrictions on what promotional art and screenshots can be shown off is probably for the best anyway.
The girl in the picture is most likely shocked/upset, that she has to read yet another Ryan Craddock tabloid masterpiece.
Also, GoNintendo recently announced pre-orders like BANNER SAGA 3 and 2 -3 others games on Switch today. Here at NintendoLife, us lucky readers get news... like this.
@PanurgeJr Yes, a business decision to censor "sensitive" imagery.
@Rayquaza2510 The 1% screaming is the perfect description of everyone commenting "THIS IS CENSORSHIP".
Well the clickbait title worked well on this anti-SJW gamer.
I don't even care about the game, but I would have gone in a different direction for the edit, like perhaps just zooming in on the distressed girl's face in the original image and cropping just below the obviously folded up robe, without covering anything up. That way it maintains sex appeal so those interested recognize what it is, while everyone else remains unbothered.
@Silly_G judging by his DeviantArt account, I don't think he has much of a problem with mild risque content... As long as it involves men.
@brandonbwii Agreed. I'm not offended by knickers, but the original image is is a bit creepy.
Great logic by the weeb journo.
Let me put it this way, idiot. An adult shop on the high street wont have a massive advert on the outside for a sybian or ohmybod. They instead blackout the images. This is because... Wait for it... Kids are on the street.
Kids can go onto the eshop and if they allow disgusting pervy images then parents will complain and governments will step in. Right now gaming has the joy of policing itself. But with all these idiotic people it won't last. It is already changing because of dumb games like CS:GO and Overwatch.
Personally i find the image and the game repugnant. It appeals to base humans that haven't evolved. It's basically the Love Island of gaming. For trashy people. But because it's a JRPG it's forgiven by the pretentious weeb community that cannot see they are the same as those idiots watching trashy reality shows filled with sex to cover up the fact it's devoid of any creativity.
Don't even get me started on the hypocrisy of "feminist weebs" that talk about the lack of equality in the west yet eat up eastern culture.
@R4z0rGr1nd3r You must be fun at parties....
It depends which country you live in on wheather adult shops are blacked out or not for the sake of the children; some societies don't give a monkeys. It seems Nintendo just gives in to the lowest common denominator, i.e. countries with the most intolerance, for an easy life.
@HobbitGamer True, so the eShop should be censored about as much as a PG-13 movies trailers. Because rated R film trailers can be crazy. Anyone catch Deadpool 2 and that Happytown murders redband trailer? It was more explicit than the film I went to watch lol.
@HobbitGamer sometimes it happens http://entertainment.time.com/2013/12/04/nymphomaniac-trailer-mistakenly-shown-at-frozen-screening/
I understand why this change was made.
We've seen anime butts since Chun-Li 1991. Get over it already.
This won't show up for young one's anyway if parental controls are activated (which any parent should do anyway if they leave their kids alone with online-consoles).
Now it just feels more misleading. Before it was pretty obvious what you were getting into, now someone could easily be fooled.
So...basically this is an article about an eShop promo image being censored.
Not the game itself, just the promo. Knowing that Nintendo likely isn't comfy with showing panties in their eShop preview pics.
This...is a story? I mean, as long as the game itself is intact, this is a complete non-issue.
“The game only supports Japanese language options, and is unlikely to ever be localised for western audiences”
Hey, if “Pure / Electric Love "What do you want?" - Eri Kitami -” can get a localization, anything’s possible! 😉
@Rayquaza2510 "Game is censored in Japan because non-target, foreign audience could be offended"
The irrational lengths self-hating people go to in order to disparage their fellow man.
Considering the game itself is not censored, i don't see the problem here.
This definitely feels like a sentationalist clickbait article, but i'm happy about anything that brings attention to a Zerodiv-Psikyo release.
@Rayquaza2510 Tons of parents actually give their kids iPhones and iPads where I live which can be over double the price so the Switch's price really isn't gonna make everyone think the Switch isn't for kids.
If this is just the e-Shop photos and not the game itself, I have no problem with that.
@Ralizah Soo, you have one image on the eshop and get the other if you buy the game?
@JohnG Good for you if you are feeling ok thinking about children scrolling the shop and seeing that
We're only talking about the frontpage, of course parents can get upset because of that
@tobibra I mean, it's presumably promotional artwork and nothing else, so I don't know if you'd see it in the game at all. Maybe the title screen?
Either way, I wouldn't characterize this as Nintendo "clamping down" on risque imagery. They just don't want risque imagery popping up in their online store.
@Ralizah If they changed anything the game, hopefully they did not change more than the title screen. And for those who want the original image, it should probally still be possible to just not update the game.
Personaly I will wait for a sale. Thanks to the article for bringing this gameto my attention!
Im not upset about the image in the slightest, but if they censor the game, that might be a different case.
My personal wish is just that no censorship occurs at all. Censorship is godawful and should be banned. I can agree with the sentiment that not all titles should be available for all ages, but that's easily fixed through parental controls/age-gating. A general rule that storefront images can't be too risque would also be fine - as long as the game itself is not censored in any way and you're able to see what you're buying.
Meanwhile on the eShop...:
Edit: FWIW, that's Shin Den Ai which NL wrote on a while back as JP only that did show up in the NA eShop, I saw it on my Switch and thought it was hysterical....then it seemingly vanished, I can't find it searching the eShop at all now. Maybe Reggie dumped his personal collection on the eShop or something.
Similarly, titles such as Gal*Gun 2 and Senran Kagura Reflexions have made it onto the platform with no issues, so Nintendo's stance on what is or isn't acceptable seems to be a little on the blurry side.
The stance for Nintendo, and many other companies, is you can do whatever you want if you're well known and profitable, but not if you're a niche title.
Like how Valve attempted to remove all the already censored visual novels and similar styled games from Steam a little while ago, but left games like Witcher 3 which straight has sex scenes in it alone (which they backtracked on after unexpected backlash).
So essentially, when you're bigger, you have more rights, and when you're smaller, you have less rights.
C'mon, Nintendo. I thought we had gotten past this. Looks like we're back in the early 2000s ala Pokemon Colosseum where Nintendo changed gave your partner character in story mode a longer skirt and made her cover up her midriff9 in the US version of the game.
Aw maaaaaan... now how am I supposed to fulfill my disgusting and perverted desires for unrealistically proportioned anime girls (wasn't even aware this game was a thing. Not buying it)
It's far too suggestive an image for general public view. It's fine not to care or not be offended, but don't be ignorant about it.
“Nintendo Clamps Down On Risqué Imagery By Censoring Taisen Hot Gimmick Switch Port”
Title implies that they’ve censored the game, but you clearly state in the article that it’s just the image on the eShop that’s been changed to a more tame image, whilst the game itself retains the content.
Clickbait headlines are running rampant on this website. Sort it out guys.
Did Nintendo actually sensor it or did the devs decide to place a different picture up? Sounds like assumptions were made here, and due diligence was not done. Whatever gets you clicks though, right?
I wish that Nintendo would revamp their parental controls so that it would just block games on the kids accounts and not all accounts. I just want my account to have a single password when switched to it and not have to enter it for every single mature rated game.
@NiaBladerunner ok thank you. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees this lol. I can point a out his articles before even clicking on them. It's tainting this site a little imo
@JayJ : The game is rated D though, which is for players aged 17 and offer (for sexual/sexualised content, I believe), so it's not as if customers are not given at least some indication of the nature of the game.
Good change here, the original was very degrading.
They aren't censoring the game in any way, so who cares? They are just keeping their store front family friendly. Similar to how a comic store won't put the adult comics out on full display without some sort of bag around them or some other obfuscation.
Nintendo is going all-in with adult content for the first time in their video game existence. There is a full-on Hentai game coming to switch (physical release too) in Japan!
The game itself is not censored so how is this an issue?
@riChchestM Yeah I’m not offended by it in any means. I just laughed a little bit at how awkward that looked.
@SetupDisk gotta get them clicks
Censorship is so messed up. I have little issue with my kid seeing this, but imagery for games like Outlast in the eshop are highly problematic.
What the west considers inappropriate and what Japan considers inappropriate are two rather different things. Both sides have some glaring inconsistency and hypocrisy.
For example, sex is not taboo. Sex scenes in western TV shows are as common as mosquitoes in summer. And yet, god forbid we see a nipple or say the F word. Further, for men, so long as there are no genitals you can show anything and it isn't considered naked. Same with women, but also inculding their "scandalous" nipples. They can leave nothing to the imagination - still okay - show a nipple in passing, X rated, adult film.
In Japan, sexual humor of this sort is common especially in games and anime. And yet, characters actually acting on their apparent horniness is almost unheard of. Character so much as kissing is still treated like a HUGE DEAL, and even the implication of them having had sex is almost unheard of in all but the most mature productions. And yet, panty shots, bouncy boobs and scantily clad women and men abound.
Doesn't seem like a big deal if it's just the leading image on the e-shop or something.
Lol, she still wears underwear. Nothing to worry!
I wish there more people would comment on Nintendo Life complaining about slow news days or how an article is clickbait. Being one of the few people who DOES find articles like this mildly interesting, mostly because I don't spend all of my free time reading every single gaming news website out there, reading comments like those really makes me feel like I'm using my time effectively. Thanks, guys!
The title seems misleading. Honestly it doesn't matter if they censor a thumbnail. It doesn't affect the game.
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