South Park Censorship Is A Goddamn Outrage

Following the revelation that console editions of South Park: Stick Of Truth will be censored in Europe, gaming enthusiast Mark Butler takes aim at the idiocy – and irony – of the situation.

[DanJenkoFMV]

A real shame that controversial material appears to be deemed 'too risque' in video game format where it isn't on television. Guidelines about what is and isn't allowed in entertainment should surely be universal and not specific to certain mediums.

[Neonridr]

anal probing and abortions aren't too controversial for TV? What shows are you watching, lol..

[The Meerkat]

Embarrassing Bodies on Channel 4.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Some real WTF moments on that show.

[GarrusVakarian]

What the hell is the point of age ratings on games if they get censored anyway? Anal probing and abortions are obviously mature/adult topics and the game case clearly states that it's an 18....so i just don't see the point of censoring this.

Screw Ubisoft and their "marketing decision" to censor this game. US import it is.

[GUYwhoPLAYSvideoGAME]

south park

and plus, this isn't just anal probing and abortions, it's south park anal probing and abortions(99% less graphic than anything realistic)

[minimur12]

http://i.imgur.com/PTBWV4t....

I'm downloading it on my US PSN account, so I've slipped through the crack, but it's a shame for anyone who does miss out, but then again, if this is whats censored:

A mini-game where a doctor is performing an abortion on the player.
A mini-game where the player is performing an abortion on the character Randy.
Five ‘anal probing’ scenes in which characters are ‘actively’ being probed.

A mini game, aborting whatever, thats effing disgusting.

I. CAN'T. WAIT.

But to be fair, like it has been said above, there's age ratings for a reason, if it's rated for an 18+ then only responsible adults should be playing it, and therefor not kick up a fuss. but with stupid parents buying these 18 games for their 12 year old kids thinking 'it's just a cartoon', and then complaining because it's too violent, thats where you get problems.

EDIT:
Wait, aborting Randy? WTF?

[360ICE]

This new show called South Park. The events in the game are game based on scenes from the show.

[Akuma07]

Video games are a interactive form of entertainment.

This is the sole reason for censorship in video games vs television.

[TheSaint]

The first ever episode of South Park had Cartman farting out a giant satellite from his anus.

That was about 16 years ago. If not more.

[JsonHenry]

Console Editions. Guess if you live in Europe the PC version in the way to go. Just not for the usual reasons. :/

[3-4-5]

So they show soft core porn on their equivalent to ABC, yet South Park is bad ?

[SilentNegotiator]

The European version is getting censored? I thought it was the US that was too touchy...

[Garl]

I'll buy it from the US when I get the time to play it.

[The Meerkat]

As anal probes seem to be one of the issues.

I think every person who views censorship as wrong should Tweet or Email a Goatse picture to Ubisoft.

[ObiWanaTokie]

If you dont mind me asking what is a goatse?

too afraid to google it

[BigErn]

You SHOULD be afraid. You really only need to know that certain orifices on the human body apparently can be stretched to ghastly proportions. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

[FragMnTagM]

http://i.imgur.com/VXvRs5J....

Above image is not the graphic version, you should get the idea though.

[ObiWanaTokie]

Both your replies slaYed me to morodor!
i always need a good laugh

[curtis92]

Seriously... if it's on CC then okay sure... but a video game? That costs money? That isn't free to see by flipping through channels? CENSOR IT

[ExCest]

Well, TV isn't really free too. I'm pretty sure Comedy Central is just included with the package that you buy. The package that costs money.

Does Europe get Comedy Central? Maybe the decency laws (for at least some of the countries in Europe) for games and the like are stricter than in USA.

[BelkingOfSony]

yeah comedy central is available in the UK, tbh its a worse version because we get the brand new south park episodes weeks later than America does.

[xYLeinen]

Then what's the point?

[bienio]

What can I say??buy Pc vesion so you dont have a problem with censore😎

[minimur12]

lmao, are you stupid?

The game is censored as per region, if you buy the PC version in EU, middle east, or africa, it'll be censored. Ifanything, buy a PS3 and then create a US account, then buy the american version.

PC isn't always the answer to everything buddy, unless you want to pirate, then you're a douche

EDIT:
@dalehitchy
Apologies, I assumed it was regionally censored, not just for consoles... thats strange.

[dalehitchy]

Know the facts before you call someone stupid.

The pc version remains uncensored even in Europe

Google it...

[lemoncake]

The game is 18, yet they are still censoring it because its a game. You only have to switch on the tv to see some sicker stuff that isn't a cartoon drawing.

[Valkyrieone]

You're goddamn right.

[AntsPai]

[CENSORED] [CENSORED] [CENSORED]... I REALLY wanted this game, I would buy it from US or on PC but now I really don't want to give Ubisoft any money. I won't be paying for this game in any capacity. Seriously, [CENSORED] censorship, at least in Bravely Default it didn't really change much but if this is where video games are headed it looks like I won't be buying alot of games in the future.

Everyone make sure to let Ubisoft know if you are disappointed. Lucky you if you aren't though lol.

[CENSORED] you Ubisoft.

[GUYwhoPLAYSvideoGAME]

if people don't buy this game ubisoft isn't going to suffer half as much as the developers, who we should be rewarding

[jamstorr86]

PC version is the way to go, as in most cases for multiplats ;-) haha, but seriously, why is everyone getting so upset? You have a choice and aren't forced to buy a censored version, unless 360 is your only gaming platform. if that's the case, i can understand why you would be upset. However, I don;t think a handful of 20 second scenes being censored will take a lot away from the overall experience you will get from this game.

[SteamPowered]

Youre playing with fire by bringing up the PC vs Console debate on here.
But I do agree with you.

[jamstorr86]

I think a lot of people on n4g have double standards when it comes to pc v console. Many are happy to say ps4 is better than xbox one, but few are willing to admit that pc is better than both for game performance.

In this case, pc is better version as it isn't censored. Probably a lot of people out there who will argue otherwise.

Btw I'm not a fanboy of anything. I like all gaming as I am a gamer.

[DrChickenII]

Yeah exactly just play on PC.. Simple.

[bienio]

Sorry i press wrong of course Im agree with you😉

[Polock]

I might be in the extreme minority, but it's such pointless censorship and I'll have nothing to do with it.

Not used, not PC, nor imported.

[jambola]

i'll be happy to pay a little extra for shipping if it means no censorship

[SovereignSnaKe]

~This is outrageous, its not like the 'chillins' they assume are going to be playing this game don't get this crap already on vine or youtube. Besides, aren't most South Park fans in their 20's and early 30's? The show has been around for over 15 years.

[MrWonderful]

Well if anyone wants it that bad I will gladly help you all out and ship it internationally. Just pm me. I run a gaming lounge in the states so I will charge maybe $15 extra on the normal price for my time of going to get them and the shipping. If there is anything thats not available there that is over here I will try to help you get ot without price gouging you.

[Sketchy_Galore]

It's enough to totally turn me off buying this game, which was the only game I've really been excited about in a long time. I can't play some ruined version, not after waiting this long to play the game at all. I don't even want to import it because I do not want Ubisoft to get any of my money. I feel bad denying Matt and Trey a sale because I love their work and respect them greatly but hey, I WANTED to buy it, somebody just decided I wasn't allowed to buy it, not as it was supposed to be anyway. My only hope is waiting until somebody puts up a second hand copy on EBay or something.

[Jdoki]

Really? You're going to not play a highly anticipated game because you don't get to play anal probing and abortion mini games? In an RPG that may last 30+ hours, you're going to avoid it because maybe 10minutes have been cut. Also, the scenes will be describes using audio / text - you just don't get to see the pictures or play the mini games... Hardly 'ruined'.

Sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face, as the saying goes.

If you think you're punishing the publisher because of this and making some ridiculous stand against censorship you are aiming your vitriol in the wrong direction.

If you really want to make a difference... Buy the game to support the developers who worked hard on it, and write a letter to your local MP or Government to complain about ridiculous censorship laws (if your country is one affected by this).

[Jdoki]

Unfortunately I suspect the following has happened...

Publishers normally create a single version for EMEA territories (Australia, all Euro countries, and some Middle East places too). The base game is the same for all those countries, the only thing that changes is audio / subtitles.

If any of those countries has strict censorship, then the entire version will get censored. We know censorship in Germany and some Middle East countries is more stringent than UK and other places - so unfortunately the rest of the countries have to suffer too.

It is not cost effective for a publisher to make country specific versions. Also, it's not as easy as creating a patch or download that 'unlocks' the censored content as often the censored material has to be completely removed from the disc (remember the hot water R* got in to from Hot Coffee?). Also, the game will be rated as per the final version that was submitted to country specific ratings boards - so would need to be re-rated.

Ultimately I would encourage people NOT to pirate the game just to get the extra scenes - it is not the publishers (or especially the developers) fault.

[Sketchy_Galore]

This may sound naive as I have no idea how these things work technically but couldn't the content be patched in without being on the disc? The same way something like Fallout 3's DLC is downloaded separately but can be visited at any time and any weapons or goodies you find in the DLC area can be used in the main area. I mean couldn't the actual removed content be downloaded within the patch and incorporated into the main game that way?

[Jdoki]

Yes it could be patched... But...

The problem is that the publisher needs to get games rated. So they have to send the review boards a (nearly) finished version.

So Ubi make one version of the game for countries A,B,C,D etc (because it would cost too much to make country specific versions)

The censorship laws in Countries B and C restrict showing abortion or probing.

So they cut the scenes and it impacts Countries A,B,C,D

They then send the game to the individual rating review boards of each country. Those countries give the game a rating based on that submission - the censored version.

If Ubisoft then released a patch specific to Country A and D (who have no specific law against abortion and probing censorship). They would STILL need to get the game re-rated as it is now different.

Every time a game is rated it costs the publisher. So it is not cost effective to do this.

What could happen is that if Ubisoft released DLC (which would need rating on it's own anyway), they could bundle in the uncensored scenes for Country A and D... but the probability is that most people will have played past the originally censored point by this time, so why bother making the DLC country specific.

rather than blame Canada :) we should probably blame Germany (as I suspect this is the country that has the censorship in place). it's happened before where we had to have green blood in Mortal Kombat and Carmegeddon because of censorship laws in some European countries (in fact there was uproar in national newspapers in the UK about Carmegeddon when it originally released)

[Sketchy_Galore]

If it really is that impossible for Ubisoft to get around the censorship laws without putting themselves out of business I will probably buy the game imported from America.

Maybe it is petty to say ten minutes of censored footage ruins the game for me but it kinda does. It's all about the experience and as good as the rest of the game may be having disclaimers pop up instead of footage every now and then will just leave a bad taste. Just imagine if you were watching Saving Private Ryan and suddenly the screen went black and text popped up saying 'sorry this content has been deemed unsuitable for you but anyway they're totally storming the beaches of Normandy right now and all these soldier guys are getting blown to pieces and all kinds of stuff like that' Would you really be sitting happily for the rest of the movie thinking 'Oh well I didn't get to see that scene but this is great' or would it totally take you out of the movie for another half hour at least?

What if these censored scenes were scattered throughout a movie? What if every shooting in Resevoir dogs cut to a still image of Quentin Tarantino shrugging and a text description of what happens next? It would probably be less than a minute of footage overall but wouldn't it have a major negative effect on the whole viewing experience?

Besides which, I'm still not sure I completely buy the difficulty of creating region specific versions within Europe. Call of duty: World at war had the Swastikas and images of Hitler removed in Germany but I was able to play with those things intact in the UK. Maybe there's some reason for that that I'm missing but as of now it at least makes me skeptical. I get that it might be more difficult to provide me with the content I'm legally allowed to see than to just give me the same censored version as another country but I don't buy that it would have been impossible to do so.

[mogwaii]

Now that this has happened i wonder what will happen with the aussie version because we WERE bad with censoring until we got R18+, will be interesting to see if we pull the same stunt.

[Sleebs]

Don't worry, peeps, just import the uncensored version. For PS3 anyway.

[djplonker]

I will still get the ps3 version so I can use my dual shock 4 and I will find the cut bits on the internet!

[Lamigol10]

I pre ordered this specifically to play the Anal Probe mini games .... I even ordered the Anal Probe peripheral from Amazon ! Damn !!

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Buy it on PC, no problem.

[feraldrgn]

Just ridiculous.
Why do we even have age ratings then?
If they can just censor content, when we're old enough to understand the content for what it is, then it just shows more holes in the age rating system.

You know what? Give me a toggle in the options, so I can choose whether "I" wan't to view the content, or read a game-killing narration of events.
Come on, we all know what that crap did to Xenogears disk 2.

[jambola]

what did they do?

[Cam977]

What did they do?

[feraldrgn]

Xenogears disk 2, where every major story event was explained to you (screens of text), rather than you being able to play it.
In Xenogears case it was a money issue, but it still took a lot of enjoyment out of the final parts of the game.

[NeloAnjelo]

I'm importing. Why have age ratings?

[vork77]

I understand the censorship since Comedy central did Censored some works but as long as its not all Censored I will be happy