Censorship has always been part of video game history. Whether due to violence, sexuality, politics, or religion, many games have had to be altered—sometimes in such absurd ways that the censored versions ended up being more intriguing than the original game.
Below are some of the most interesting and little-known stories about games that have been censored around the world.
1. Mortal Kombat and the birth of the rating system
The first Mortal Kombat It suffered heavy censorship in several countries, especially in the console versions. On the Super Nintendo, the blood was removed and replaced with sweat, and the most brutal finishing moves were toned down.
The impact was so great that it ended up directly contributing to the creation of the ESRB age rating system, forever changing the way games are evaluated.
2. Wolfenstein and the Forbidden Symbols
In Germany, games featuring Nazi symbols are prohibited by law. Therefore, Wolfenstein It was necessary to replace swastikas, portraits of Hitler, and direct references to the regime with fictional symbols.
In some versions, the enemies became simply "the regime," and historical icons were replaced with generic images, creating a strangely neutral aesthetic.
3. Pokémon and the banned episode
Although it is known as a children's game, Pokémon It has already faced censorship for unexpected reasons. The anime episode “Dennō Senshi Porygon” caused epileptic seizures in hundreds of children in Japan.
Following the incident, drastic changes were made to visual effects, flashing colors, and fast transitions, also influencing the visual design of games released afterward.
4. Carmageddon and “green blood”
Carmageddon It was censored in several countries for allowing pedestrians to be run over during races. To circumvent the problem, some versions replaced humans with robots or zombies.
Furthermore, the red blood was replaced with green blood, which ultimately made the game even stranger and more memorable.
5. South Park: The Stick of Truth and censorship within the game
In countries like Australia and parts of Europe, South Park: The Stick of Truth Scenes considered extreme were removed from the final version.
The developers' response was to turn the censorship into a joke: the deleted scenes were replaced with screens explaining, in an exaggerated way, everything the player was "not allowed" to see.
6. GTA and sanitized versions
The franchise Grand Theft Auto It has been censored several times. In Japanese versions, the violence was reduced and some dialogue was toned down.
In other countries, entire missions have had to be altered or removed to avoid topics considered sensitive.
7. The Sims and cultural censorship
The Sims It faced censorship in countries with stricter laws regarding sexuality and relationships. In some versions, same-sex couples were even removed or modified.
Today, this type of censorship seems unthinkable, but it clearly reflects the cultural and political context of the time.
8. Fire Emblem and Cuts in the West
Some games in the series Fire Emblem They underwent significant changes outside of Japan, including changes to the characters' ages and the removal of dialogue considered controversial.
In some cases, entire interactions were rewritten to conform to stricter age ratings.
9. Manhunt and the total ban
Manhunt It is one of the few games that were completely banned in some countries. The graphic violence and disturbing tone caused the game to officially disappear from physical stores for years.
10. Why are games censored in such different ways?
Censorship varies according to local laws, cultural pressures, and historical moments. The curious thing is that the same content can be considered acceptable in one country and completely prohibited in another.
Conclusion
The history of censorship in video games reveals much more about society than about the games themselves. What seems exaggerated or absurd today was once treated as a real threat.
In many cases, censorship ended up giving the games even more visibility, turning controversy into a legacy.
