Baldur's Gate 3 Faces Regional Censorship

Article Key Points

In order to meet the rigorous censorship guidelines, Baldur's Gate 3 is currently undergoing modifications for its Japanese release. These adjustments entail the elimination of explicit content and the possibility of censoring specific scenes.

Larian Studios, the developer behind Baldur's Gate 3, has ambitious plans for significant post-launch updates to enrich the game. Although specific information regarding content upgrades or a Definitive Edition has not been disclosed by Larian, the success of Baldur's Gate 3 opens up possibilities for new content and character endings.

Baldur's Gate 3 doesn't shy away from explicit content, and as a result, several scenes will need to be censored for its December 21 release in Japan. When the game was released a month early to avoid competition with Starfield, no one expected it to break records and establish new standards. With the legendary reputation of its predecessors, Baldur's Gate 3 had high expectations to meet, and it seems that it has not only met but possibly even exceeded them.

As Baldur's Gate 3 prepares to launch on Xbox, efforts are also being made to ensure a smooth release for the Japanese audience. Japan's strict guidelines on explicit content in media require adjustments to be made by Larian. The focal point of these adjustments has been the sex scenes in Baldur's Gate 3, where players can engage in romantic encounters with their companions as part of the story. However, it appears that more than just nudity is being targeted for censorship.

As per IGN's report, Spike Chunsoft, the publisher for Baldur's Gate 3 in Japan, has announced that the explicit content option will not be available in the Japanese version of the game's settings screen. While this decision addresses the game's overall approach towards nudity, certain scenes in Baldur's Gate 3 will still be censored. For instance, players will not have the ability to torture NPCs in the Goblin Camp during Act 1.

Larian is consistently providing post-launch support for Baldur's Gate 3, but they are now hinting at more substantial additions rather than just bug fixes and balance tweaks. A new achievement suggests that Baldur's Gate 3 will receive a difficulty mode harder than Tactician, which is sure to excite experienced players looking for a challenge.

While Larian has not revealed any information about content updates or a Definitive Edition, it appears that there is cut content from Baldur's Gate 3, including the entire Upper City. On the other hand, there is potential for companions like Karlach to receive new endings in a hypothetical content update. The success of Baldur's Gate 3 has left fans eager for more, and Larian should seize the opportunity to explore the setting and characters further.

Baldur's Gate 3

Franchise Baldur's GatePlatform(s) PC, Stadia, macOS, PS5Released August 3, 2023Developer(s) Larian Studios See at Playstation Store

Editor's P/S

Baldur's Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game developed by Larian Studios and published by Wizards of the Coast. It is the third installment in the Baldur's Gate series and is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The game was released in early access on October 6, 2020, for Windows and macOS, and is scheduled for a full release in 2023.

Baldur's Gate 3 has been highly anticipated by fans of the series and has received generally positive reviews from critics. The game has been praised for its deep and engaging story, its challenging and rewarding combat, and its beautiful and immersive world. However, the game has also been criticized for its lack of polish and its occasional bugs and glitches.

Despite these criticisms, Baldur's Gate 3 is a promising role-playing game that has the potential to be one of the best games in the series. The game's strong story, engaging combat, and beautiful world make it a must-play for fans of role-playing games.