Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story Developers “Categorically Refuse” To Censor The Game, Despite Backlash And Death Threats
As reported previously, Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story will be hitting Nintendo Switch soon. Amid the lead-up to its launch, however, it looks like the game has already received some flak for its provocative designs – and now its developers have decided to take a firm stance to address such backlash.
In a recent statement posted on Twitter, Top Hat Games affirmed that it would not be censoring the game in any manner – despite receiving demands to do so, complaints, and even “death threats” via social media. It also further added that the game was not an AO (“Adult Only”) rated game, and would still be launching as a ESRB M (17+) / PEGI 18 title without any further changes.
Here is the full statement from the studio below:
“With the recent news of Sense – 不祥的预感: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story coming to Nintendo Switch, we are aware of a large amount of messages and demands aimed toward the games’ console platform release based on lies (claims that it is explicitly “pornographic” or somehow “encourages violence” or, most ridiculously, somehow “breaks the law”). Furthermore, voices have attempted to advocate making sale of the game untenable through demanding harsh censorship aimed towards the developer’s artstyle, with threats to “review-bomb” the game and/or harass its distributors. In addition, we have received death threats from those who feel threatened by what essentially boils down to an aesthetic decision of how pixels are arranged on a screen. While disappointed at these behaviors, we are certainly not surprised.
Let us be clear on this – we will not censor the game because of self-centered crowds who care solely about grandstanding. We categorically and absolutely refuse to restrict creative expression. Creators should be allowed freedom to express themselves, particularly when it is an expression of the subcultures they have been immersed in. As a cyberpunk game, Sense uses imagery and themes relating to a future of hyper-commercialised, over-commodified imagery as part of its cyberpunk theme and inspiration; this is reflected in ALL character designs. With that said, we expert that this is lost on those attacking the developer for being “harmful” and somehow inflicting “violence and pain”. Those who believe words or images inflict “violence” should perhaps stop spurting their own hateful, false rhetoric and also cease condoning death threats to those they disagree with.
We reject any and all of the aforementioned, brazen characterizations of the game, and would like to reiterate our principles against tampering with creator’s expressions. We would also like to reiterate this game is rated ESRB M (17+) / PEGI 18. This is not an AO game, not have any “laws been broken”, as some social media commenters have ridiculously claimed out of their biases. The game’s rating reflects the target audience, and yet this fact is lost on those who have been lead by a will to blindly crusade against their false perceptions.
Once again, Sense – 不祥的预感: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story is rated ESRB M (17+) / PEGI 18. The game will release as planned, and without censorship, on the 7th of January, 2021 for Nintendo Switch. It can be preordered and pre-loaded now on the Nintendo E-Shop. The game has passed QA on other platforms, and release dates are being decided.
The game will not be censored. We categorically refuse.”
Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story will be hitting the Nintendo Switch eShop on 7 January 2021. We’ll report back if this situation develops further in the future.
