Resident Evil Requiem, the latest entry in Capcom’s survival horror franchise, is facing heavy censorship in Japan. Many players raised concerns, saying that it breaks immersion from its gore-filled staple.
Resident Evil Requiem Japanese Censorship Has Fans Complaining
An Immersion Breaking Experience
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) is facing a major censorship issue in Japan, and players are not happy about it. In a post on the Resident Evil subreddit, a Japanese player complained that the gore censorship in Requiem is "very bad and really breaks immersion."
The user shared screenshots from the Japanese version of Requiem, highlighting the obvious black censorship bars that cover most of the blood and gore. In certain moments, such as the major "Examination Room Puzzle" in Rhodes Hill Care Center while playing as Grace, players can see internal organs, but they are completely covered in black, removing any trace of blood and the color red. Other scenes, such as one in the first chapter with Leon where a woman was biting a man’s face off, had visible black outlines where the mangled nose should be.
One of the most interesting details from the Reddit post is that the user blames CERO, or the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization in Japan, for the heavy censorship. He argued that, similar to the ESRB system, CERO "does not apply to PC games," which led him to question why Capcom chose to retain the console-level censorship on the Japanese Steam version of the game.
A Reddit user even described the CERO system as "cryptic and obscure," suggesting that its outdated ratings become too strict, particularly caused by the game’s display of violence. Others in the same thread were even baffled that the game is more censored in its country of origin, with one user saying, "It’s like Activision releasing Call of Duty but the guns are censored in America."
The Reddit user initially believed the game would not face major censorship issues, especially after Capcom director Koshi Nakanishi told Japanese media outlet Game WATCH that the CERO Z version of Requiem is "not completely different from the global version." Unfortunately, the final release appears to be heavily censored in Japan.
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) is not the first Resident Evil title to receive heavy censorship. Nearly every Resident Evil game has faced some form of it, including the 1996 original, where players encounter their first zombie only to see black-and-white outlines where blood once was.
Modern entries have also been affected by this unusual censorship practice. In an example shared by the same Reddit user, David Anderson’s brutal death in Resident Evil 7 at the hands of Jack Baker is heavily censored. The same happens in Resident Evil 4 Remake, where limb severing is allowed, but the blood is replaced with the series’ now familiar black shader.
At the moment, players are still looking for ways to call out Capcom over the issue. For a game that leans heavily into its gore and over-the-top violence, Requiem’s excessive censorship has shaken the confidence of some Japanese fans, with a few even requesting refunds on Steam. Some console players are even buying the game through the US PlayStation Network to avoid the censorship, especially since the PlayStation 5 is not region-locked.
It remains unlikely that Capcom will revert its censorship, as evidenced by its previous entries. Fans are hoping that, at the very least, the PC version will receive an uncensored update soon.
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) is out now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. To stay updated about the game, check out our article below.
Sources:
Game WATCH Interview with Koshi Nakanishi
Japanese Reddit Users Complain About Resident Evil Requiem’s Censorship
