Senran Kagura 7EVEN Impossible to Release After Sony Censorship Row

I have a proposal for Takaki if he's worried Sony won't be receptive to a Senran Kagura game. There's a little hybrid system his team recently released a Senran Kagura title on, and said title is probably the most explicit in the series to date. The platform holder for this system didn't ask for any changes to his vision, even in the west.

In other words, the Switch is a thing and I'm pretty sure it's a thing he's fully capable of shipping a game on.

Are the Senran Kagura games any good? I've heard a lot about it the past couple of years but I have no idea what they are worth.

There's no indication that Nintendo is going to go full puritan in the same way that Sony has. The most immediately restricting aspect of the Switch is its lack of system resources, but it's not like these games are hugely demanding to begin with.

Switch/PC seems like the way to go for future entries, for the time being.

"May we recommend that Takaki and his team focus on actually making a good game, as opposed to attempting to titillate with cheap cleavage shots and diddling minigames?"

It's not like it has to be one or the other. There's no reason a game can't be fanservice-laden AND good. Many are, actually. I don't see why cleavage shots are any more inherently "cheap" than the exploding heads and spine snapping in something like Mortal Kombat.

@Rhaoulos They're silly (if somewhat repetitive) fun. The first game on 3DS actually had a half-way decent plot to go along with the action. More recent games are like streamlined musou games with a heavy emphasis on fanservice.

@tudsworth my thoughts exactly, hell this series will definitely sell better on that platform tbh.
It's not Sony JP forcing these regulations, but rather Sony US, and since Sony decided to go full retard and make Sony US its main HQ that meant Sony US has final say so over every censorship regulation from now on, including games released in Japan.
Nintendo doesn't have to abide by the same rules because their HQ is still based in Japan, also Nintendo is now trying to get a more mature audience on their platform.

Again: "Takaki was talking specifically about PlayStation’s new guidelines, but he was clear that simply switching platforms may not be a solution, as he feels that the regulations will spread to every platform and genre eventually."

That means, that the titles would also get censored/prohibited on Switch. It's not only a PlayStation thing anymore. So please stop that "On Switch, everything is possible" BS.

@Ralizah "full puritan". Methinks you are prone to exaggeration.

@get2sammyb I get his concern, but I also think, at least currently, Nintendo are the most permissive of the platform holders, probably because trying to restrict third-parties and the content they released on the Wii U didn't work out too well for them.

Granted, I have no idea how far in development this game is, and by the time it's done, he could be right, every major platform could start cracking down on fanservice content in a similar manner to Sony. I just don't see it happening unless a major controversy over those sorts of games arises in the near future.

I'd love to play one of these games because the gameplay actually looks fun, but I'm not a fan of how lewd it is.

@tudsworth
Sshhhh, don't anger the fanboys with logical suggestions. Though to be fair, we don't truly know if Tekaki is being fully transparent, or if he's just saying that to buy time and save face.
Like when we were all told RE4 would remain exclusive to GC. Ooops....

@Lando_
We've seen little to no evidence to prove otherwise yet. Switch even has soft core porn games on the eshop, where you have phone conversations with real Japanese models in skimpy cosplay. PSN to my knowledge, doesn't. Let's also not forget the Super Seducer flip-flop. After playing through it, I found the game to be hilarious and not offensive at all, unless one makes it offensive by choosing the (obviously wrong) answer.
Nintendo has become more lenient then Sony is/was with sexual content, full stop. Something I'm still shocked by TBH.

His best option is to move the games to PC and Switch where they won't be censored.

What the hell is Sony's problem regarding sex and nudity in video games anyway? We need more lewdness to counter the onslaught of gratuitous gaming violence that has been normalised over the past couple of decades, not less of it.

@EVIL-C Yes, that's right, Nintendo has been more friendly towards sexual content lately than Sony. But what will be in the future? Even with Sony's last and official statement, there was talk of "adapting to worldly standards." It seems only a matter of time before Nintendo will follow suit to censor things as well.

"May we recommend that Takaki make a good game."
Seeing as the one I played was fun, I'd say he succeeded.

@Ralizah Fun is what I am looking for in a video game. Not too keen on the repetitive part but I might have a look at some point (definitely on Switch).

@NintendoFan4Lyf Ken Akamatsu found the solution for Negima: make a 700yo vampire look like a 10yo girl.

@NintendoFan4Lyf I think all those Senran Kagura games take place in high schools, so what they really need to do is just let them go on to university, problem solved. Though I suppose the game could start w/ a college graduation and then they all move into Melrose Place together.

And people saying - Nintneod will do this too - yeah they probably will eventually, but if you read several other comments you'll find the part where many Sony decisions are made in the US and Ntinedo's are still made in japan. Nintneod never let's Reggie makes any decisions except what pizza to order for lunch. So they could keep the games in Japan on the Switch for the foreseeable future, until they can't. Could be awhile judging by the Japanese culture's, ahem, appreciation of the nubile female form.

Don't care about the game but I don't want sony to censor it, let the developers do whatever they want as long as they complied with esrb/pegi/cero.

"May we recommend that Takaki and his team focus on actually making a good game, as opposed to attempting to titillate with cheap cleavage shots and diddling minigames"

My thoughts exactly. At least with games like Mortal Kombat you get a good game. I would feel much worse for them if they had to censor their game, but even after that, the game would be enjoyable. Can't say the same for this type of games.

In general, I'd like to see more focus on gameplay and less on sexualized content. We're already creating generations of sex addicts with all that's available online (never mind digital addiction in general). I think developers would do well to tone down the violence and gore in games, as well — MK11 and RE2 are pretty ridiculous. Granted, I prefer a rating system to frank censorship, but when it comes to underage girls, I have absolutely no problem with this kind of regulation; in fact, I support it wholeheartedly.

@Lando_ Anything is possible. The future isn't here yet, so we have to wait and see.

So long as PC remains a truly open platform, that's always one bastion of free choice.

"right now I'm really worried about what to do"

I mean, I'm not an expert or anything, but stop making games which sexualise kids? Might be a good shout.

@get2sammyb This censorship problem goes well beyond merely Senran Kagura.

@malbhet "... also Nintendo is now trying to get a more mature audience on their platform."

key word: MATURE... and who would THAT audience be? if you are insinuating that maturity equates to playing pedo-perve games such as senran kagura, that is one interesting definition of "mature". this is one of the funniest comments i have yet to see on pushsquare lol

I wouldn't mind this if it was really just about censoring games with possible paedophilic aspects as that's a pretty gross thing to be into tbf, but I think this is really more about censoring games with female sexual content in general, because sexism (against women only though it seems) is still the hot topic du jour and western companies are generally rather afraid of being accused of this right now. I don't play these games, but I think that once this starts the censorship ball rolling then other areas may be next at some point down the line, and that may well be an area I end up caring about, but I guess only time will tell...so no need for me to get worked up about it just yet! 😉

"May we recommend that Takaki and his team focus on actually making a good game."
They have. You're just too busy focusing on the sexual stuff and claiming that this automatically makes the game bad.

While Sony continues to be a big pain with their recent censorship policies, the Senran Kagura creators should focus on PC and Switch.

@AdamNovice Steam is... very inconsistent right now. All-ages versions of games are getting banned, but games with graphic sex are also being allowed on uncensored.

The consensus seems to be that some Steam employees are targeting no-name developers of anime-style games, but that they're not going to risk touching a bigger company like Marvelous.

I mean they releaded Burst recently, only without the intimacy mod and still has plenty of fan service. So why not do the same with 7?

Make the gameplay where its not so repetitive, and make the girls 21 and up.

@get2sammyb I doubt those soft core exotic games found on the eShop, or games like Super Seducer, will ever be allowed at this point. Quality subjectivity aside, those titles objectively do nothing worse then their predecessors and other similar games; the culprit here is sex and how uptight westerners still are with the topic.
But if one wants to rip out guts and decapitate their foes? That's fine.
🤔

Sony got authoritarian when the ps2 was on top as well, just release games on the switch and pc would be the best dice roll.

I don't see why this would affect the Switch, it's just Sony choosing what not to allow on their console.
If they want to lose some sales, let them. The Vita only just survived thanks to all the Japanese anime games on it.

I always find it funny how people here in the States (and I'm guessing Canada and Europe as well) lose their minds over sexual content like this stuff has anymore effect on people than the ultra violence. I'm sorry but the Harvey Weinsteins and other scumbags of the world weren't playing video games and it turned them into creeps. People really need to get past this stuff. Sexual content isn't the problem although I would agree context is key and certain Japanese games like Japanese anime (which is why I never watch Japanese anime) have issues with depicting characters who look underage. Beyond that, while I'm all for fan service it can't be the only thing a game has, there needs to be substance. Soul Calibur or Street Fighter have plenty of style but can get away with it because there is something to the game. Something like DoA Xtreme or Senran Kagura is going to get some flak because the gameplay just isn't very good.

A world without Senran Kagura games it's gonna be a sad one

@Gamer83 Anything you expose yourself to has an effect on you, good or bad. Anything. People who don't acknowledge this lack wisdom and insight.

@Porco First thing first I mean instead of catering only to children with mario games they are trying to get more games like Bayonetta and other M-A rated games.
Btw given how you seem to be acting like a child I don't think you're old enough to even take part in an adult conversation given your inability to leave a comment that doesn't come off as sarcastic. You need to grow up and get over yourself, it's just a game.

Anita Sarkeesian "We're not trying to take your games away from you." Yeah right.

@Royalblues yeah no. Stay away from the games I enjoy and leave them be. Don’t like them? Don’t play them, it’s as simple as that. They don’t hurt anyone and all getting rid of them is going to do is piss off fans of the fan service game genre.

@Porco I’ve been playing Senran for years and have at no point focused on any of the characters ages, this is true for the Senran community in general. The only people I see constantly talking about diddling kids is the people who don’t play Senran.

@Tony56723 you don't think you have a biased and warped perspective on this topic considering both of your feet are wet? that goes for everyone in your "community".

@Porco warped perspective? It’s a game man, no one in the general fandom talks about diddling kids. The people that do are regularly shunned and kicked out because we (as in the community) all know the difference between lewding a fictional exaggerated character and someone trying to be the next Jared Fogel. Trust me Senran Kagura fans do not like or accept pedophiles any more than your average person off the street.

@Rhaoulos Actually the games are generally really fun. Its a hack n slash beat em up. I mean the story isn't jaw dropping so you easily skip through it. Even the water soaking game was actually a lot of fun. It was generally unique. 3rd person shooters aren't new but you have to soak up your water guns to use them. There are tons of content and a RPG progression system as well. So ideally it is a fun game. I just won't probably show it to grandma. lol

lol, never though I’d see the day new sites justified the creative bankruptcy of PlayStation.

Well, Sony's done it. Whichever SJW in there now runs the show, censorship will now spread like the plague it is to all consoles. Hopefully this will bring lots more players to PC so a PC market is enough to keep X-SEED making games for it. The same will inevitably need to be true of Team Ninja as well, for the future of Dead or Alive. Time to migrate everyone to PC.