Baldur's Gate 3 might have a high fantasy backdrop, but it certainly doesn't shy away from adult themes. In particular, the RPG is packed with intimate cutscenes and sexually-charged character interactions — to the point where the title's reputation practically hinges on such content outside of our more hardcore sphere. The game also depicts a lot of gore and violence — but that's not the kind of stuff that gets you trending on social media!
Anyway, Baldur's Gate 3 is set to release in Japan on the 21st December — and guess what? It's being censored. Spike Chunsoft, the title's Japanese publisher, has confirmed that it's had to make various adjustments in order to comply with the country's strict guidelines on things like sex and nudity. More specifically, the Japanese version of Baldur's Gate 3 won't let players enable explicit content through the game's settings.
To be clear, Baldur's Gate 3 will still be rated 'CERO Z' in Japan — the county's equivalent of '18' or 'Mature' — but that rating still doesn't get you visible genitals and the like.
What's more, a scene near the beginning of the game will be censored so that players don't actually have the option of torturing a certain NPC.
Of course, such censorship is nothing new for game releases in Japan. Again, the country has strict guidelines — especially when it comes to sexual content — and they almost always result in the alteration of mature-rated western titles.