Beyond Two Souls Censored in EU, Possibly in US too.

[Ps360]

Beyond: Two Souls (October 2013) - CENSORED IN THE EU - SCE Uncut

UPDATE 29/09/13: Separate cuts to be made to US version too?

PSN user Keiyuu88 has again been scouring German websites and pointed us to the Beyond: Two Souls page of games retailer SpieleGrotte.de. Highlighted in a news post on the listing is the following message (helpfully translated for us by Keiyuu88):

”According to our information, in the European version of Beyond: Two Souls two scenes will be slightly cut. This affects all European versions (UK, AT and so on), as always with Sony. Reportedly, the US version will be slightly cut in erotic scenes. This means, according to Sony, that there won’t be a real uncut version at all.”

A final sentence following that explains that they are unable to offer the US version for sale on their site due to legal issues.

To be honest we really weren’t expecting this, and it now means that there is no clear course of action for gamers to take to receive a fully uncut version - as one won’t exist - and instead it throws up a ridiculous situation in which gamers might have to decide which version of censorship insults them the least.

We are still waiting for official comment on this matter. Original post follows:

______________________________________


We’ve feared for a while now that Beyond: Two Souls would receive the same treatment SCE has given their last 3 mature releases, and now we have discovered that Beyond will indeed be cut for the EU.

PSN user Keiyuu88 directed us to this video from german games publication ‘Bluplay.net’. It is a video preview showing gameplay footage, and features a German voiceover detailing their recent hands-on time as well as some key pieces of information they were told by Sony.

We sourced a German translator to help with the transcription (and you can find the original German in the ‘Sources & Links’ section at the bottom of this post), this is the translation they provided for the section at around the 5:13 mark:

"By the way the German USK version will be unfortunately published shortened. As Sony told us, two scenes of the game were extenuated/weakened. One of those scenes did we play during our demo session."

Now, seeing as Sony have made it policy to only release one version of their games for the entire EU (see our 'home' or 'case studies' pages for more information), and not provide individually censored versions for the countries that require them (usually Germany and Australia), it can be safely assumed that the EU version will be the same censored, ‘lite’, version of Beyond: Two Souls.

As sad as we are to learn that SCE’s poor treatment of their EU customers is continuing, it is excellent news that this has come to light prior to release, unlike their other recent titles which had left gamers unknowingly purchasing incomplete products at full price.

So, you still have the option to cancel that pre-order, and import the full version from the US, watch this space as we try to get comment from SCE/SCEE and Quantic Dream.

muh art gaem

[BeefcakeJax]

God damn leave the games alone, its just a fucking game.

[ERICVOLTAGE]

Well, that's silly. I guess their Beyond only gets one soul.

[kidson2004]

Don't understand why would they "cut" out some things in this, but it's ok for kids and other idiots to play GTA, COD, etc that's WAY more grueling than some erotic scenes. Makes no sense but whatever I guess.

[Vettes]

I thought Europe was much more accepting of sexual themes. Guess not.

[Ramonalicious]

muh art gaem

Game? Hahahahaha

[badreligionbomb]

they will just end up selling a directors cut to the EU market

[Nagflar]

Boomer, the erotic scenes were probably going to be the only good parts!

Don't understand why would they "cut" out some things in this, but it's ok for kids and other idiots to play GTA, COD, etc that's WAY more grueling than some erotic scenes. Makes no sense but whatever I guess.

It seems parents care less about their kids watching blood spill all over the screen, than they care about them watching some human (be it male or female) anatomy.

[Cpt-Redding]

I thought Europe was much more accepting of sexual themes. Guess not.

Rather than making different versions for different laws in the EU, they've made one game that abides by all the laws of all of the EU countries, so it is held back by the country with the tightest control, in this case Germany, which has restrictions for extreme violence and mature content in video games.

[annare41]

why do these things keep happening... unbelievable

[Ps360]

Game? Hahahahaha

shh, we don't want people to figure out it's a 60$ interactive DVD

[platzreign]

I'm trying to figure out why people are so freaked and why I should g.a.s that scenes were cut from a video game. Crap like this happens on a daily basis in other media so the big deal is what exactly?

[Kerwan_Ratchet]

Yeah, because adults aren't mature enough to make our own decisions of what we consume and buy.

[Fil2316]

So they cut content from a game - a game - rated mature ANYWAYS, but HELL, they can share the pathetic performance of miley cyrus with the kids at the music awards any day eh.