In a striking departure from history, Assassin’s Creed: Origins‘ Discovery Tour mode replaces any nipples or genitalia with sea shells. There was no nudity in Ancient Egypt, it appears.
Take the Serapeum of Alexandria, a Greek temple which once stood in tribute to Serapis, the Greco-Egyptian deity of the Sun. In tour mode, you can visit this historic site and see it recreated as it might have looked during the first century BCE. Its perimeter is adorned with several statues of bare-chested women, as it was in real life. But in Ubisoft’s recreation the nipples on the statues are covered with sea shells. It looks a bit like Little Mermaid cosplay.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun pointed out the bizarre bit of censorship earlier today. Tour mode also censors statues’ genitals, covering penises with seashells as well. But as USgamer reported, the censorship does not extend to paintings and photographs with nudes included in the tour. So while the statues lining the front of the Library of Alexandria have been covered up, the less scintillating renderings of mummified bodies are left in their natural state.
“Discovery Tour was created to offer the maximum amount of people from various ages and cultural backgrounds the ability to visit the long lost world of Ancient Egypt and learn about its history,” Ubisoft told Kotaku in a statement. “We worked hand in hand with educators and academic institutions to tailor the content to be suited for every audience, including younger students, taking into account cultural sensitivities that can be different from one country to another.”
This reasoning also makes sense given that nudity is treated differently throughout the world, including modern Egypt, where the game takes place. Last spring, Belgian model Marisa Papen was temporarily arrested after doing a nude photo shoot using the Pyramids as a backdrop.
It’s unclear whether Ubisoft could have released different versions of the mode depending on which region players lived in.
As RPS noted, the entire thing isn’t so different from when US Attorney General John Ashcroft spent thousands of dollars to have a statue in the Department of Justice Building covered because he was tired of being interviewed on camera in front of its nipples. Or better yet, when in an episode of Spongebob Squidward accidentally made an exact replica of Michelangelo’s David but with a sea shell over its dick.
Comments
16 responses to “Assassin’s Creed: Origins’ Tour Mode Censors Naked Statues”
This plus the mind-numbing very American, NatGeo-like narration is putting me off.
Non-Morgan Freeman American accent documentary narration is a deal breaker.
And the censorship just shits in the taco.
Wanton murder and destruction fine, nipples oh no think of the children. Ahh bless you America.
Have another gun as a reward.
Oh come on, I love bashing America as much as the next internet general, but they aren’t brought up related to the game.
“This reasoning also makes sense given that nudity is treated differently throughout the world, including modern Egypt, where the game takes place. “
This would be funny if it weren’t so sad. I’ve had good will for this game ever since they announced this mode, and thought about picking it up despite really disliking AC2. Despite is being a small issue, this has just put the worst taste in my mouth.
Really? /facepalm
Seems to me this might be down to the discovery mode being made available as a separate purchase and being cautious with regards to nudity to keep the rating okay?
AC Origins is MA15+ with ‘moderate impact’ for nudity
Discovery Tour rated PG with ‘very mild impact’ for nudity
That said you’d think be some leeway on the context of said nudity.
yeah, but this is akin to saying the vatican and louvre should cover up David and Venus because chidren under 15 might see.
Censorship should have limits.
This has crossed them.
That and the fact they felt the need to tell everyone that they have gay and trans people working on the game.
Why do they need to tell everyone?
Virtue signalling
Well you don’t seem to have any issue going off topic to mention you’re against it so it all balances out right?
Very much so
Next on the agenda, replacing all the weapons with walkie talkies.
They also altered artwork like depicting girls getting an education to be more inclusive.
The internet years ago : “OMG we can’t see Tracers butt! That is rude!”
The internet now : “OMG we can’t see boobs, butts and junk! That is stupid!”
The internet is a wonderful cocophany of random emotions.
Ridiculous over the top censorship. It’s a digital version of a rock, people.
This is so stupid it hurts. Children don’t care about nudity, first and foremost, let alone historical freaking statue nudity. I just don’t understand how they think the shape of a human body could do anything to anyone. Stupid.
It’s just a mode right? Does it have parental controls? I mean what stops these poor sensitive folks and children from switching to the violent science fantasy with all-nude-statues mode?