Cyberpunk 2077 to be heavily censored in Japan

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Cyberpunk 2077 will be pretty heavily censored upon its release in Japan, according to Press Start

The Japanese version of CD Projekt Red's RPG likely won't have the genital customization GamesRadar's Sam Loveridge saw in her hands-on (teehee), because there won't be any genitals - at least not visibly. 

According to Press Start, naked male and female characters will all be donning underwear in the Japanese version, and sexually explicit content will be "revised." Depictions of genitals are getting the chop as well - any billboards or graffiti in the shape of genitals will be absent. So if you live in Japan and were looking forward to meticulously crafting your character's labia or taking some screengrabs of dick art in Cyberpunk 2077, my sincerest condolences (but head to my Twitter account where I will most certainly be posting a variety of Cyberpunk genitalia).

However, boobs and butts aren't the only thing getting censored in the Japanese version of Cyberpunk 2077. There will be "selective revisions" of limb severing and gore like "exposed guts". It's unclear if those gore edits will extend beyond loss of limb and exposed entrails, but at the time of writing those are the only concrete examples of censored violence in Japan's version of the game. 

It's interesting to note that the Australian version of the game will not be censored - Australia being particularly touchy with explicit games - and will be released later this year unedited in its purest, nakey form. It will be rated R18+, which is a step beyond the MA 15+ restricted rating, but falls just before the X18+ rating that deems it pornographic in nature. For reference, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was rated R18+, as well, for "high impact violence and sex." Hot.

After another delay announcement earlier in June, Cyberpunk 2077 will launch November 19 for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Google Stadia. 

Cyberpunk 2077 will get a free update for PS5 and Xbox Series X at launch. 

Alyssa Mercante

Alyssa Mercante is an editor and features writer at GamesRadar based out of Brooklyn, NY. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.