So Japan Will Ban Rape Games After All
First the TBS television network reported that Japan’s Ethics Organization of Computer Software (EOCS) would institute a ban on adult computer games revolving around rape themes beginning June 2. Then board members of the EOCS stated that no such decision had been made. Now the June 2 EOCS meeting has occurred, and the organization had decided to implement a ban on the production and sale of “rape games.” International pressure and media attention on Japan’s adult PC game industry have practically forced the EOCS decision. As such, the ban was mutually agreed upon by the members of the EOCS without a formal vote. The precise details of the ban, including exactly what game content will be restricted, has not been determined yet.
This is a self-imposed ban originating from and affecting Japan’s commercial computer game production industry. The ban does not have legal status. It will affect roughly 200 professional commercial game production companies but will not extend to independently produced and distributed or “doujin” computer games.
Source: Canned Dogs
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Guess some people can rejoice now with this.
Yet you said it all John, this is self-imposition not a legal ban, so this means Japan will still have rape themed games and guess doujin games will benefit a lot, thou I don’t discard some way aroudn this for commerical companies.
I’m definitely against this but guess it was well played for the moment, as you said “international” – it would be more accurate to say a few individuals from a country or two (US, UK)— has put pressure in Japan, particularity about lolicon and now rape so this self-ban saves face for them, definitely better than having real legal band that would have grave economic implications for this industry.
One is free to consider something detestable, immoral, grotesque but trying to impose those personal beliefs on others that are free to watch, see, read, play, etc whatever they want is equally or more detestable.
BTW aside from not affecting douijin, it also does not affect hentai manga nor hentai anime either, the EOCS as far as I know is only related to pc games and this affects elusively adult pc games.
Something Awful’s writers are going to have a lot of problems updating future “Horrors of Porn” articles.
Perhaps it needs to apply to manga and anime too. I think this is a good start and a good development.
It’s an internal industry thing. I imagine this just means so-called “rape-themed” games will be released unrated or on channels that are very slightly more obscure. Not that I know anything about porn game distribution in Japan, but there’s probably a myriad of ways around this “official” stance which is really just to get politicians off the industry’s back.