Censorship in Persona 5 Mobile Spin-Off
The beta test for the upcoming Persona 5 mobile spin-off, The Phantom X, has been released. The game, developed by Black Wings Game Studio and published by Perfect World Games, is officially authorized by SEGA with deep involvement by Atlus. However, several popular demon/persona designs from Atlus have been subject to censorship in compliance with Chinese regulations.
Chinese regulations prohibit depictions of partial nudity, skeletons, violence, gore, blood, time travel, religious themes, political themes, and more in video games approved for release in the country. As a result of this censorship, the new illustrations for the game’s personas have been altered to remove partial nudity. Demons with prominent skulls in their designs have had those elements removed or altered to comply with the regulations.
The Phantom X Game Details
Persona 5: The Phantom X is a turn-based role-playing video game featuring playable characters such as the protagonist Suwa Arai, Luffy, Seiji Shiratori, Kotone Montagne, Yukimi Fujikawa, and supporting characters like Igor, Merope, Kumi Katayama, Munehisa Iwai and Tae Takemi. The game’s combat system has several key features of its predecessor Persona 5 including One Mores, Baton Passes, Gun Attacks and All-Out Attacks.
The method of character obtainment is via a gacha banner system and the protagonist’s free time in the city is limited by a special currency taking the form of hourglasses. Persona 5: The Phantom X also has several original musical tracks featuring Lyn as a vocalist.
Sojiro’s Exclusion from The Phantom X
Despite featuring the actual Phantom Thieves and other supporting characters, Sojiro, who runs Cafe Leblanc, has been excluded from the game. The exclusion of Sojiro from the coffee shop is confusing to players. Some speculate that The Phantom X is set in an alternate reality to Persona 5 where Sojiro might not exist. This theory is further supported by Persona 5’s use of alternate realities in the past. However, it remains unclear as to why Sojiro has been excluded from the game.
Limited Release and Censored Artwork
Persona 5: The Phantom X is currently only confirmed for release in China and it is unknown if it will be available outside of the region. While censorship may not be ideal, the new artwork for the demons and personas is generally well-received and improves upon the original designs in some cases.
The exclusion of Sojiro from the game has left some players disappointed but it remains to be seen if other characters will also be absent from The Phantom X. As for now, fans eagerly await further updates on Persona 5: The Phantom X and its eventual worldwide release.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
