Some gamers believed that if they convinced Sony of Japan to have a talk with Sony of America, they could get them to reverse the new censorship policy in place that forbids developers from including ecchi or sexual content that’s aimed at straight male gamers. However, it appears that such an effort is futile since Sony’s new policy that prohibits sexual imagery aimed at straight males is not only taking effect for titles releasing in the West for the PS4, but it also appears to be affecting games released in Japan as well.

Gematsu spotted a collection of tweets from a Japanese connoisseur of lewd games, and they released some comparison shots from the recently released visual novel Nora to Oujo to Noraneko Heart, which came out in Japan for PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch and PC. As noted by Gematsu, the PS4 version, in Japan, has been censored, thus proving that Sony’s ecchi extermination is in full swing.

A scene comparison between the PS4, Switch, and PC versions of visual novel Nora to Oujo to Noraneko Heart, which launched today in Japan. 1st screenshot is PS4, 2nd is Switch, 3rd is PC. https://t.co/G4lC5I5Ez6 — Gematsu (@gematsucom) October 25, 2018

If you click through the tweet to the image comparison from Uitachibana, he explains in the comparison that the giant glowing lights that censor out the cleavage of the character is from the PS4 version. Yes, it’s from the PS4 version.

If you’re unable to see the images, you can view the trilogy of screenshots below. The one at the top is from the PS4, the one in the middle is from the Nintendo Switch, and the one at the bottom is from the PC version.

If you think this is some kind of one-off or just an odd case of the developers censoring a single CG image in the game, you’re all kinds of wrong. If you also think this is because the developers were aiming for a lower rating, you would be even more wrong.

Uitachibana has a series of tweets showcasing a number of comparison shots between the PS4, Switch, Vita, and PC versions of the game, but most notably is that at the top of the Twitter thread he reveals that Nora to Oujo to Noraneko Heart is rated CERO D in Japan, so it’s for those 17 years of age and older. But even with the CERO D rating the PS4 version had cleavage and panties censored.

ノラとと PS4版見てたんだけど

CG規制が Vita版より強化されてたぞｗ

謎の光さん強すぎでしょｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ CERO:Dでここまで規制とか

最近SONYからの規制が強化されたって本当だったんなｗ pic.twitter.com/W7SIY4W8e6 — 誠也さん＠がんばらない (@uitachibana) October 25, 2018

If you check the Visual Novel Database, you’ll find that Nora to Oujo to Noraneko Heart‘s console version is labeled as the “HD Version” and was released on October 25th, 2018. Sure enough, both the Nintendo Switch and the PS4 version of the game are rated 17+, fitting in line with the CERO D rating.

Yet if you check the images, all of the CGs showing even a hint of skin or the girls in a state of undress have been censored on the PS4. In some cases the Nintendo Switch and Vita versions of the game were also slightly more censored than the PC counterpart, with the areola and protuberance of the nipple in the clothing being reduced. However, the PS4 version goes even a step further, censoring the already censored image by adding a bright light.

You can see the NSFW comparison below featuring the PS4 version at the top, the Nintendo Switch and Vita version in the middle, and the PC version at the bottom.

So now the PS4 versions of games even in Japan must be censored even more than the Nintendo Switch counterparts.

Some people saw Sony’s new policy as being hypocritical, since the company is actively promoting the gay dating simulator, Dream Daddy, even though the company barred the other dating simulator, Super Seducer, from releasing on the PS4.

Marvelous Entertainment’s community affiliate started a petition after Omega Labyrinth Z was banned from releasing on the PS4 in the West and after Sony forced XSeed to censor Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal. The Marvelous partner hoped to convince Sony to renege on their new censorious policy, but it appears as if the policy’s reach is already spreading and metastasizing in the land of the rising sun.

(Thanks for the news tip zac za)