The Zenless Zone Zero community has recently expressed their annoyance over the alleged censorship found in the most recent beta for Zenless Zone Zero. Specifically, one of the main characters, Nicole Demara, seems to have undergone a radical transformation both in her base design and in her expressive animations.
返して… pic.twitter.com/ee2LTq6GpC
— Hanekuma @ship2 (@Ont1026) November 24, 2023
This is understandable for a CN game, as the censorship laws in China are far stricter than they are elsewhere in the world. However, this has not stopped the community from voicing their displeasure in being presented with something only to have it taken away by forces outside of their control.
It may not sound like a big deal, but censorship like this should always be met with caution. Other fans have mentioned that the gore in this game has also been toned down from its initial release, meaning any number of things (including dialogue, story beats, and more) could be censored before the game comes out.
While many will point to the over-sexualization of these characters and the benefit of toning down the jiggle physics in these games, if this was the developer's intention, it is usually better to preserve that initial vision than adjust it. And, as for scaling down the proportions of the characters, some players have expressed that people in the world do look like pre-censored Nicole, and it's a shame that they cannot receive representation.
Players will have to stick around to see what the final version of Nicole and Zenless Zone Zero looks like on release.
