Twisted Metal delayed in Europe

By Fred Dutton Published 2 February, 2012

Plus, SCEE censoring some cut scenes.

The European release of forthcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive Twisted Metal has been delayed, according to co-creator David Jaffe.

The car combat revival had been due to launch on 14th February but it will now be out some time in March.

Posting on NeoGAF, Jaffe explained that the hold up is down to "localisation taking just a touch longer" than expected.

Sony hasn't confirmed a new date, but Jaffe noted that he'd "heard" it will now release on 1st March.

He also confirmed that a few cuts have been made to the European release, at the request of SCEE, mostly to the game's cut scenes.

"99 per cent of the cuts were in the movies and the movies are still intact and I sat with the editor - who was the same editor of the American movies - and we went thru and addressed the notes from Europe and made sure the stories still worked," he wrote.

"And to be fair, there have not been that many cuts. For example, in the scene we've released on the net from the intro - where the girl stabs Tooth in the eye - the SCEE version has this but we cut away right before the scissors make contact with Tooth's face.

"It's CLEAR what she's doing and I think we even keep the sound effects in and such - but the last few frames are gone. The story itself tho totally works and - for some folks even who tend to think this kinda stuff plays better left to your imagination anyway - perhaps it even works better."

There are a few minor gameplay changes too.

"I think the guy on the gurney from Meat Wagon is dead so you are exploding a corpse covered with TNT vs. a screaming man trapped to the gurney," explained Jaffe.

He added that although he was reluctant to make changes, he can see the rationale behind SCEE's decision.

"You think I wanted to change content? F*** no - for a bunch of reasons 'f*** no'," he insisted.

"But it ain't my game (Sony owns the IP and funded it) and certain countries have - obviously - much stricter guidelines. AND since TM has never been a big seller outside of America, I guess it didn't make sense to have a whole bunch of different discs for each country (i.e. Germany gets disc ver. 3, UK gets disc ver 6, etc.)."

For more on Jaffe's latest opus, take a look at Eurogamer's Twisted Metal preview, or check out the demo which went live on PSN yesterday.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 3 weeks ago

  • cous #1 3 weeks ago

    Its honestly surprising that sony dont allow scissors to go into someones eye, yet 3rd party published games like dead space 2...ouch yep they alloed that kinda thing then.

    Also im surprised to see the European version getting censored usually its the case ith american versions tbh , guess its to fit in with all regions of europe eg germany allowing such scenes of vioolence

  • liquid-s #2 3 weeks ago

    Ffs more european censorship bollocks, hate this kind of crap. I have a feeling this kind of stuff is only going to get worse to :-(

  • reeferchief #3 3 weeks ago

    Tried the beta, not too fussed about it.

  • captain_Carl #4 3 weeks ago

    America: Yay to violence! Boo to tits and sex.

    Europe: Yay to tits and sex! Boo to violence.

  • Miths #5 3 weeks ago

    @captain_Carl
    Isn't it only Germany and perhaps one or two other European countries where violence in games and sometimes resulting censorship is an issue?
    It sounds like this is a bit of an unusual case of a publisher choosing to simply cut or change content throughout Europe, instead of only making changes to eg. the German version.

    In most of Europe it's more like this :).

    Europe: Yay to tits and sex! And we're okay with extreme violence as well.

  • wattsn26 #6 3 weeks ago

    I've seen one of the cutscenes and yes they are pretty brutal...

    The demo always ends up in matchmaking error for me, I still want the game though
    Edited by 2 at 02/02/12 @ 17:27

  • el_pollo_diablo #7 3 weeks ago

    @liquid-s

    I think it's a Germany 'thing'

  • Phantom_Dynamite #8 3 weeks ago

    Ze Germans ruining senseless violence for the rest of us

  • Steizgr8 #9 3 weeks ago

    If this bothers anyone much can't they just import it?

    I'm considering importing it myself, anyway.

    Has there been any plans announced for DLC?

    That's the only area where an imported copy would start to cause problems, as far as I can see.

  • Flabio #10 3 weeks ago

    Suspect we're talking about getting a PEGI 16 instead of PEGI 18 here to be honest. Which does affect sales.

  • andrewsqual #11 3 weeks ago

    @Steizgr8 You think therre might be DLC? Maybe they will actually add in more actual Twisted Metal human characters and not Random Clowns, random group of dollfaces and random group of Grimms. What is the Single Player in this game going to be like at all? You choose one of 4 3 characters and then just a random vehicle from the series?

  • Sharzam #12 3 weeks ago

    I dont mind the censoring if its in context and the game/movie still works as intended.

    But i am surprised that the US is ok and Europe is not its normally the other way around. Of course Germany is a special exception but in most of Europe we are pretty laid back.

  • KREEPYKRAWLLY #13 3 weeks ago

    Hello, this sounds dumb but I have cancelled my order. Please is there a way to get the US Version at a reasonable price ? If you do, please send me a PM. Cheers!

  • sugarbaron #14 3 weeks ago

    FFS same old shit.

    You know why Twisted Metal has never been a big seller outside the US Mr Jaffe... its because we always get a shitty censored version - thats if we get the game at all considering most of them don't even get a PAL port.

    If Germany (and we all know its them) want it censored, then censor their version. Give the UK the US version and everyone is happy. I mean its not as if the UK is the worlds 2nd biggest videogame market or anything is it... oh wait a minute, it is!

  • Steizgr8 #15 3 weeks ago

    @andrewsqual It's possible. I'm little wooried that they might add maps/vehicles/game modes later on as DLC.

    I'd feel a right mug for importing it, then.

    I doubt they'll add any more characters, though. I think we're stuck with clowns, dolls, preachers and, what's Mr Grimm's faction, again?

  • ExplodingClown #16 3 weeks ago

    Evil Clowns are so 2002. Just release Carmageddon Resurrection already.

  • onezeonx #17 3 weeks ago

    Tried the Beta....couldnt join matches after 20 mins of trying

    Gave up and wont be buying

    Thanks...

  • riseer #18 3 weeks ago

    @onezeonx Your loss,the online isn't working but just trying out diffrent vehicle's testing what fits your play style.I will be buying TM but i have my Vita comming in on the 15th so i will be busy with that for awhile.

  • Lord_Gremlin #19 3 weeks ago

    Damn, now I have to import US version.

  • lucifonz #20 3 weeks ago

    Absolute nonsense. It's insulting when the adult audience is old enough to make their own decisions on what is 'too violent' and what isn't. Even more so when the game is less than 2 weeks from launch. Another bad move to add to the already huge list from SCEE.

    I'll be importing it! Thank god the PS3 is region free :)

  • 32768Colours #21 3 weeks ago

    Hmm, this is a bit annoying. On one hand I could buy the US version, but then I'll miss out on the dlc.

    Also, how does playing an imported copy effect the multiplayer? Does it lock that out too?

    I was never going to get this on day one, so suppose I could just wait until its released to find out whether the differences are all that significant. I'm not too bothered about a few cuts from the intermissions, but the in-game stuff could prove the deciding factor.

    You've got to feel sorry for our German cousins; they have to put up with this sort of daft shit all the time, and you just know most Germans probably think its fucking ridiculous.

  • Acrid #22 3 weeks ago

    This is absolute BS, here's a thought SCEE as an adult looking to purchase your adult rated game why don't you allow me to decide what I deem as acceptable

  • spliffhead #23 3 weeks ago

    Don't import as PS3 DLC won't work if that's your thing. I made this mistake with Warhawk.

    Otherwise go for the US version for your eyeball related five finger fix.

  • Nico4 #24 3 weeks ago

    F*** SCEE. Why do you always have to make things different from us? I know it's minor things, but seriously, are they always up to annoy us? We don't get Trine 2 despite that even the european XBLA has it. Arc the Lad took months before we got it in English. Payday was delayed for unknown reasons. Why does SCEE keep doing this?

    And for that matter, why censor those cuts anyway? It's never been a huge seller, sure, but most of us europeans (save Germany) don't mind all this violence. Hell, Dead Space and Resident Evil is more violent, yet this game can't? Screw -.-'

    And as an added note: I will still buy the game, looks fun and all. I just hate this decision.

  • mukki #25 3 weeks ago

    Agree just censor the German version...
    And as usual I will ordered the uncensored UK version.

    But really I think this is a case of getting lower ratings for the game which is hoped will result in higher sales...

    Still somehow not too hyped about this one.

  • ro-kurorai #26 3 weeks ago

    @Miths yup, only German youth protection laws protect us German adults from nasty violence (while still being certified as USK 18 = ESRB AO). BBFC and PEGI rate video-games, they don't refuse certificates unless stuff gets censored (e.g. Germany), so it's Germany only, and no other EU-states ;)