Edited version of Prototype coming

By Ellie Gibson Published 28 April, 2008

To Australia and Germany.

Radical Entertainment has said it's working hard to ensure Prototype gets a release in Australia and Germany - even if that means cutting the level of violence in the game.

Both regions are notorious for demanding cuts, but Radical's marketing director Chris Ansell has said the team will face the challenges and work closely with ratings authorities to ensure release.

"We're working really closely with the German office and we've had multiple meetings with the USK," said Ansell.

"They've seen it a number of times and we're making very detailed analysis of the particular elements we need to change and tweak and we're always watching the other titles and what they have to change. It's a large job for us to do, I won't lie. It's a challenge that we've said we would tackle and take on."

Radical has toned down ragdoll physics on dead bodies, levels of blood and dismemberment, and has said the producer currently has a "very long list" of changes and tweaks.

Despite the extra work, Radical hopes to ship the edited title in Germany and Australia at the same time as the other versions of the game worldwide.

"We've not confirmed simultaneous shipping with low violence but that's the intention for us," revealed Ansell.

Asked whether having to make changes to a game that was conceived for a mature audience was frustrating Ansell admitted, "It's not ideal."

He continued: "We set out to make this game a mature-rated game like any mature movie, people who buy this will be over 18. That's the area we're playing with.

"But obviously it's a challenge that we all face and we have to respect this and make the best possible game we can within those restrictions. But yes, in a perfect world we'd have complete freedom. Maybe one day things might change.".

Prototype is out on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC this summer - visit Eurogamer later this week for a full preview.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (14) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Skeletor #1 4 years ago

    Who cares? Most people import anyway...usually even cheaper. Fuck the USK.
    Edited by 1 at 28/04/08 @ 14:06

  • peteb #2 4 years ago

    Exactly, that's what I'm doing. The USK needs to get with the times.

    Actually how did GTA IV get through uncut, I though the Euphoria physics would make em shit a brick!
    Edited by 2 at 28/04/08 @ 14:17

  • aldo_14 #3 4 years ago

    This summer? I thought it was due in October?

  • anomagnus #4 4 years ago

    i do feel sorry for german gamers

  • zuljin #5 4 years ago

    Thought it was getting released in Oct, but summers better! GTA 4, this, Mafia 2 and some superhero games... Good times for people who love sandbox games...

  • itamae #6 4 years ago

    Here's an idea: don't make your games that violent to begin with. If you need lots of blood and dismemberment to sell the product to your target audience, you should reconsider your strategy.

  • page5 #7 4 years ago

    You can import a German-language version from Austria and all will be well unless you try to resell it.

    The German USK should wake the fuck up and be a little smarter about its demands and ratings...

  • smelly #8 4 years ago

    @itamae:

    Look at 99% of the posts on these boards.

    if a game doesnt have violence.. it's deemed as being "too kiddy" by most people around here.

  • Freek #9 4 years ago

    No, why not instead look at the game concept itself. You play as a genetic monster tearing the place up, it's inhertly violent. If you are targeting an adult audiance you can explore that kind of thing.
    It's not mandatory for the succes of a game, just look at Assasins Creed, also verry succesfull but not that explicitly violent.

    If on the other hand you want to make a horror game, then there's allot of cool stuff you can do with modern technology, Bioshock is an excelent example of that.

    It's not about wether a game is or is not violent, it's how it's used in the game.
    In Postal it's really lame and pointless, in Prototype it's looking like allot more then just gore for the sake of it.

  • DAN.E.B #10 4 years ago

    @ smelly

    you wouldnt be a Wii owner by any chance would you?

  • smelly #11 4 years ago

    @DAN:SOLO:

    as of this weekend, i now own all 3 consoles.

  • ozallez #12 4 years ago

    another blow for Australian game retailers! We're becoming a nation of importers down here :)

  • UncleLou #13 4 years ago

    You can import a German-language version from Austria and all will be well unless you try to resell it.

    You can resell it legally to anyone over 18, unless it's properly "banned", which not only happens as good as never these days, but won't happen anyway if it's not officially sold here. All the "censorship" is more or less deliberate anyhow because publishers want to avoid advertisement and display restrictions.

    The German USK should wake the fuck up and be a little smarter about its demands and ratings...

    And play right in the hands of the politicians who accuse the USK of being way too lenient anyhow...

    They're caught between a rock and a hard place, really.

  • Vandrius #14 4 years ago

    Heh, yet another reason for us aussies to import.

    As if a 50% price difference - and often earlier releases - wasn't enough.

    Sigh. I haven't bought a single next-gen game from Australia yet. I've grabbed the occasional PC game here, and thats about it.

    Our taxes aren't that high, so I just don't understand why they keep trying to gouge us. It just means people like me make money by pointing people to play-asia for all their ps3/360 game needs.