Lost Ark, an MMO created by South Korean studio Smilegate, has received an explanation for its censorship efforts in the west through a statement from Amazon.
Since the game released in the west early last year, the character outfits have been modified to be more socially appropriate for our cultural expectations. Many outfits in the original version had very short skirts and revealing outfits, and those same outfits were given shorts or leggings under the skirts to dial them down.
"While our goal is to preserve the authenticity of the original game, we also work with Smilegate RPG to make localisation updates to ensure the game feels approachable and representative of our Western players," Amazon explained, as reported by Eurogamer.
This explanation falls in line with a similar one Amazon gave in 2021 when fans feared that censorship would change the experience of the game. Back then, the comapny wanted players to "feel at home" in the Western release, which meant dialing back the clothing options and adding features like a wider range of skin tone options in the character creator.
The Artist advanced class itself is a new supporting role that focuses on area-of-effect spells that debuff enemies and buff teammates while dealing damage. The new class will be added to the game this week, on March 15. A new 48v48 competitive mode called Tulubik Battlefield is being added as well, allowing for all-out faction wars. Despite the censorship, Lost Ark is looking at a strong second year, with no signs of slowing down development of new events.
Players have since kept track of the changes made in the release western audiences have received, as shown in a forum made in November 2021. Since it was revealed that changes would be made, fans have been split on whether it mattered or not. Some were upset to see the modifications to outfits they thought looked better, ruining an aesthetic they were looking forward to. On the other hand, some players preferred the changes, stating they thought the outfits came together better with the new additions.
No matter what side of the debate you land on, it hasn't stopped the game from being a massive success among the western audience. Lost Ark has seen a monthly player count average of 1.7 million since its international release, giving the title a healthy community.