Japanese hospitals want Dementium off store shelves
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Oct 3rd 2008 at 7:00PM }
Dementium: The Ward hit Japan this year (along with a colorful launch event for the game), yet is now enduring its first public outcry in the country. According to Yahoo! News (and Google's translation tools), the Japanese Association of Psychiatric Hospitals has requested that the title be removed from shops instantly, arguing that the game could instigate "discrimination and prejudice" against sufferers of psychiatric disorders.
Interchannel distributes the game in Japan, and has yet to comment, but Mike Wilson of [U.S. publisher] Gamecock did proffer a view to MTV Multiplayer, stating that the criticism is down to a "lack of understanding or appreciation (and therefore fear of) games outside our little sub-culture." He also confessed to being "thrilled" by the extra attention the game has enjoyed as a result; as the game failed to penetrate the Japanese top 30, we know what he means.
Gallery: Dementium: The Ward
[Via MTV Multiplayer]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
FantomRedux @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:35PM
Isn't it more a zombie shooter thats just SET in a psychiatric hospital?
aj @ Oct 4th 2008 12:28AM
As both a doctor of psychology AND a mutant hell-beast, I find this game patently offensive.
And as we all know, Japan's medical establishment is at least 80% mutant hell-beasts.
simplesugar @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:52PM
Why am I not surprised that one of the only games (if not the only currently, I don't follow it) being protested in Japan isn't made by Japanese? Xenophobic double standards for the win. We can't have prejudice, but help yourself to some copies of Gaijni Hanzai Ura Fairu in 7-11.
SephFinale @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:23PM
LOL I never thought Japan was one to complain about videogames.
Josh @ Oct 4th 2008 1:43PM
They've been censoring stuff for a while now.
Really, North America seems to be the only region still receiving uncensored games (in terms of violence).
Zealot @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:07PM
What's really going to surprise me is if we suddenly get complaints from moon people that Moon portrays them in a prejudiced and discriminatory manner.
Kahblammo @ Oct 4th 2008 2:02AM
So Dementium is bad but girls enjoying rape is okay...good going Japan.
potatochip @ Oct 4th 2008 3:39AM
Not to mention all of the other zombie shooters from Japan featuring abandoned hospitals/graveyards/etc. But those are okaay ssomehow..
chibi_wings @ Oct 4th 2008 11:53AM
you have a point. The whole loli-con thing is creepy. But that too has been given media attention.
Jamar @ Oct 6th 2008 10:08AM
Oh yeah. I mean, how much attention did Doki Doki Majo Shinpan receive in comparison?
MagNet @ Oct 6th 2008 2:18PM
On the west maybe quite a lot but in Japan that's nothing special. However one must realise that they're not much into FPS games there anyway so this might be a really big help actually.
xcdjy @ Oct 4th 2008 4:21AM
They should just chill. The game's rubbish anyway.
pas @ Oct 5th 2008 4:01PM
Thats where you are wrong... have you played it ? why do you think is it rubbish ? I found it to be an enjoyable atmospheric game...
xcdjy @ Oct 7th 2008 12:17PM
Wrong? I'm not wrong, it's my opinion.
I think it's tedious, though the general idea is good.
Oh, and of course i've played it, or else I wouldn't have judged it...