The fantasy MMO Final Fantasy XIV will only be accessible to those aged 18 and above in South Korea. Meanwhile, the game is available for 12-year-olds here in Germany.
According to gaming sites that specialize in Asia, Final Fantasy XIV has only received an “18 and over” rating in Korea. Korean MMOs are known for their permissiveness compared to Western ones and also Japan’s Final Fantasy XIV, and they are often “censored” for the West to avoid showing too much bare skin.
In FF 14, this was not the issue, but the “explicit expression” in the dialogues, the depiction of violence in the game and in the cutscenes, and the presence of “drugs or alcohol” that play a role in the story were the deciding factors.
The South Korean publisher Actoz Gaming has not adapted the game to Korean customs because they believed it was important to keep the game intact. In South Korea, Final Fantasy XIV is approaching its first Closed Beta.
In Germany, Final Fantasy XIV has received a “12 and over” rating from the USK, and the ESRB rates it as “T for Teen,” meaning 13 and up. This shows just how different cultural norms can be.
The Korea MMO “Blade and Soul,” known for its permissiveness, has recently tried to achieve a lower rating. Here in the West, The Elder Scrolls Online has been raised to 18 after the justice system went live.
