Anyone with an eye for flesh could have noticed the discrepancy between the Japanese PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 cover art for Topware Interactive's X-Blades. The CliffsNotes version of our earlier story: on the cover of the Xbox 360 version, the game's protagonist Ayumi's ass cheeks are exposed; on the PlayStation 3 version, she's wearing underwear.
"X-Blades is being published by different publishers in international territories," a rep from SouthPeak told me today when I reached out to them for comment. "Each does their own creative for their respective market. That includes the box art."
You see, Ubisoft will be publishing the title in Japan, and they're free to make art decisions as they please. We pinged Topware to see what they had to say about the "cheeky" issue, and said they difference in the Japanese artwork was simply a request by Sony.
"The Xbox 360 cover was the original image," says Topware's Jake DiGennaro, "and we altered it by adding silver swimsuit-stle bottoms to the image for PAX back in August at their request. Sony simply preferred the latter version of the image, so we were happy to obilge."
Check out the North American box art for X-Blades, which SouthPeak was kind enough to send our way. Not quite as risqué, but one can't say that Ayumi doesn't know how to dress herself. Or maybe they can. Because really, she's still not wearing much clothing, is she?
Contest:
6:00 PM on 02.02.2009
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i much prefer the ass cheeks.
Because i don't really believe that a game like this could be hurt by a risqué cover. It's just presenting the character the way she is.
As an American, it has nothing to do with ass. Our Puritanical hypocrisy is the problem. For whatever reason (and I think that we all know really what it is) we've been conditioned to think that blood, guts, violence, shredded body parts, spurting veins ... hey, they're all a-OK.
But dare to show a nipple and -- holy fucking jumping Jesus!! -- all hell breaks loose!! Suddenly we're depraved perverts who need to have censored Internet access and fines from the FCC!
It's pathetic. How absolutely ridiculous that the human body in its natural state is considered to be obscene, but tearing that same body to shreds in a violent blood bath is acceptable.
I love my country, but - damn! - a lot of people here have some really fucked up ideas on what is and is not obscene.
I'm not sure we can even show asses anymore besides Peter Griffin's.
For example, just go to the mall during the summer. Count how many teen girls there are running around, half clothed and readily cock teasing the average slob. Its all they know from their music/movies/TV/magazines and other media influences with pop starlets making sex videos. These are the things that raise kids now, not actual parenting, and adults that have the backbone to say "no."
Wearing thongs when your 13 is hip. Shirts that proudly display 'slut' or something of that type are pretty regular. Low cut jeans, tight tops, etc etc. Its supposedly acceptable behavior these days to watch 'Sex in the City' when your 16 and grow up to be a shallow whore with a false sense of entitlement.
There really is no modesty anymore. Which is why the change to the cover of this game is even more ridiculous!