Rainbow Six
Siege players have complained about proposed changes to the game before its
wide release in Asia.
Ubisoft said
it had altered artwork in some "maps and icons" to ensure the game complied
with local regulations.
The
alterations tone down or remove blood spatters, gambling machines and some
sexual images in many of the game's locations.
It said the
changes were "aesthetic" only and would not affect gameplay.
Wide-ranging
Chinese state rules on what video games can depict are believed to be behind
the need to modify Rainbow Six.
The revamp
would mean Rainbow Six had a "single, global version" so it would be
easier to maintain and introduce new features, said Ubisoft.
It
illustrated its blogpost with images showing what some scenes and icons would
look like in the new version.
The
illustrations depict skulls and knives being swapped for more anodyne images
and some elements, such as slot machines, being removed entirely.
The modified
images and maps will be introduced with the Year 3, Season 4 release of the
game due in late 2018.
Thousands of
players voiced their anger about the alterations on the Rainbow 6 forum on
social news site Reddit.
Many called
on Ubisoft to maintain separate builds of the game so long-term fans could play
the version they knew and recognised.
Some
suggested Ubisoft was also being inconsistent in picking what was being remade
- some indicators of gambling had gone, while others, such as loot boxes,
remained.
While many
disliked the altered scenes, others said it was the reason that Ubisoft had made
them that was more upsetting.
For this
group of gamers, Ubisoft's decision to conform to the standards demanded by a
"communist regime" was unacceptable.
Ubisoft
responded to the Reddit chat when a community manager joined the discussion and
answered some questions.
However,
this intervention only confused players more as the manager implied that the
single version of the game would use "region-locked" servers that
kept different nationalities apart.
Many pointed
out that this should make it easier for Ubisoft to maintain separate versions
for each group.
Ubisoft's
announcement comes soon after Tencent, with which it is partnering for the
Rainbow Six launch, revealed it would take steps to verify the ages and
identities of every person playing games it offers.
The move is
intended to catch under-age players who, under Chinese law, are subject to
restrictions on how long they can play.
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