Despite being worked on for years publisher Wired Productions and developer LKA announced Martha Is Dead is censored on PlayStation, while the PC and Xbox versions remain unaffected.

While Martha Is Dead is censored on PlayStation, the developers “had to modify the experience” on PS4 and PS5 resulting in “some elements no longer playable.”

Reasoning behind the game being censored is that it features “potentially discomforting scenes and themes that may distress some players.” That’s all we have to go on, as it was apparently enough for the game not meeting Sony’s new internal content standards for unacceptable content.

The timing behind the request for said content getting censored or removed from the game entirely sounds sudden, as the game has been presented as a very dark and adult game since its reveal years ago.

LKA also note “the sensitive depictions in play” were always communicated to the media and the content is even “flagged clearly and repeatedly within the game itself before play begins.” Apparently this wasn’t enough for Sony.

Previously, SIE Japan Asia President Atsushi Morita alluded to the flurry of censorship focused on anime-styled sexual content on PlayStation games had been “to meet global standards.” 

This censorship was seemingly forced in Japan, but is now seemingly affecting developers and any games worldwide, as LKA is based in Firenze, Italy.

Martha is Dead is set to release on February 24th, 2022 across Windows PC (via Steam), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

Here’s the word from developer LKA:

Martha Is Dead PlayStation Update

Martha Is Dead is a narrative adventure recommended for adult audiences only, with play consisting of potentially discomforting scenes and themes that may distress some players. Both Wired Productions and LKA have always been open and honest about Martha Is Dead content, with the sensitive depictions in play consistently communicated to the media since the game was announced in 019. This content is also flagged clearly and repeatedly within the game itself before play begins.

It is with regret that we have had to modify the experience on the PS5 and PS4 versions, with some elements no longer playable. After over four years of passion and hard work, Developer LKA now requires extra time to make these unplanned changes. Martha Is Dead, as a result, will still launch digitally on both PS5 and PS4 on Thursday, February 24th, 2022, but the physical retail release will be delayed to a yet to be disclosed date; although we anticipate this to only be a small number of weeks. Our physical edition will still contain the bonus content of a double-sided poster, digital tarot cards and Martha Is Dead Digital EP. We will update players with the date we ship this edition as soon as we have the information.

The PC and Xbox versions of Martha Is Dead are both unaffected by these developments and will launch with the full unedited gameplay as planned.

We look forward to players experiencing the work of LKA on Thursday February 24th, 2022.