Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Censorship: Key Differences and Uncensored Gameplay Guide
Discover the localization changes, religious text alterations, and outfit censorship in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and how to play the uncensored version.
Quick answer
- Religious terms like 'paradise' and 'Holy Grail of Heaven' were changed to 'Elysium' and 'The Aegis' globally.
- The experimental custom armor outfit was changed from a revealing bikini to a bunny suit internationally.
- The original Japanese version of the game remains completely uncensored with its original designs and text.
- To experience the game without any localization edits, players must play the Japanese release.
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Understanding Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Censorship
When Monolith Soft developed and Nintendo published Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on December 1, 2017, the game received significant attention for its art style and thematic elements. To prepare the game for global audiences, the localization team implemented specific changes. The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 censorship primarily targets religious terminology and modifies one specific piece of character equipment, while leaving the vast majority of the game's original character models untouched.
Localization and Religious Name Changes
The international version of the game underwent several text modifications to soften explicit religious references present in the original Japanese script. Key localization adjustments include:
- Elysium: Any mention of the word paradise in the Japanese version was altered to Elysium for the overseas release.
- The Divine Architect: The entity originally referred to as the God of Genesis was renamed to The Divine Architect in localized versions.
- The Aegis: The character Pyra holds the title of the Holy Grail of Heaven in the Japanese script, which was changed to The Aegis for international players.
Character Outfits and Design Adjustments
Despite community discussions surrounding the game's diverse character designs, official visual censorship was highly targeted and limited to a single specific outfit.
The Experimental Custom Armor
The primary visual change in the international release involves the experimental custom armor. In the original Japanese version, this outfit is depicted as a revealing bikini. For the overseas release, the design was altered into a bunny suit.
Pyra's Design Theme
Aside from this specific armor change, other prominent character designs remained unaltered. Character designer Tetsuya Saito designed Pyra with a protective theme in mind. He intentionally left parts of her outfit asymmetrical to reflect her deep thematic connection to Mythra.
Contrary to common assumptions, other highly discussed character designs—such as Dahlia, Bridget, or Pyra's default outfit—did not receive official censorship or design alterations in the game's international release.
How to Play the Uncensored Version
If you want to experience the narrative with its original religious terminology and see the original experimental custom armor design, you must play the uncensored Japanese release. Use the following steps to play this version:
Playing the Japanese version allows you to experience the original text and art assets exactly as Monolith Soft originally designed them.