Square Enix recently released an update for Final Fantasy VII Remake that censored Tifa Lockhart’s cowgirl outfit by adding an undershirt to cover her cleavage.
This change sparked controversy in the modding community when a mod was released to undo the censorship, only to then be removed by Nexus Mods. The incident has brought several issues around censorship, sexualization of fictional characters, and age of consent to the forefront.
Background on the Final Fantasy VII Remake Censorship
Final Fantasy VII Remake was originally released in 2020 with a scene depicting Tifa Lockhart at 15 years old wearing a revealing cowgirl outfit. Last week, Square Enix patched the game to add an undershirt that covers up her cleavage.
The change was speculated to be an effort to preempt potential backlash from critics in Western regions concerned about the sexualization of teenage characters. However, many fans saw it as unnecessary censorship applied retroactively to a 4 year old game.
Mod Briefly Restores Original Outfit Before Removal
A modder known as ‘Tifabro’ quickly released a mod on Nexus Mods that restored Tifa’s original outfit by replacing the changed video file. But within a day, the mod was removed by Nexus Mods staff.
According to Tifabro, Nexus Mods justified the removal by stating “We do not wish to host a mod that portrays an underage character in a way that the original designers deemed was no longer appropriate.”
The mod has since been shared unofficially on sites like Twitter and Discord. At one point, another modder re-uploaded a similar uncensoring mod to Nexus Mods, but that was also eventually removed.
Key Issues and Debate Sparked by the Controversy
The drama around this Final Fantasy VII Remake mod highlights several major issues regarding censorship, sexualization of fictional characters, and platforms’ policies.
Censorship Concerns
Some fans argue that changing a 4 year old game due to current societal standards sets a bad precedent for retroactive censorship. They see the cowgirl outfit as artistically integral to the original vision.
However, others contend that protecting minors should take priority, even in fictional works. They view the change as updating outdated content, not true censorship.
Ultimately, this incident reflects the subjective debate around what constitutes appropriate sexualization and censorship.
Fictional Age and Sexualization
The core justification from Nexus Mods for removing the mod centered on Tifa’s age being 15 in the scene. Even if fictional, there are ethical concerns around depicts minors in sexually suggestive ways.
But others argue that fictional characters don’t have an actual age, so those ethical concerns may not apply. Some also point out that age of consent varies by country, complicating any global policy.
This complex issue does not have universally agreed upon answers, even just considering fictional media.
Platform Policies Around Controversial Content
As a private platform, Nexus Mods has the right to dictate terms of use around content they deem inappropriate or offensive. However, some feel their policy was inconsistently applied in this case.
Questions around platform regulation of speech, especially creative works, has been ongoing for many sites from social media to gaming mods. Drawing the line between free speech and ethics is a subjective balancing act.
Potential Implications Going Forward
The reaction from fans and modders makes it clear that retroactive changes risk generating backlash, especially with legacy titles like Final Fantasy VII. Developers may wish to weigh that pushback when altering established creative works.
However, as societal standards change over time, older games with themes or outfits viewed as inappropriate today may continue facing scrutiny or alterations. Especially with re-releases or remakes, companies have to decide how to adapt aging content for modern sensibilities.
Finally, mod platforms are still developing their policies around protecting minors and regulating controversial mods. This decision from Nexus Mods underscores the debate around fictional media as well as what constitutes inappropriate sexualization.
The answers are far from clear cut, but incidents like this Final Fantasy VII Remake mod removal will likely encourage further discussion and policy evolution around these complex issues. Both game developers and mod platforms face challenging decisions balancing creative freedom, ethical lines, and community reactions when evaluating this kind of content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Square Enix change Tifa’s outfit?
Square Enix likely changed Tifa’s cowgirl outfit to be more modest in order to preempt potential criticism from Western media and fans concerned about the sexualization of an underaged fictional character.
What was the mod restoring her original outfit?
The mod simply replaced the updated video file with the original one from 2020 to undo Square Enix’s visual change of adding an undershirt.
Why did Nexus Mods remove the mod?
Nexus Mods said they removed it because they did not want to host content depicting an underage fictional character in a way the original developer deemed inappropriate.
Isn’t Tifa a fictional character though?
Yes, Tifa Lockhart is fictional. But there are still ethical debates around sexualizing minors visually, even fictional ones. However, views differ on whether ethics apply the same way.
Why has this change and mod caused so much debate?
It comes down to differing views on censorship, sexualization of fictional minors, retroactive changes to established media, and platform content policies. All of these issues spark subjective disagreements in this case.
Could this alter approaches to sexual themes in games?
Possibly, yes. Seeing the strong reactions here may encourage game developers to evaluate carefully how they depict potentially controversial themes to avoid similar backlash.
