Capcom is no stranger to “M” rated titles, having achieved sustained success with franchises like Devil May Cry and Resident Evil, though the company has avoided controversy in the mainstream media for the most part. Still, the publisher is wary enough of the negative publicity that they made note of it (among other things) in a bulletin for investors uncovered by CVG.
“Some of our popular software titles have provocative graphics and text, such as violent and grotesque scenes,” reads the note. “Accordingly, in the event of violent incidents and other criminal cases involving juveniles, we may be subject to a smear campaign by some sections of the mass media which often point out the correlation between crime and games. Therefore, there is a risk that it may result in having an adverse effect on our business performance, corporate value and narrowed distribution channel under instructions by the relevant authorities.”
If any Capcom title in the next year stirs up a controversy, it is likely to be Dead Rising 2, a game which revels in the violence that can be inflicted on massed individuals... even if those individuals are zombies.
