Censorship continues to plague the gaming world, with gacha games standing out as frequent casualties in the battle to appease hypersensitive Western audiences and ideological pressures.
The latest example? Zenless Zone Zero by miHoYo, a developer notorious for its history of bowing to censorious demands, whether from a vocal minority in the West or their communist benefactors in China.
HoYoverse recently rolled out the much-anticipated 1.4 update for Zenless Zone Zero, adding new characters, gameplay features, and quality-of-life improvements.
However, the excitement is tainted by the studio’s ongoing trend of self-censorship. What could have been a moment to celebrate innovation and content has instead become a glaring reminder of how gacha games like Zenless Zone Zero and Genshin Impact have alienated their core fans through compromises that cater to minority outrage rather than majority enjoyment.
Since its closed beta, Zenless Zone Zero has been subjected to heavy-handed alterations. Players immediately noticed changes to character designs, such as the reduction of fan-favorite Nicole’s bust size, along with tamer animations during menu interactions.
But it didn’t stop there, cutscenes were sanitized to remove gruesome or gory details, stripping them of their original impact. The latest affront is the removal of the ability to angle the in-game camera to view character backsides, a feature beloved for its freedom and interaction, now rendered moot as characters fade or vanish from the view.
This pattern mirrors HoYoverse’s actions with Genshin Impact, where controversial design alterations and toned-down body proportions have been a recurring theme. Such changes might appease a niche group demanding “inclusivity” by featuring more bishounen characters or downplaying fanservice, but they also foster an environment where self-proclaimed watchdogs push for censorship of heterosexual content, stifling artistic freedom and alienating loyal players.
What’s the endgame for developers like miHoYo? Pandering to unhinged demands risks eroding trust with their most ardent fans, those who supported their titles from the beginning and give them the most amount of revenue. If studios continue this trajectory of watering down content to avoid “offending” anyone, they may soon find themselves bereft of the very audience that made their success possible.
Censorship is not progress; it’s a capitulation that weakens creativity and undermines gaming culture as a whole.
Zenless Zone Zero’s Version 1.4 update, titled “A Storm of Falling Stars,” delivers a host of new content and gameplay refinements. Notable additions include two S-Rank Agents: Hoshimi Miyabi (Anomaly – Frost) and Asaba Harumasa (Attack – Electric). The main story advances with Chapter 5, “A Storm of Falling Stars,” while new locations like Port Elpis and Reverb Arena open up for exploration.
A new “Quality Time” feature lets players engage in activities with Agents to build trust and unlock rewards, adding a layer of interaction. Gameplay improvements include a revamped Decibels system, giving each Agent an individual gauge to facilitate more frequent Ultimate activations.
Yet, the update hasn’t been without controversy. In the patch notes, miHoYo highlights changes to how characters are displayed at certain angles. While some players initially hoped this would address camera clipping issues during battles, the reality is far less appealing.
Instead, the update ensures Agents fade out when viewed from specific angles, most notably when attempting to get a close-up view of a character’s backside. What could have been a showcase of exciting new features is once again marred by decisions catering to a restrictive mindset, leaving many fans questioning the studio’s priorities.
Previously, players could freely rotate and position the camera to appreciate the intricate details of character models in Zenless Zone Zero. Now, any attempt to do so results in characters disappearing entirely, a transparent move to placate those offended by even the faintest hint of fanservice. This change aligns with HoYoverse’s broader trend of censoring its games to conform to puritanical standards seen in their other titles.
This isn’t miHoYo’s first brush with self-censorship. In Genshin Impact, one of the company’s most prominent games, similar controversies arose. Characters like Rosaria saw their designs altered post-release, with her bust size notably reduced to tone down her “provocativeness” alongside fading visibility when attempting to view characters up close and personal.
These changes left many feeling betrayed, as the game’s artistic integrity was seemingly sacrificed to appease a puritanical audience. This is the same crowd that previously attempted, and failed to organize a boycott over alleged cultural appropriation in the implementation of the Natlan region. Social media campaigns erupted, with individuals accusing the Chinese developers of blatant racism and disregard for what they perceived as African culture.
These critics went so far as to modify in-game artwork to “blackwash” characters, claiming they were “giving them the melanin they deserve.” Ironically, these same individuals often continued playing the game, exposing the hollowness of their outrage.
Similarly, Zenless Zone Zero has not escaped this growing trend. The inclusion of bishounen (beautiful) male characters, designed to appeal to women and homosexual players follows the same strategy seen in many gacha games aiming to broaden their audience.
However, this push for inclusivity frequently comes at a steep cost: a fanbase increasingly dominated by individuals who demand censorship of fanservice while openly expressing disdain for heterosexual players, fanservice and especially loli characters.
These same individuals often label any dissent as “problematic,” fostering an environment where developers feel compelled to sanitize their games to avoid backlash. This toxic cycle has led to increasingly censored content and a stifling of creative freedom.
miHoYo’s decision to restrict camera angles in Zenless Zone Zero exemplifies this trend. Instead of standing their ground and respecting the diversity of their audience, they’ve chosen to appease a small subset of players who are perpetually dissatisfied. History has repeatedly shown that this vocal minority will always find new aspects to criticize, driving developers further down the slippery slope of censorship.
This approach doesn’t just alienate fans, it undermines the trust between developers and their audience. Gamers turn to these titles for creativity, escapism, and freedom of expression, yet censorship sends a clear message: the preferences of a marginal, often uninvested audience take precedence.
If miHoYo insists on prioritizing this demographic, largely composed of women and homosexuals over the core player base that consistently invests the most money into their games, they risk alienating their most loyal patrons.
The decline in Genshin Impact‘s revenue between late 2022 and 2023 is a stark warning. A significant portion of this downturn can be attributed to character banners overwhelmingly featuring male characters, a departure from the game’s earlier female-focused roster. Ignoring the preferences of the paying audience to chase a wider range of players is a surefire way to erode player engagement and long-term success.
Facing public backlash, miHoYo appeared to backpedal on their censorship efforts, releasing a hotfix update that claimed to address the controversy. The patch notes stated it “fixes an issue in Version 1.4 where the fading effect of the ‘Agent appears faded when viewed from specific angles’ adjustment did not display correctly under certain circumstances.”
At first glance, this seemed like a positive step forward, offering “genuine improvements” over the heavily criticized 1.4 update.
However, this so-called “fix” does little to restore the original visibility of characters. Instead, it implements a fade effect when characters are viewed up close, making them appear semi-transparent rather than fully visible. This compromise feels half-baked and insincere, further highlighting miHoYo’s unwillingness to address player concerns meaningfully but rather are lying about rectifying the problem.
What this debacle does reveal, however, is that the censorship in Zenless Zone Zero wasn’t likely orchestrated by miHoYo’s CCP overlords, as some may have speculated regarding their other titles. Instead, it appears to be a calculated move to yield to public outcry from a vocal subset of players. While this distinction may shift the blame, it doesn’t absolve miHoYo of responsibility for alienating their core fanbase with unnecessary and restrictive changes.
Ultimately, this so-called “fix” is nothing more than a weak attempt to gaslight the majority of miHoYo’s paying audience into believing Zenless Zone Zero isn’t censored. The reality is clear: censorship, veiled as inclusivity, doesn’t create a welcoming or diverse environment. Instead, it alienates fans who cherished the creative freedom, bold character designs, and unfiltered artistic vision that originally defined these games.
The irony runs deep. While games like Zenless Zone Zero aim to champion diversity by featuring a wide roster of characters both male and female in the hopes of netting a wider demographic, their actions suggest the opposite. They actively erase elements that celebrate individuality, artistic expression, and even harmless fun.
As miHoYo once again finds itself mired in controversy over censorship, players are left wondering why the studio continues to alienate its audience when countless other gacha alternatives embrace fanservice unapologetically, free from the suffocating constraints of political correctness.
On the bright side, dedicated players will likely turn to game modifications to undo these changes and even dress their favorite characters in alternative costumes. However, this comes with the significant risk of being banned by miHoYo for altering their online-only live-service gacha game, a game that would undoubtedly face termination if not for the massive revenue it generates monthly.
HoYoverse risks not only losing the trust of its core fans but also being left behind in a competitive industry where authenticity and respect for player choice matter more than ever. Fans deserve better and if miHoYo continues down this path, they’ll find themselves watching as gamers take their passion and wallets elsewhere by dropping this game.
