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Here’s why Pirate Mario doesn’t get an eye patch in China

Whether it’s skeletons or Taiwan, China’s arcane web of gaming regulations requires companies to make a lot of little changes to their games

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Here’s why Pirate Mario doesn’t get an eye patch in China
Masha Borak
This article originally appeared on ABACUS

One of the most popular games on the Nintendo Switch right now is Super Mario Odyssey. In this game, you play the titular hero as he goes from one adventure to the next while changing hats and costumes. But if you happen to be playing the game in China, you might notice that something seems a bit off.

It’s the little details: Mario’s pirate costume is missing an eye patch and a skull from its hat. And all the text is missing from the map on the game’s loading screen.

Chinese regulators have long held a grudge against skeletons in games. (Picture: Super Mario Odyssey via Chinese Nintendo)
Chinese regulators have long held a grudge against skeletons in games. (Picture: Super Mario Odyssey via Chinese Nintendo)

Super Mario Odyssey isn’t alone. It’s one of many popular games that get odd, small changes to appease China’s strict regulators.

China has been regulating the gaming industry since the 1990s, and over the years it’s grown into a large web of rules and regulations managing everything from depictions of exorcism to “historical inaccuracies,” which are even banned in imaginary war strategy games.

Different regulations have been introduced for a variety of reasons, according to Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst at Niko Partners. Some exist to restrict criticism of China and the government, others are there to protect minors online and reduce violent or obscene content.

This is why shooting an adversary in the Chinese version of PUBG will make characters spill green blood instead of red. Or why the Final Fantasy XV character Shiva, who is barely clothed in most editions of the game, can be found wearing a weird, skin-tight blue outfit in China as if she’s auditioning to play Mystique in the next X-Men film.
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