Japan Gives Thumbs Up to Left 4 Dead Box Art

Kris Erickson • Dec 24, 2008 • Comments (0)

What’s up Japan? First you tell us that you love violent, over-the-top yakuza thrillers like Ichi the Killer. Then you hit us with gratuitous boob simulator Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball. Don’t even get us started on the depravity of your adult video industry. But somehow, you want us to believe that the latest zombie-killing video game sensation from Electronic Arts, Left 4 Dead is just too much for you to stomach? Something is not right here Japan, and we demand answers.

In a bewildering move, the hypocritical media censures in Japan have agreed to allow Left 4 Dead to go on sale in that country as long as Microsoft changes the box art for the game. It seems that the current American package, which features an awesome hand (sans thumb) grasping in vain as the owner is presumably eaten alive by zombies – is just a little bit too gory. The Japanese version of the game on Xbox 360 will be the same as the sissy German version, which includes the thumb. The Japanese PC release will feature a cheeky “best of E3” sticker that covers up the presumably missing appendage.