Ready or Not dev makes statement on controversial changes, as Steam reviews sink

Ready or Not developer Void Interactive says that the changes made to its realistic FPS game in order to secure its release on consoles have sparked "misconceptions and misinformation," and that it wants to clarify to the SWAT shooter's community the precise nature of the new alterations. Previously, Void Interactive published a statement confirming that certain visual elements of Ready or Not would be modified and censored in order to align with the certification policies set by first-party console partners, and that, in order to avoid technical issues, these changes would also be made to the game's existing PC version. In response, Ready or Not has been review bombed on Steam. Now, Void says that it believes in "creative freedom" and the "right to build experiences that push boundaries."

In preparation for its console release on Tuesday July 15, various instances of graphic violence and nudity are being altered in Ready or Not. One mission, for example, charges players with locating a police informant who has been tortured. In the original edition of the FPS game, this character is naked and large quantities of his blood are pooled on the floor around him. In the new version, the character is wearing a pair of underpants and some of the blood pools have been removed.

Another level involves collecting evidence from a suspect's bedside drawer. When highlighting this evidence in the original version, an in-game pop-up describes it as containing "prohibited images of minors." Now, that description is changed to a more generic "photographic evidence."

While these alterations have been made to meet the certification requirements for consoles, Void Interactive has already confirmed that they will be reflected in Ready or Not's PC version, too, in order to facilitate crossplay and limit the possibility of bugs in future updates.

Since the changes were first announced, approximately 4,700 negative user reviews for Ready or Not have been posted to the game's Steam page - while its aggregated, lifetime rating is still 'very positive,' its recent rating, which is calculated exclusively from responses posted in the past 30 days, is now 'mostly negative'. Void Interactive shares a new statement, outlining the changes and the studio's own ethics in more detail.

"We recently shared that Ready or Not's PC version underwent minor content changes to support stability and align with policies enforced by global platforms and age rating bodies," Void says. "These adjustments were made to ensure a smooth global launch across platforms, while fully preserving the game's tone, themes, and intensity. Unfortunately, we've seen misconceptions and misinformation circulating around the scope of these changes."

Void shares a series of comparison images which clarify precisely which aspects of Ready or Not have been altered. The studio says that "the effects of gore and violence, key to the game's immersive realism, have not been toned down," and that some of Ready or Not's missions, including 'Elephant,' 'Neon Tomb,' and 'Valley of the Dolls,' have not been altered at all.

"Void Interactive has always believed in creative freedom and the right to build experiences that push boundaries in the service of immersion and realism," the studio continues. "That will not change. At the same time, we operate in a global ecosystem of platform standards, age rating boards, and local legal restrictions. While we may disagree with how some content is treated, we've only made changes where absolutely required, and only to the letter of the regulations, no further.

"As a hyper-realistic tactical FPS, Ready or Not faces different scrutiny than more stylized or fictional games. That's a reality of the world we publish in, not a change in our creative vision or values."

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