Update: In a statement to Game Informer, Ubisoft said they’re aware of the issue, will update the NPD model in a patch this week, and will work with Sony to allow players to share all Watch Dogs 2 content without getting suspended:
We’re aware that one of the NPC models in Watch Dogs 2 is rendered in a way that is particularly explicit. While Watch Dogs 2 is a mature-rated game, we apologize and will update this NPC model to make it more consistent with other NPC models in the game in a patch to be released this week. We also are working with our first-party partners to ensure that players can continue to play and share all content from the game within the bounds of the first parties’ respective codes of conduct.
Original Story: On NeoGAF, user Goron2000 revealed that their PlayStation Network account was suspended by Sony for posting an image from Watch Dogs 2 featuring full frontal nudity (you can see the image over here on Twitter, but keep in mind that it’s NSFW).
Goron2000 received a copy of Watch Dogs 2 early thanks to a mistake on Amazon Prime Now. On Sunday, Goron2000 accidentally blew up a few women in a back alley with a gas pipe “and then I saw it.” They continued, “Someone at Ubisoft had rendered a full vagina on one (or maybe more) of the females in the game.”
After capturing and sharing the image on Twitter and in one of the Watch Dogs threads on NeoGAF, Goron2000 realized access to the PlayStation Network was removed and their PSN account was suspended. Sony sent this email explaining why:
We’re writing to inform you that your Sony Entertainment Network account has been temporarily suspended.
We’ve made this decision based on your online activity in Live from PlayStation on 14-11-2016.
Content of an adult or sexual nature is against our Code of Conduct.
The suspension will last 1 week and will be lifted on 21-11-2016. You won’t be able to access online multiplayer, PlayStation Store and other network features until the suspension is over.
We take the decision to suspend an account very seriously, and we only do so after one of our moderators has carefully analysed the situation. PlayStation Support therefore cannot overturn this moderation decision.
We ask all our players to act decently, respectfully and with consideration for us and other players while using PlayStation Network. To make sure you understand the behaviour we expect from our community, please review the Code of Conduct here before returning to PlayStation Network. Please be aware that any further breaches of the Code of Conduct may result in a longer suspension or even a permanent ban.
Yours sincerely,
SIEE Moderation
Although the first email said the suspension was for one week, Sony sent Goron2000 a new email saying the suspension is now extended to a full month. Goron2000 said, “I got an email 30 minutes ago telling me that my ban is now 1 month because of a violation today. Bare in mind that I was banned yesterday and have not been able to make any new uploads since the ban and the only thing I’d uploaded in months was the single image this thread is about.”
The reason for Goron2000’s suspension comes from the PlayStation Network’s Terms of Service, which says the following is prohibited:
You may not take any action, or upload, post, stream, or otherwise transmit any content, language, images or sounds in any forum, communication, public profile, or other publicly viewable areas or in the creation of any Online ID that SIENA or its affiliates, in their sole discretion, find offensive, hateful, or vulgar. This includes any content or communication that SIENA or its affiliates deem racially, ethnically, religiously or sexually offensive, libelous, defaming, threatening, bullying or stalking.
As Eurogamer notes, Watch Dogs 2 features lots of nudity and the official PEGI rating states, “The content of this game is suitable for persons aged 18 years and over only. It contains: multiple, motiveless killing, graphic sexual activity showing genitalia, strong language.”
The ESRB rating adds, “The game contains some sexual material: a man selling child pornography over the phone (no sexual acts or nudity depicted); a strip club depicting pole dancers and topless women; brief instances of male and female full-frontal nudity (e.g., a woman in body paint; a man standing with a woman outdoors).”
Eurogamer contacted Ubisoft and Sony about the suspension and Ubisoft said they were aware.
[Source: NeoGAF (1), (2), PlayStation, Eurogamer, ESRB]
