Tactical shooter Ready or Not has come under fire from its player base following a series of content changes implemented by developer VOID Interactive to comply with console platform standards. The backlash has been swift and severe, with the game’s recent Steam reviews dropping into the Mostly Negative category as fans accuse the studio of censorship and compromising its vision.
The controversy stems from specific adjustments to certain violent and sexual themes in the game, which VOID claims were necessary to meet age ratings and legal standards for a future console release.
What Changed in Ready or Not?
According to VOID Interactive’s official statement posted on Steam, the changes to the PC version were limited to six specific areas. The developer emphasized that it was not a sweeping overhaul but targeted modifications to satisfy external platform requirements.
Among the changes:
- Hostages who were previously fully nude now wear underwear.
- Enemies can no longer be dismembered after death, although dismemberment while alive remains possible.
- A level featuring a child convulsing in bed has been altered to depict the child sleeping instead.
- A tortured police informant hostage now wears underwear.
- A ghillie-suited suspect is now also clothed beneath the suit.
- An evidence item previously labeled “prohibited images of minors,” which depicted people, has been renamed “photographic evidence” and stripped of human imagery.
VOID stressed that some of the game’s more controversial missions—such as Elephant, Neon Tomb, and the infamous Valley of the Dolls—remain unchanged.
VOID Interactive Defends Its Position
In its statement, VOID sought to reassure players of its commitment to creative freedom and realism, while acknowledging the constraints imposed by operating 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,” the studio wrote. “That’s a reality of the world we publish in—not a change in our creative vision or values.”
VOID also called out what it described as “misconceptions and misinformation” circulating among the community, sharing before-and-after screenshots to illustrate exactly what had changed.
Fans Remain Unconvinced
Despite the developer’s explanation, the statement has done little to calm the storm. Since the post went live, Ready or Not has been hit with over a thousand new negative reviews, and the Steam comments thread responding to the announcement has ballooned to over 100 pages of criticism.
One player summed up the prevailing sentiment: “So you’re saying you’re hearing us but refusing to listen.”
At present, VOID appears determined to stand by its decisions in the interest of securing a broader release, but the studio will likely have to contend with continued dissatisfaction from a vocal segment of its fanbase.
