Hit Dystopian Game 'Papers, Please' Lands on iPad Amid Publicity Over Censorship by Apple

MacRumors · Dec 12, 2014

The popular PC "dystopian document thriller" Papers, Please launched on the iPad early this morning, after hitting Mac earlier this year and originally being released on Steam in August of 2013. As noted by our sister site TouchArcade, however, the new iOS version is bringing a bit of controversy with it as one of the game's somewhat adult elements has been removed after facing Apple's family-focused App Store censorship rules.

The game sets players as unlucky border control guards working for the fictional nation of Arstotzka. The entire game revolves around checking the documents of people attempting to immigrate into the country, cross-checking passports, ID cards, and work releases to ensure only those with proper documentation get past.

The focus of Apple's censorship lies in the full-body scanner introduced a few levels into the game that tasks the player with ensuring the person attempting to enter Arstotzka isn't carrying any kind of contraband. The PC, Mac, and Linux versions of the game depicted fully nude (albeit in low resolution given the nature of the game's graphics) versions of characters when put through this scanner, with an option to censor the nudity by including underwear on the characters.

Papers, Please for iPad, however, removes the choice from the equation, automatically covering the characters in underwear when scanned by the player. App Store rules have always skewed toward the more conservative, especially when compared to other content available uncensored through the iTunes Store, but even so, the App Store's rules are on occasion applied unevenly with some games from high-profile developers being approved without censored graphics.

Regardless of the minor censorship issue, the iPad version of Papers, Please appears to be an excellent port of the original game, including all 31 days and 20 possible endings of its desktop counterpart, with optimized touch screen controls enhanced for iPad. It also includes "unlockable multitouch support for faster paperwork, an enhanced inspection mode, Game Center achievements, leaderboards, mid-day resume, and more."

Papers, Please can be downloaded from the App Store for $5.99. [Direct Link]

Update 11:50 AM: Papers, Please developer Lucas Pope says that he was contacted by an Apple representative who reported that the initial rejection was the result of a misunderstanding and invited Pope to resubmit with the nudity option enabled. Pope says he will restore the option (defaulted to no nudity) this weekend and resubmit to Apple.

Article Link: Hit Dystopian Game 'Papers, Please' Lands on iPad Amid Publicity Over Censorship by Apple

3bs · Dec 12, 2014

I'd get this if my iPad mini wasn't a POS. I never got around to finishing the desktop version and I probably would if I had it on the iPad.

ginkobiloba · Dec 12, 2014

You can blow up and slash people into pieces with a hatchet, but showing even a hint of flesh is definite no-no

I'll never be able to understand that......

Anyway, I bought this game before on Steam, it's quite good. I may get it again on iPad.

dejo · Dec 12, 2014

I wonder if Apple requested this change from the developer or if the developer chose to change it themselves in order to be able to give the game a more-accessible content rating.

Deelron · Dec 12, 2014

Glad to see a great game come to iOS, particularly one that lends itself to touch gameplay.

Col4bin · Dec 12, 2014

Apple's conservative censorship beliefs are more than a little lame for adults, but hey, it's their pool we're all swimming in.

topmounter · Dec 12, 2014

The world will be a much friendlier and happier place with the FCC regulating the Internet and premier technology companies like Apple proactively doing their part to block and filter (potentially) controversial content.

Millah · Dec 12, 2014

ginkobiloba said:
You can blow up and slash people into pieces with a hatchet, but showing even a hint of flesh is definite no-no I'll never be able to understand that......

Anyway, I bought this game before on Steam, it's quite good. I may get it again on iPad.

Not even a hint of flesh. Very crude, low resolution pixel artwork DEPICTING flesh. Lol

Either way it's pretty insignificant. But kind of silly when you consider all the other mature content on the App Store/iTunes. Won't stop me from getting and enjoying the hell out of this game on my iPad.

Col4bin · Dec 12, 2014

dejo said:
I wonder if Apple requested this change from the developer or if the developer chose to change it themselves in order to be able to give the game a more-accessible content rating.

Either way, the dev still had to censor the iOS version to get it into the app store.

aaronvan · Dec 12, 2014

Meh, censor away Apple. If they don't like it they can go the BBedit route. Nobody is forced to use the App Store.

Fenez · Dec 12, 2014

topmounter said:
The world will be a much friendlier and happier place with the FCC regulating the Internet and premier technology companies like Apple proactively doing their part to block and filter (potentially) controversial content.

You have to be kidding. The FCC is a joke at the tax payers expense.

lucidhysteria · Dec 12, 2014

ginkobiloba said:
You can blow up and slash people into pieces with a hatchet, but showing even a hint of flesh is definite no-no

While I take your point about violence, and while I don't know or really care anything about the game itself one way or another... to be technically fair, "fully nude" is more than "a hint of flesh." For that matter, I'd say depicting people in their underwear is also more than "a hint of flesh," and that has been allowed to remain in the game, so I don't think in this instance people have a lot of grounds on which to pull out the whole "people get too worked up about skin" bit.

0098386 · Dec 12, 2014

You could show gibs that were once genitals (or any part of the body), dismembered, bloodied, that's fine. The system is genuinely hilarious and ****ed up. < there's another one

aaronvan said:
Meh, censor away Apple. If they don't like it they can go the BBedit route. Nobody is forced to use the App Store.

How else does one get apps onto an iOS device?

teslo · Dec 12, 2014

what a weird looking game.

mainstreetmark · Dec 12, 2014

Why does every game have to be so pixelated these days. Most of us have retina displays now, and many of us lived through the days of pixely games.

Small White Car · Dec 12, 2014

As John Gruber points out, it's bizarre that apps can be rejected for content that is easily found in films in the iTunes store.

I can get behind a ban on actual pornography in apps, but if it's something that's appropriate for R-rated movies then I see no reason why Apple should say they allow that in some parts of iTunes (movies) but not in others (apps).

Make your rules, Apple, but apply the same rules to all of the media you sell.

dec. · Dec 12, 2014

I really enjoyed the game on PC. And these days you'd hope that Apple realize that they are catering to a world wide crowd and not just to prude Americans. Establish a +18 section or whatever in your app store, that way you won't be laughed at internationally due to censorship of some pixelated genitals that aren't even in any sexual context.

Rogifan · Dec 12, 2014

Everyone knows how Apple is with nudity in App Store. Not sure why this is news.

nagromme · Dec 12, 2014

People mis-use the term "censorship" a lot.

And this time it's used correctly!

I don't have a problem with Apple keeping adult content away from non-adults via Settings. I DO have a problem with Apple keeping adult content away from everyone. Sometimes it has a point.

Treat games the same as movies, please.

aaronvan · Dec 12, 2014

Dagless said:
You could show gibs that were once genitals (or any part of the body), dismembered, bloodied, that's fine. The system is genuinely hilarious and ****ed up. < there's another one

How else does one get apps onto an iOS device?

Admittedly, jailbreaking is not a concept for most iPhone users.

2010mini · Dec 12, 2014

Small White Car said:
As John Gruber points out, it's bizarre that apps can be rejected for content that is easily found in films in the iTunes store.

I can get behind a ban on actual pornography in apps, but if it's something that's appropriate for R-rated movies then I see no reason why Apple should say they allow that in some parts of iTunes (movies) but not in others (apps).

Make your rules, Apple, but apply the same rules to all of the media you sell.

Different rating system.

Rogifan · Dec 12, 2014

According to Ars Technica:

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/...to-cover-up-in-ipad-version-of-papers-please/

Update (Dec. 12, 2014): Paper's Please developer Lucas Pope expanded on the tweets mentioned below in an e-mail interview with Ars Technica, saying that releasing the iPad version of Papers, Please in a slightly altered state was a "practical" decision that he doesn't feel is a "serious burden" on the game.

"The original game has a no-nudity option because I know that many people have a strong negative reaction to nudity, pixelated or not," Pope told Ars. "My mom would play with nudity off for example. Above most things, I'm practical. Adding underwear does dampen the intended invasiveness of the search scanner, but it's still uncomfortable enough to make the point."

All seems like a non issue to me. There are plenty of other app store issues that deserve more attention.

mbc2237 · Dec 12, 2014

Small White Car said:
As John Gruber points out, it's bizarre that apps can be rejected for content that is easily found in films in the iTunes store.

I can get behind a ban on actual pornography in apps, but if it's something that's appropriate for R-rated movies then I see no reason why Apple should say they allow that in some parts of iTunes (movies) but not in others (apps).

Make your rules, Apple, but apply the same rules to all of the media you sell.

+onebillion Could you imagine how poorly itunes store would do if every curse was bleeped out and movies cut for prime time ABC Family Television showings?

dejo · Dec 12, 2014

Col4bin said:
Either way, the dev still had to censor the iOS version to get it into the app store.

Not necessarily. There's the possibility that they leave the nudity in but then the game gets rated 17+. We don't know if they tried this and were rejected or just decided to self-censor for wider appeal.

Kaibelf · Dec 12, 2014

dejo said:
I wonder if Apple requested this change from the developer or if the developer chose to change it themselves in order to be able to give the game a more-accessible content rating.

Pretty basic stuff. According to another story I read, Apple rejected the app due to nudity, the dev asked if these changes would gain them approval, Apple said it was likely to get approved, so they made the minor change and it was done.

----------

nagromme said:
People mis-use the term "censorship" a lot.

And this time it's used correctly!

I don't have a problem with Apple keeping adult content away from non-adults via Settings. I DO have a problem with Apple keeping adult content away from everyone. Sometimes it has a point.

Treat games the same as movies, please.

Then you're welcome to open your own company and start a competing app store. Any store is completely within their rights to carry or not carry anything they choose.

Hit Dystopian Game 'Papers, Please' Lands on iPad Amid Publicity Over Censorship by Apple

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