The customizations for the Chinese version of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands are quite confusing at times.
It is already known that the Chinese market has different rules for video games, and adjustments often have to be made in order for the titles to be released. For this reason, some NPC models of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands look quite different in China than they do here. And some of the adjustments are quite curious.
What has been changed in WoW?
The depiction of skulls and skeletons is often problematic. Even if these are not immediately banned per se, many developers prefer to adapt them from the outset so that their game is not banned in China.
This also happened with World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. And since the latest addon is mainly set in the otherworld of the fantasy world, this naturally requires numerous stronger adjustments. After all, it’s not exactly uncommon to come across skeletons in the realm of the dead.
Chinese version of Maldraxxus is pretty weird. Credit to @Yodragon_ from wow
Away with the bones!
User Yodragon_ shared some images of the Chinese version on Wowpedia’s Discord server. Reddit user Grayvves, on the other hand, contrasted them directly with the well-known Western models.
- Globgrog: Globgrog are slimy creatures that appear menacing precisely because of the bone remains that have accumulated in them. In China, the mortal remains simply disappeared without replacement. The result is that in the Far East, you’re basically up against humanoid slimeballs with no features to speak of.
- Stradama: The Margravine also had to leave her bones at home. In return, however, she was given the secondary female sexual characteristics.
- Maldraxxi: The inhabitants of Maldraxxas look much less threatening in the censored version. Any spikes on their bodies have been removed and they are also better fed. On the whole, they look like slightly too pale people with huge hands.
- Lich: The lich in Maldraxxus is particularly curious. It simply no longer has a torso in China. That is the only change. All of his limbs simply float in the air. His chest was simply deleted without replacement. This is also particularly confusing, since Kel Thuzad was never censored in previous versions.
- Ghoul: One ghoul got it just as interesting. His upper body was simply replaced by a completely black mass.
Censorship in China still goes far beyond the depiction of bones and the like. Since 2020, English terms can already lead to a game being banned due to a new regulation.
