GameSpot Editor Jessica Cogswell took to social media to decry Mark Kern’s petition and plan to uncensor Stellar Blade as “the most unhinged behavior I’ve seen in quite some time.”
Eve in Stellar Blade (2024), Shift Up
Former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern laid out his 8-step plan and petition to uncensor Stellar Blade after the game’s publisher Sony and developer Shift Up Corporation reneged on their promise to deliver the game uncensored.
The official Stellar Blade account made that promise on April 21st writing on X, “Stellar Blade offers the same uncensored version in all countries, including the Japanese version.”
「Stellar Blade」 offers the same uncensored version in all countries, including the Japanese version.
ステラブレードは、日本版を含むすべての国で検閲されていない同じバージョンを提供しています。#StellarBlade #PS5 #Uncensored pic.twitter.com/dJojSgZH9y— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) April 21, 2024
The game has since censored various outfits for the game’s main character Eve as well as some of the gore. Rodrigo Ybanez shared screenshots of how one outfit, the Holiday Bunny, was censored.
Rodrigo Ybañez on X
MangaLaywer also shared a before and after screenshot regarding the game’s reduction in gore. The game reduced the amount of blood spatter after Eve kills a demonic creature.
MangaLawyer on X
Given these changes Kern launched an 8-step plan to uncensor the game as well as a petition. The petition, which has currently garnered over 5,200 signatures, states, “Stellar Blade is a phenomenal new game that just launched on Playstation 5 worldwide. But it has a problem. The content has been censored from the original trailer version posted by Sony. We, as gamers, want this content back. We relied on it, we made the game the #1 pre-order worldwide because of it, and this is the true game we want.”
“Stellar Blade is more than a game, it has become a cultural beacon for freedom of expression in a time where Game Publishers like Sony are censoring games more than ever. Stellar Blade was a breath of fresh air and gamer[s] rallied behind it because it meant things were changing, getting better, and the voice of creative freedom was ringing loud and clear. But for reasons unknown, the game was censored, changes were made. What we received after our good faith purchase was not the same as advertised,” Kern’s petition continues.
It then concludes, “We believe in the game, we believe in Shift Up, and we are asking to get the game we believed in. Revert the censorship changes, patch the game, and you will find that even more gamers will join you and support you!”
Petition to uncensor Stellar Blade created by Mark Kern
Cogswell reacted to this writing on X, “This is the most unhinged behavior I’ve seen in quite some time, and I have a two year old.”
Jessica Cogswell on X
Cogswell is no stranger in attacking gamers despite writing for an outlet that attempts to cater to them. Back in March she wrote, “Man, idk how all these incel gamer dudes are expecting games to have hot characters and characters representative of them at the same time.”
She added, “Lmao at these replies. Get a life, weirdos.”
Cogswell concluded the thread writing, “‘When did we ever say we wanted representation?!?!’ Every other fucking time your collective tweets it’s about how “woke” characters and women are in every role and you miss cis het white men being ‘allowed’ in things.”
Jessica Cogswell on X
In March 2023, Cogswell declared she would stop using the term JRPG and declared that white people should not comment on the subject.
She wrote, “I’ve used the term JRPG for years and honestly? Hana is completely right and I’m going to stop. It is a category that doesn’t need to exist. Games should be separated by content, not the race of the people creating them. I think this is one of those things we need to do away with.”
Next, Cogswell added, “Even if you don’t mean it in a negative way, think about how it comes across for a few minutes and I think you’ll realize it feels a bit ick. Sure, we can talk about the differences between Western RPGs and Eastern RPGs, but Western should not be the default for the term RPG.”
She concluded her thread with telling white people not to comment on the use of the term, “Also I think if you’re white, please consider thinking before tweeting, ‘actually I don’t know that it’s racist because…’ Then promptly delete that tweet and listen to the opinions of the people you’re putting in a box.”
Jessica Cogswell on X
READ: Sony Replaces The Word “Hard” With “Crime” In ‘Stellar Blade’ After Being Accused Of Racism
Not only has she shared animus towards gamers, but she’s also made disparaging comments towards white people. In August 2021, she wrote, “Hey uh, quick reminder to White people as a White person: we definitely don’t need to weigh in and give our takes on something that is pretty definitively NOT in our lane. Let’s listen to what our Black peers are saying and respect their ideas and opinions on the subject please.”
Jessica Cogswell on X
She specifically took issue with the race and sex of individuals that worked at Typhoon Studios, the developers behind Journey to the Savage Planet. She posted, “idk, I pretty much expected the team behind Journey to the f***ing Savage Planet to look like a white boy frat house.”
Jessica Cogswell on X
In May 2021, she posted, “I know there’s a lot going on today. If you’re white, we need to sit back and listen. We do not get to weigh in on Black experiences and colorism. A lot of folks are processing, learning, and having conversations. You do not need to center yourself right now. Listen.”
“Also be cognizant of the fact that white people literally create an industry and community that is super toxic and competitive and causes increased tension in marginalized groups. Know our role in this, have some grace, and sit down,” Cogswell stated.
Jessica Cogswell on X
In January 2021, she posted, “White people, please do not just be f***ing tweeting today. We need to own up, look around, and see what we can do to help. This is more traumatic for literally every single person around us than it is for us.”
“And stop sharing and quote retweeting stuff from hateful people or violent images. Your friends know. They don’t need to have it f***ing blasted in their face through every tweet they see,” she concluded.
Jessica Cogswell on X
What do you make of Cogswell’s comments?
Jessica Coswell is a fascist pig.
TL;DR, she is aggressively racist.
She should be fired for her comments. Disgusting woke feminazi: Intollerant, aggressive, sexist & racist.
Men, particularly american, wake up.. enough of being called names for having men oriented hobbies…for not wanting those hobbies to be feminized & woked… enough of being shamed for liking real women…realize that this happens only towards men.. none is complaining for Barbies being women oriented.
Stop mysandry and white racism !! Boycott & react, start your own activism. Send Gamespot to hell