Martha Is Dead is a dark, first-person psychological thriller currently in development by LKA, a studio whose previous works include The Town of Light, another psychological adventure game that was released in 2016 to mixed reviews.
According to a statement shared by publisher Wired Productions, PlayStation gamers will not be getting the best version of Martha Is Dead, as the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game are being censored at the request of Sony.
It’s unclear what portions of Martha Is Dead will no longer be playable in the PlayStation versions, but one possibility is a gruesome sequence in which the player cuts off the face of their dead sister.
What PlayStation is probably blocking. pic.twitter.com/h02TiqJsC3
— Kels (@KelvinA313) February 12, 2022
The PC and Xbox versions of Martha Is Dead are unaffected and will launch with all of the content that LKA had originally envisioned for the game.
A Statement on Martha Is Dead (Wired Productions)
Martha Is Dead is a narrative adventure recommended for adult audiences only, with play consisting of potentially discomforting scenes and themes that may distress some players. Both Wired Productions and LKA have always been open and honest about Martha Is Dead content, with the sensitive depictions in play consistently communicated to the media since the game was announced in 2019. This content is also flagged clearly and repeatedly within the game itself before play begins.
It is with regret that we have had to modify the experience on the PS5 and PS4 versions, with some elements no longer playable. After over four years of passion and hard work, Developer LKA now requires extra time to make these unplanned changes. Martha Is Dead, as a result, will still launch digitally on both PS5 and PS4 on Thursday, February 24th, 2022, but the physical retail release will be delayed to a yet to be disclosed date; although we anticipate this to only be a small number of weeks. Our physical edition will still contain the bonus content of a double-sided poster, digital tarot cards and Martha Is Dead Digital EP. We will update players with the date we ship this edition as soon as we have the information.
The PC and Xbox versions of Martha Is Dead are both unaffected by these developments and will launch with the full unedited gameplay as planned.
We look forward to players experiencing the work of LKA on Thursday February 24th, 2022.