Though the Fallout 3 censorship controversy eventually turned out to be pretty much a dud, it seems it ain't exactly over. In fact, we should've been focusing on another country this whole time: Japan.

According to QJ's translation for the game's Japanese web page, the game there will be censored, and it won't just be the name of a drug getting altered. No, this time it's a biggie. First though, you should be aware this news comes with SPOILERS! So, what'll be different is the removal of the NPC Mr. Burke from the "Power of the Atom" quest, in turn removing the option for you to detonate a nuclear bomb (still sensitive about Hiroshima, I suppose). Also, there'll be some "adjustments" to the level of gore, and a weapon will be renamed. It's not clear which one yet, though speculation says it'll be the "Fatman" nuke launcher, Fat Man being the nickname of the Nagasaki atomic bomb (another historical bombing site), of which the weapon shares the same model, apparently.

QJ staffer Jon G. writes, "although I can understand the need behind the changes ('cept the gore adjustments. I watch anime and the stuff there's way more violent! And they have tentacles!), the general online reaction from the Japanese gaming community has been against the censorship so far."

Though normally I'd be all frothing at the mouth over the news, I can actually feel for Japan with this one. I mean, for Americans it'd be basically the equivalent of making a game wherein you had the option of blowing up the Twin Towers, or two buildings that looked very much like them, and putting in a plane modelled after the one used in those attacks. However, my other principle says nothing should be censored and if you don't like it, don't play it. Naturally, there's a conflict here among those involved, internally and amongst each other, I imagine. What do you think should happen?

Fallout 3 comes to Japan this December.