Square Enix’s Forspoken has been given a Restricted R rating in Taiwan. The game doesn’t have a PEGI or ESRB rating yet but it is out in May.
Forspoken was shown during The Game Awards 2021 where it was confirmed with a release date of May 24, 2022. It is coming to Steam and PC.
Forspoken is being developed by Luminous Productions, who have previously worked on Final Fantasy XV. It uses its propriety engine which was previously used to develop Final Fantasy XV.
The game stars Ella Balinska in the lead role as a young woman who is mysteriously transported to a different world. She gains magical powers and has to fight a variety of beasts and mythical demons.
The Game Ratings Board of Taiwan has given Forspoken an R rating, which should be equivalent to a Mature M from ESRB. The reasons that they have cited for this rating include “Violence, Tobacco and alcohol, Inappropriate language”. For reference, Elden Ring is also rated Restricted R and has a Mature 18+ rating by ESRB.
This is the first major release on PC that is being priced at $69.99, or around the same price as some of the current-generation games on PS5 and Xbox Series. It is leading to some backlash against the price by PC gamers who have yet to pay such a premium price for games on PC. This is not the only game to be sold for this price, as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is also priced at the same tier for PC. While Forspoken will arrive on Steam, FFVII Remake Intergrade is exclusive to the Epic Games Store.