An unexpected controversy has erupted in the gaming industry after video game news outlet Automaton Media experienced a significant drop in ad revenue due to Google's policies regarding Japanese developer qureate's Bunny Garden series. Released exclusively for Nintendo Switch and PC platforms in April 2024, Bunny Garden follows Haito Kanda, a recently unemployed man who stumbles into an unusual host club where staff members wear bunny costumes. The game gained substantial popularity, particularly among VTubers, leading to plans for franchise expansion with Hebereke Bunny Garden and a sequel. However, Automaton Media faced financial repercussions when Google AdSense flagged their coverage of the game as "adult content," halting ad revenue despite the game's relatively mild 'T for Teen' rating by ESRB.
In this digital age, the Bunny Garden series quickly captured the attention of gamers worldwide through its unique premise. Players assume the role of Haito Kanda, whose life takes an unexpected turn after being dismissed from his job due to a grave error. One fateful night, while drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he encounters a mysterious woman who invites him to join her for drinks at an unconventional venue. Instead of a typical bar, she leads him to the Bunny Garden, a host club renowned for its bunny-themed uniforms. Here, Haito befriends three charismatic hostesses—Kana, Rin, and Miuka—who soon take a liking to him. As players progress through the game, they engage in drinking sessions, charm these characters, and form deeper connections beyond the conventional customer-server dynamic.
Bunny Garden’s success can be attributed not only to its engaging narrative but also to its appeal among VTubers. This popularity prompted the development of Hebereke Bunny Garden, a staggered action game where players control a tipsy Kana navigating various locations. Despite its risqué elements, the original game retained its 'T for Teen' rating, indicating that it did not cross the threshold of explicit content according to North American standards. Yet, Google's stringent policies proved problematic for Automaton Media when their use of official screenshots triggered violations. Ayuo Kawase, editor-in-chief of Automaton Japan, explained the situation: embedding Google AdSense ads within articles generates revenue based on impressions and clicks. However, if content violates Google's guidelines, ad revenue ceases. In this case, the Bunny Garden article seemingly breached those rules, resulting in restricted ads.
The offending image, showing Kana holding a bottle of sake, was deemed too provocative by Google AdSense, even though the accompanying text merely provided an overview of the game. Kawase speculated that this incident might stem from Google pre-flagging qureate titles or an accumulation of AI-based judgments targeting any coverage of such games. The widespread sharing of the article on X (formerly Twitter) likely intensified Google's reaction, causing multiple policy violations. Despite these challenges, Kawase emphasized that responsibility rested solely with Automaton Media and not qureate, highlighting Google's thorough content checks before running ads.
This situation underscores the disparity between Western censorship standards and Japanese media content. While Automaton Media's revenue hit may not be catastrophic, it serves as a stark reminder of how Western censors often react harshly to Japanese media without fully understanding its context. Such incidents prompt creators to navigate complex waters, balancing artistic expression with compliance to avoid similar repercussions in the future.