Azur Lane removes several skins due to Google Play Store policies
Azur Lane, the popular mobile game known for its collection of attractive "waifu" characters, has announced the removal of several in-game costumes due to unavoidable issues related to Google Play Store policies.

Recently, Azur Lane shocked its player base with the announcement that it would be removing certain character skins from the game due to unforeseen circumstances concerning Google Play Store regulations. Specifically, five alluring costumes for female characters will be removed from the in-game store:
- Shinano – Visions of Fantasy (L2D)
- Napoli – Dreamy Night (L2D)
- Hindenburg – Delirious Duel (L2D)
- Chitose – Summer Shine
- Atago – Summer March (L2D)
【Notice】
— Azur Lane Official (@AzurLane_EN) January 3, 2025
Dear Commander,
HQ regrets to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances related to the Google Play Store policy, we will be ending the sale of certain outfits.
The following outfits will be removed from sale in the outfit shop on all servers after January 4,… pic.twitter.com/NbYZRHPEVJ
However, players who have already purchased these outfits will still be able to use them as normal. Many believe that the removal of these costumes is a result of Google Play Store's increased scrutiny of applications containing potentially sensitive content. The affected costumes are all characterized by revealing designs, such as swimsuits and bunny girl outfits. Notably, the Atago (Summer March) costume has been available in Azur Lane for a considerable time, with Google only recently taking action.
Azur Lane is a gacha mobile game known for its relatively forgiving free-to-play model. Players can enjoy the game without needing to spend excessive amounts of money.
Google Play Store's stricter content moderation could create challenges for game developers, especially those creating games with "sensitive" content. Some games, such as Blue Archive, have resorted to releasing separate versions to circumvent these regulations. However, it remains unclear how Azur Lane will address this issue in the long term.
Azur Lane's decision to remove these costumes highlights the growing influence of the Google Play Store on the content of applications on its platform. This has caused concern among players regarding the future of Azur Lane and other games with similar content. Will developers be forced to sacrifice artistic expression and creativity to comply with these regulations? Or will alternative solutions be found to both meet Google's requirements and maintain the appeal of these games?