Tobacco-free violence

The next edition of the Gears of War video game will feature blood, guts and explosions but no cigarettes, reports PC Gamer .

Canadian video game developer The Coalition says it wants to avoid glamorizing the unhealthy habit.

“I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of smoking,” The Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson said in a statement.

“It’s always been important for me to not use smoking as a narrative device, which is why we made the conscious choice to avoid highlighting or glorifying smoking in Gears 5 and throughout the Gears of War Universe moving forward.”

Video game companies have been criticized for glamorizing smoking by depicting leading characters with cigarettes.