Visceral

Visceral is an adjective derived from Latin viscera, meaning the internal organs. In anatomy, the term denotes the viscera, the organs within the thoracic and abdominal cavities, such as the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, and kidneys. Visceral contrasts with parietal, which refers to structures associated with the body walls.

In medicine, visceral describes processes or sensations tied to internal organs. Visceral pain is pain perceived from internal organs, often diffuse or poorly localized. Visceral fat refers to adipose tissue surrounding abdominal organs. The term is also used in physiology to describe visceral reflexes and visceral circulation.

In culture and criticism, visceral is used to characterize experiences, art, or media that provoke a gut-level, nonrational response rather than deliberate cognitive analysis. A visceral reaction is immediate and intense.

Visceral Games was an American video game developer owned by Electronic Arts. Founded in 1998 as EA Redwood Shores and renamed Visceral Games in 2009, the studio was based in Redwood Shores, California. It developed the Dead Space series and Dante’s Inferno, among other titles. In 2017, Electronic Arts announced the closure of Visceral Games, with staff reassigned to other studios.