Resident Evil 5 - racist or not?

[Kaladron]

IMO, the many, many sandbox gangsta games flooding the market are far more racist than this game could ever be thought to be simply by their continual perpetuation of negative black male stereotypes.

Of course, the intent of those games is simply to tap into a viable market created in the wake of GTA:SA rather than to perpetuate some sinister agenda, but the negative stereotyping is there all the same...

I think that's a very important distinction to make. There are few developers who can actually be claimed to be racist but that doesn't mean that their games don't perpetuate racist notions or stereotypes. These developers need to start taking more responsibility about the messages they send out.

As an aside, how many games have there been in recent years with truly positive representations of black characters? Sports games don't count, by the way.

[megatron]

Funny no one branded Resi 4 for being racist, cause you only killed white people?

[Champloo]

Funny no one branded Resi 4 for being racist, cause you only killed white people?

Racism to black people has always been more severe and is more likely to casue a stir-up I guess.

I havn't seen anyone on these forums say that their offended by the game or its setting. Some have pointed out that the fact that you are playing as an American shooting blacks (zombies or not) might cause a bit of a stir-up. Its a fair point, whats wrong with that? There's no need to jump at their throats.

I said the same thing in the E3 thread. Personally I like the setting but I can see how it might russle a few feathers. I hope they don't portray African culture unjustly if it is set there, but i'm 99% sure Capcom won't.

[egparadigm]

It's too early to tell.

We have to wait until the game is out and we can see it in it's entirety. Although I can see that a game in which a white man shoots countless black people could be viewed as 'training' future genocidal maniacs in the tabloid press.

I saw a comment in the RE5 thread where someone said that Black Hawk Down was more acceptable/legitimate because it was based on real events. I have to say I disagreed with that. People who were simulated in that game have living relatives.

[megatron]

Racism to black people has always been more severe and is more likely to casue a stir-up I guess.

I know. I thought I'd just get it in before the anti-pc people get on board.

Maybe capcom will stick in a few white doctors to kill, to pre-empt this whole "issue".

[EvilBoris]

I'm not sure how it can be racist just because it has black people in it

[Wools]

"I don't believe it, Incredable!"

[Wools]

I hope they don't portray African culture unjustly if it is set there, but i'm 99% sure Capcom won't.

How can Capcom portray Africian culture seriously? This is not a serious study of the Final Solution and the reasons why such a genocide took place or a look at a trumatised mind during death. It's a game, set in Africa, with Zombies.

Lord forbid if any London'ers played the Getaway! Full of Cockneys, criminals and blood. They would be outraged! Opps, too late...

[egparadigm]

I'm not sure how it can be racist just because it has black people in it

I don't think it would be. But, it could be viewed as stirring up racial hatred.

"Kid spends all day shooting black people." Not strictly true, but worrying for the misinformed.

[Swallow]

The game doesn't ask the player to "feel" anything towards the avatars depicted on screen though, least of all hatred.

[dataDave]

Would this whole thread even exist if the subject wasn't already a concernable issue? Given we have another two years to become even more politically correct I fear the worst for how this game will pan out.

"American GI gunning down masses of crazed, poverty stricken Africans" - they're gonna be all over it.

[Freddo]

Funny no one branded Resi 4 for being racist, cause you only killed white people?

er, didn't people brand it racist cos you only killed mexicans? (well, some indistinct south american people anyway) I'm sure I read that somewhere.

[Ian(not Ian)]

In Resi 4 Leon tells us he's in Europe and the rascals are speaking Spanish.
The first bit I know for sure as I started the Wii version last night. The second bit, prolly, but I don't understand Spanish senor.

[Freddo]

well, shut me up then, haha.

hadn't played it for ages so I couldn't remember many details, that rings a bell now though yeah you were definitly in europe.

[koenshaku]

I can't believe this thread exists.

I'll probably buy a PS3 solely for this game and my sole intention is to get s**t scared while being attacked by sickle wielding crazies from all angles, and I'll happily blow their heads off regardless of colour.

If Capcom come up with the goods, which they usually do, then why don't we just enjoy the game that they have produced?
That's all it's about at the end of the day, and if Resi 7 is set in Japan with zombified ninjas throwing shurikens at your ass then bring it on.

The last thing I'll be thinking about is the colour of my antagonists skin.
For Gods sake it's only a game.