Editor's Note: Minority Report

This week's issue of The Escapist tackles the touchy and sometimes troubling issue of racial sensitivity in videogames.

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It saddens me to say that this has been my least favorite issue released, though not on any fault of the writers or editors.

To me, racism is a very difficult lense to adjust for, if for no other reason than because it is an entirely subjective lense that is completely shaped by the wielder. As such, racism is a touchy subject because it's so personal for many people, yet so distant and almost unimportant to many others.

What it is not, however, is universal. While reading, I felt so little connection to the goings-on that it seemed like while this issue had a lot of intelligent things to say, and said them well, I felt so disconnected from the concepts introduced that it may as well have been written in Latin or inscribed in runes.

The reasoning for this is because groups can see Speedy Gonzales so many different ways regardless of how it was the same character we had all watched. Because of our unique lense, we each have a different interpretation to the stimuli in our daily lives. It's amazing how any a shift in focus can turn what some people find to be simple entertainment to social and sociological commentary. How the same stimulus could prove to be revolutionarily positive, or soul-crushingly negative, is entirely dependent on that lense.

Though I admit that it is not to my tastes, I wanted to praise the editors looking beyond each lense's focus directly, and allowing an issue that could show not only that each lense varies, but what makes the lense so impacting to begin with. It's a difficult topic to carry with tact, but is executed with ease here. Excellent work.

It's sad that some of the response threads have already elicited the typical kneejerk internet gamer responses (i.e. it's just a game, there are more important things so let's dismiss it, it doesn't need to reflect reality, these people are looking for something to complain about/why don't you just make some games for yourselves?) showing a general lack of understanding of racial issues not just in the media and games industry, but of the world in general. If only everyone could read Pat Miller's Suggestions For Talking About Race and Video Games (part 1, part 2) before posting onto a forum...

I commend the Escapist for making the effort to discuss these topics intelligently when very few outlets have, and I thought most of this week's articles were very interesting.

Making black people in games wear low rider jeans with guns shoved in the improperly used belt ATTRACT black people into buying the game, its a part of the audience that WANTS to see that in games.

I'm NOT saying keep the stereo types I'm saying the stereotypes don't necessarily offend the people being portrayed in such a form. Maybe its more the people who are afraid of offending others that are escalating the situation.

When you listen in on a conversation you hear this all the time
-some African Americans ... this white person-
They say white instead of Caucasian, is that not discrimination? some people are so on-edge about offending black people (OR ANY RACE) that they will use African American then proceed to cut the white people short by referring to them as white. Balance swings both ways

I think becoming to politically correct will sterilize our diverse culture. when we should be embracing differences,not covering them up.
If you celebrate Christmas good
If you celebrate Kwanzaa good
Don't hide differences bring them out so people can look at them. Be proud of who you are and where you come from.

what if the white square jawed superman soilder isn't a sterotype or stock character then I don't know what is.
Underrepresentation is a poor exsample of racism a game without a black character is not going around calling black people dirty and horrible.

Great issue. Thank you for getting people talking about this.