Masachika Kawata, producer of Resident Evil 5, has denied that Capcom has made any changes to the game, following the controversy that the trailer caused.
The trailer for Resident Evil 5 sparked a flurry of dissent amongst gaming journalists about the racist and outdated depictions of black Africans, a claim perhaps summed up best by N'Gai Croal, an African-American himself, when he spoke to MTV Multiplayer in April last year.
In an interview Eurogamer, Kawata expressed surprise at the reaction and went on to say "I don't recall modifying the game in any way following the controversy of racism." Kawata was confident however, that Sheva, Chris Redfield's half-African sidekick, will be enough to assuage fears that the game is racist. Unfortunately, Kawata's confidence may be a little misplaced, as furthercriticism has sprung up following a preview version of the game that contained the first three chapters.
Most gamers seem to be unwilling to engage in the debate about Resident Evil 5, and many will take Kawata's comments as definitive proof that the game does not discriminate against black Africans, even unintentionally.
He would have to be a moron to be surprised at the reaction (especially in America) and I do not think he is. They are definitely going for controversy based publicity here. His being surprised is as believeable as Illusion being surprised that Rapelay cause a firestorm had they been stupid enough to actually try and release the game in the west. Would this guy wear a hitler outfit on a trip to Israel? He's not stupid and he is not surprised.
RetiarySword: But resident evil 5 isn't racist! So why should the guy change a perfectly good game?
It's not racist by definition no, yes people who call it racist do not understand what the word really means; however none of that changes the fact that some will find this game offensive because of the imagery involved.
Being an Spainsh American I can only wonder why people care, in Resident Evil 1-3 they killed hordes of White People. In RE4 you were a white guy and kill Spanish Citizens, and we didn't really care that much. But when, they go to Africa and kill Africans they've suddenly gone over the line.
If you even barly hung onto the story while you could you would understand that the survivors of Racoon City are fixing to make sure nothing like that ever happens again (or to destroy Umbrella). And seeing as all evidence points to that Humans originated in Africa, it is only common sense that the virus might have originated there too.
Why do you care? It's just a video game, Capcom didn't ask you to like it.
RetiarySword: But resident evil 5 isn't racist! So why should the guy change a perfectly good game?
It's not racist by definition no, yes people who call it racist do not understand what the word really means; however none of that changes the fact that some will find this game offensive because of the imagery involved.
Well if they can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Resident evil 1-4 had many people killed and no one said anything about that, even RE4 where they wern't really infected and hispanic.
Silverwings1123: Being an Spainsh American I can only wonder why people care, in Resident Evil 1-3 they killed hordes of White People. In RE4 you were a white guy and kill Spanish Citizens, and we didn't really care that much. But when, they go to Africa and kill Africans they've suddenly gone over the line.
If you even barly hung onto the story while you could you would understand that the survivors of Racoon City are fixing to make sure nothing like that ever happens again (or to destroy Umbrella). And seeing as all evidence points to that Humans originated in Africa, it is only common sense that the virus might have originated there too.
Why do you care? It's just a video game, Capcom didn't ask you to like it.
Much of it has to do with how Africans have been characterized in history by Europeans. Something while not necessarily unique to Africans has been going on for a very long time, and even after all of this time they still have to deal with being looked down on by others in ways white people (Which actually includes the Spanish.) have not had to deal with as a group. You think there would not be a shitstorm of an even greater level if the next COD had you playing as Nazis?
How about CapCom makes a new RE where they kill politically correct ass-holes? It's a good idea seeing how politically correct people are horrible disfigured zombie-like creatures.
shadow skill: His being surprised is as believeable as Illusion being surprised that Rapelay cause a firestorm had they been stupid enough to actually try and release the game in the west.
Also can someone explain why people claim that RE5 is racist if it's not only because you shoot black people? Is it because they show Africans living in huts made of grass and mud or what?
Also can someone explain why people claim that RE5 is racist if it's not only because you shoot black people? Is it because they show Africans living in huts made of grass and mud or what?
Violent Negro motif, Rape the white woman motif. You kind of have to know the history here to see what the problem is for some people.
Also can someone explain why people claim that RE5 is racist if it's not only because you shoot black people? Is it because they show Africans living in huts made of grass and mud or what?
It's because you play as a white American. There's an entire population full of black people and the protagonist is white. The zombies themselves are evocative of old racist stereotypes. (savage,dumb,belligerent, obsessed with white women, ect.)This type of propaganda was more popular about 80 years ago and is used to justify western imperialism by saying only whites can save/kill them.
See if you can find Titin in the Congo, some of the old Tarzan, some of H. P. Lovecraft's work, or the movie Birth of a Nation to see what I'm talking about.
Since these stereotypes don't apply Spaniards, there wasn't as a big a fuss about Resident Evil 4. Though the zombies spoke in a Mexican Accent.
Also can someone explain why people claim that RE5 is racist if it's not only because you shoot black people? Is it because they show Africans living in huts made of grass and mud or what?
Violent Negro motif, Rape the white woman motif. You kind of have to know the history here to see what the problem is for some people.
Wait, you mean that zombies can rape you? Holy shit! :D But seriously, what exactly do they show?
At one point you and Sheva glimpse a woman struggling with a group of Majini on a balcony overlooking a street. She's a white westerner - prominently, unmistakeably so, with waist-length platinum blonde hair, idealised Anglo-Saxon facial features and a skimpy black lace night dress. She screams for aid, but is overpowered and dragged back into the building. When you eventually reach her, she has been impregnated with the Los Plagos virus and must be destroyed. As our chums at Eurogamer have pointed out, the scene dovetails smoothly with that classic racist trope of the brutal black male 'corrupting' the white man's womenfolk. There's zero justification for the woman's appearance in the plot - the scene exists, as far as I can see, purely to outrage and titillate players whose cultural background is saturated with such unwholesome ideas.
I don't get the racism issue myself. Wouldn't it be more racist if they made the RE game set in Africa, and everyone was white? Wouldn't that be indicative of a white-superiorist "KKK" belief in terms of the developers? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to say "black" people are from Africa, specially when the politically correct term is "African American". So why bitch about you having to kill black people infected with a beeded up Las Plagas parasite (sorry if i spoil anything, but its in the trailer). Hell, its all in self-defense, they aren't shooting anyone who isn't infected.
Plus, if you noticed, the major villian, Whesker, is a blond, white american. Hell, if anything, why are all RE villians white? I call racism against Capcom cause I feel like all this white-on-white violence is not fair! >:O /endsarc
It's a game set in Africa. It makes sense that the zombies are black (what, is the virus going to turn all the black people white or something?), so it's not racist.
I saw this Louis Therouxdocumentary in Johannesburg, and in one part he was interviewing locals about how they deal with crime in the shanty town. They said that if they see a thief, a mob of citizens stones them to death, then pours petrol on them and burns the body.
I've also seen many news reports depicting the atrocities of ethnic violence and civil war in Africa.
What I don't understand is why it's OK to represent the violence in Africa in factual TV programmes, but as soon as it's fictionalised in a video game, suddenly it's a racist 1920's depiction of the Dark Continent.
Is it because the game's fictional, therefore they could pretend that Africa is actually a non-violent paradise if they so wanted to, but instead they chose to represent it a similar fashion to the media (and not through rose-tinted graphics) because they're crazy racists?
Also was this much of a fuss made about the Civilization games? In that you can massacre hordes of spear-throwing Zulus with regiments of white Imperialist riflemen. Again, like the news and documentaries, is that not racist because it actually happened, whereas RE5 is (racist) because it's fictional and has better graphics? Why is genocide acceptable but killing in self-defence racist (in games, not in real life)?
I'll admit that I'm not the most culturally sensitive person in the world (when it comes to emphasising with people from other cultures), but when I read about people complaining about things in RE5 that I have seen in real life documentaries, I just don't get it.
If the is point that were not suppose to derive entertainment value from bad things which are happening in real life, that I can sort of understand, but RE5 isn't the first game to do that, and at least call it for what it is, tasteless not racist.
EDIT: I'm not trying to suggest that all of Africa is a horrible, violent place, far from it. But Resident Evil 5 isn't set in the whole of Africa.
At one point you and Sheva glimpse a woman struggling with a group of Majini on a balcony overlooking a street. She's a white westerner - prominently, unmistakeably so, with waist-length platinum blonde hair, idealised Anglo-Saxon facial features and a skimpy black lace night dress. She screams for aid, but is overpowered and dragged back into the building. When you eventually reach her, she has been impregnated with the Los Plagos virus and must be destroyed. As our chums at Eurogamer have pointed out, the scene dovetails smoothly with that classic racist trope of the brutal black male 'corrupting' the white man's womenfolk. There's zero justification for the woman's appearance in the plot - the scene exists, as far as I can see, purely to outrage and titillate players whose cultural background is saturated with such unwholesome ideas.
Because in reality, if we were to be attacked by Zombies etc, they would all be white. Fuck em, let them cry racism/discrimination, if we ignore them, maybe it'll stop. Or maybe I'm just hoping for too much.
Felix, hate to break it to ya, but anyone knows there is worse in RE lore than that. The G-virus forces its host, if compatible, to seek out the host's female family to impregnate them since they will be a genetic match, and thus a usable host. Otherwise the virus would just chest-burst out of them ala Alien. So how is seeing a 10 yr old girl impregnated by her own father (RE 2), not worse than one chick wearing provocative piece of clothing seen dragged away and later found impregnated?
Geez, why the hell do people think everything is racist where it has the chance!?!? (mumbles)
It takes place in Africa, where (obviously) almost everyone will be black. In this area, there has been an outbreak of disease that turns everyone into bloodthirsty savages. One can easily assume that if there has been an outbreak of disease in an area full of black people, then most of the savages will be black people. The fact that people get mad when you make the black people the antagonist is racist within itself. Did anyone get mad at RE2 when the un-infected Spanish citizens were burning a Spanish police officer? Did anyone get mad when zombies were always Nazis in CoD WaW? Did anyone get mad when the French were seen as possessive, insane nitwits in The Simpsons? If you're going to read into things too much, you probably will find something wrong with it. They're "territorial savages" because they've been infected by a disease that makes them want to kill you, while still retaining all of their human intelligence. As for the guys beating the thing in the sack, hell, wouldn't you be pretty hysterical and paranoid if almost everyone you knew was infected lost all their free will? I'd probably be pretty aware and paranoid of someone coming nearby if the past few days had been horrific.
Sorry for the wall of text, but this isn't racism, it's just the story of a zombie disease that happens to take place in Africa.
Basically they have already said that Africa is an important setting plot wise. Personally, I would be insulted if Africa was full of white zombies cause that would insult my intelligence.
Next they will be accussing every game of racism. Mario will be next.
At one point you and Sheva glimpse a woman struggling with a group of Majini on a balcony overlooking a street. She's a white westerner - prominently, unmistakeably so, with waist-length platinum blonde hair, idealised Anglo-Saxon facial features and a skimpy black lace night dress. She screams for aid, but is overpowered and dragged back into the building. When you eventually reach her, she has been impregnated with the Los Plagos virus and must be destroyed. As our chums at Eurogamer have pointed out, the scene dovetails smoothly with that classic racist trope of the brutal black male 'corrupting' the white man's womenfolk. There's zero justification for the woman's appearance in the plot - the scene exists, as far as I can see, purely to outrage and titillate players whose cultural background is saturated with such unwholesome ideas.
The racism comment here would fit except it was MADE IN JAPAN. The Japanese have no concept of African racism, they never kept african slaves. The JAPANESE game developers must be going ""lolwhut?" at this point. Remembe when Capcom made that Megaman game for the PSP, and Oilman had "black face" and big lips, and everyone freaked out so they made him blue?
The Japanese don't get it. You can't beat up on people for innocent ignorance. ALSO, the point of the woman is to inspire horror and revulsion. It's not a specific "black ebil" thing, it's a "ebil" thing in general. It plays on ancient pyschological theme's- you have a beautiful young woman (that she's white is probably incidental, thats probably just what the modelers thought was hot), she represents the future, fertility, reproduction; important things to us biologically. Then she's taken and corrupted with a disease, raped and impregnated with some alien like parasite. Just like in aliens, the horror is evoked by the concept of rape and impregnation with something diseased or horrid.
Klagermeister: Geez, why the hell do people think everything is racist where it has the chance!?!? (mumbles)
It takes place in Africa, where (obviously) almost everyone will be black. In this area, there has been an outbreak of disease that turns everyone into bloodthirsty savages. One can easily assume that if there has been an outbreak of disease in an area full of black people, then most of the savages will be black people. The fact that people get mad when you make the black people the antagonist is racist within itself. Did anyone get mad at RE2 when the un-infected Spanish citizens were burning a Spanish police officer? Did anyone get mad when zombies were always Nazis in CoD WaW? Did anyone get mad when the French were seen as possessive, insane nitwits in The Simpsons? If you're going to read into things too much, you probably will find something wrong with it. They're "territorial savages" because they've been infected by a disease that makes them want to kill you, while still retaining all of their human intelligence. As for the guys beating the thing in the sack, hell, wouldn't you be pretty hysterical and paranoid if almost everyone you knew was infected lost all their free will? I'd probably be pretty aware and paranoid of someone coming nearby if the past few days had been horrific.
Sorry for the wall of text, but this isn't racism, it's just the story of a zombie disease that happens to take place in Africa.
Also this. People need to chill the f*ck out. I don't even like survival horror, now I got to buy this game just to wave my d*ck at the over reactive PC crew. Thanks for wasting 60 of my bucks.
nova18: Basically they have already said that Africa is an important setting plot wise. Personally, I would be insulted if Africa was full of white zombies cause that would insult my intelligence.
Next they will be accussing every game of racism. Mario will be next.
Actually, they said the Princess Peach game was sexist because it depicted Peach as an overly emotional uncontrolled PMSing pyschopath.
Jamash: I saw this Louis Therouxdocumentary in Johannesburg, and in one part he was interviewing locals about how they deal with crime in the shanty town. They said that if they see a thief, a mob of citizens stones them to death, then pours petrol on them and burns the body.
I've also seen many news reports depicting the atrocities of ethnic violence and civil war in Africa.
What I don't understand is why it's OK to represent the violence in Africa in factual TV programmes, but as soon as it's fictionalised in a video game, suddenly it's a racist 1920's depiction of the Dark Continent.
Is it because the game's fictional, therefore they could pretend that Africa is actually a non-violent paradise if they so wanted to, but instead they chose to represent it a similar fashion to the media (and not through rose-tinted graphics) because they're crazy racists?
Also was this much of a fuss made about the Civilization games? In that you can massacre hordes of spear-throwing Zulus with regiments of white Imperialist riflemen. Again, like the news and documentaries, is that not racist because it actually happened, whereas RE5 is (racist) because it's fictional and has better graphics? Why is genocide acceptable but killing in self-defence racist (in games, not in real life)?
I'll admit that I'm not the most culturally sensitive person in the world (when it comes to emphasising with people from other cultures), but when I read about people complaining about things in RE5 that I have seen in real life documentaries, I just don't get it.
If the is point that were not suppose to derive entertainment value from bad things which are happening in real life, that I can sort of understand, but RE5 isn't the first game to do that, and at least call it for what it is, tasteless not racist.
EDIT: I'm not trying to suggest that all of Africa is a horrible, violent place, far from it. But Resident Evil 5 isn't set in the whole of Africa.
That was actually considerably well thought out. :) Bravo.
MelziGurl: Because in reality, if we were to be attacked by Zombies etc, they would all be white. Fuck em, let them cry racism/discrimination, if we ignore them, maybe it'll stop. Or maybe I'm just hoping for too much.
It is unfortunately to much to hope for. We the player can ignore them, but Capcom the company won't. Since they've come this far and spent millions to make it happen, they won't/can't undo what has been done. But you can bet they won't make another game like this. Future RE endevors will not feature racial tones like this. More white zombies for the slaughter.
Silverwings1123: Being an Spainsh American I can only wonder why people care, in Resident Evil 1-3 they killed hordes of White People. In RE4 you were a white guy and kill Spanish Citizens, and we didn't really care that much. But when, they go to Africa and kill Africans they've suddenly gone over the line.
If you even barly hung onto the story while you could you would understand that the survivors of Racoon City are fixing to make sure nothing like that ever happens again (or to destroy Umbrella). And seeing as all evidence points to that Humans originated in Africa, it is only common sense that the virus might have originated there too.
Why do you care? It's just a video game, Capcom didn't ask you to like it.
Much of it has to do with how Africans have been characterized in history by Europeans. Something while not necessarily unique to Africans has been going on for a very long time, and even after all of this time they still have to deal with being looked down on by others in ways white people (Which actually includes the Spanish.) have not had to deal with as a group. You think there would not be a shitstorm of an even greater level if the next COD had you playing as Nazis?
hey you seem to forget that the germans in COD WAW and they were nazi's in ww2, Du-Duuuuh
Silverwings1123: Being an Spainsh American I can only wonder why people care, in Resident Evil 1-3 they killed hordes of White People. In RE4 you were a white guy and kill Spanish Citizens, and we didn't really care that much. But when, they go to Africa and kill Africans they've suddenly gone over the line.
If you even barly hung onto the story while you could you would understand that the survivors of Racoon City are fixing to make sure nothing like that ever happens again (or to destroy Umbrella). And seeing as all evidence points to that Humans originated in Africa, it is only common sense that the virus might have originated there too.
Why do you care? It's just a video game, Capcom didn't ask you to like it.
Much of it has to do with how Africans have been characterized in history by Europeans. Something while not necessarily unique to Africans has been going on for a very long time, and even after all of this time they still have to deal with being looked down on by others in ways white people (Which actually includes the Spanish.) have not had to deal with as a group. You think there would not be a shitstorm of an even greater level if the next COD had you playing as Nazis?
This makes sense to me. The depictions of how the afican man is depicted. I can see that being more of an impact on those that know than people getting angry over black zombies. But on the other hand, there are hotbeds of hostility in Africa, and this is a fictional game set in the near future (I think it's near). It makes sense that a little bit of research was used to emulate an enviroment similar to the successful RE4 foruma. Since the behaviour of these african men are infected zombies, I realy find it hard to draw a straight line to the violent black man stereotype.
Then again I'm a native american (aka, Indian) woman. I have no real experaince with racism that black people get.
Race aside; I've only played the PS3 demo, and I have to say-- where are the women zombies? ;) I call sexism. Only a few RE games have ever featured female zombies, alone mix it up racially.
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Resident Evil 5 Producer Denies Making Any Changes Following Racist Controversy
Masachika Kawata, producer of Resident Evil 5, has denied that Capcom has made any changes to the game, following the controversy that the trailer caused.
The trailer for Resident Evil 5 sparked a flurry of dissent amongst gaming journalists about the racist and outdated depictions of black Africans, a claim perhaps summed up best by N'Gai Croal, an African-American himself, when he spoke to MTV Multiplayer in April last year.
In an interview Eurogamer, Kawata expressed surprise at the reaction and went on to say "I don't recall modifying the game in any way following the controversy of racism." Kawata was confident however, that Sheva, Chris Redfield's half-African sidekick, will be enough to assuage fears that the game is racist. Unfortunately, Kawata's confidence may be a little misplaced, as further criticism has sprung up following a preview version of the game that contained the first three chapters.
Most gamers seem to be unwilling to engage in the debate about Resident Evil 5, and many will take Kawata's comments as definitive proof that the game does not discriminate against black Africans, even unintentionally.
Me, I'm not so sure.
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