As we're getting closer and closer to the release date of RE 5, the mainstream media are getting more aware of the game. So I wasn't really surprised to see this posted on a website called Racialcious:
"One of the first things you see in the game, seconds after taking control of Chris Redfield, is a gang of African men brutally beating something in a sack. Animal or human, it’s never revealed, but these are not infected Majini. There are no red bloodshot eyes. These are ordinary Africans, who stop and stare at you menacingly as you approach. Since the Majini are not undead corpses, and are capable of driving vehicles, handling weapons and even using guns, it makes the line between the infected monsters and African civilians uncomfortably vague. Where Africans are concerned, the game seems to be suggesting, bloodthirsty savagery just comes with the territory.
Later on, there’s a cut-scene of a white blonde woman being dragged off, screaming, by black men. When you attempt to rescue her, she’s been turned and must be killed. If this has any relevance to the story it’s not apparent in the first three chapters, and it plays so blatantly into the old clichés of the dangerous “dark continent” and the primitive lust of its inhabitants that you’d swear the game was written in the 1920s. That Sheva neatly fits the approved Hollywood model of the light-skinned black heroine, and talks more like Lara Croft than her thickly-accented foes, merely compounds the problem rather than easing it. There are even more outrageous and outdated images to be found later in the game, stuff that I was honestly surprised to see in 2009, but Capcom has specifically asked that details of these scenes remain under wraps for now, whether for these reasons we don’t know.
There will be plenty of people who refuse to see anything untoward in this material. “It wasn’t racist when the enemies were Spanish in Resident Evil 4,” goes the argument, but then the Spanish don’t have the baggage of being stereotyped as subhuman animals for the past two hundred years. It’s perfectly possible to use Africa as the setting for a powerful and troubling horror story, but when you’re applying the concept of people being turned into savage monsters onto an actual ethnic group that has long been misrepresented as savage monsters, it’s hard to see how elements of race weren’t going to be a factor.
All it will take is for one mainstream media outlet to show the heroic Chris Redfield stamping on the face of a black woman, splattering her skull, and the controversy over Manhunt 2 will seem quaint by comparison. If we’re going to accept this sort of imagery in games then questions are going be asked, these questions will have merit, and we’re going to need a more convincing answer than “lol it’s just a game.”"
So, I looked up where this quote came from - Dan Whitehead, Eurogamer - and read the whole review of the game. It started off normally, talking about the control scheme, the chapters he played, the gameplay, etc and was surprised that he chose to end his review on this note, which has now been used to further the racist debate.
Edit: Sorry, I didn't realise I was advocating censorship :P. A better question would be: do you agree with his views or not?
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So, in the end, Mr. Whitehead did the only right thing and critizised what he thinks to be racism. There is nothing wrong about that. I would even say that this discussion is highly necessary for the industry and the community in order to grow up.
There are two sides to every coin, but each has it's own merit and deserves to be aired.
However, in RE5's defense, I think it's important to remember that this game is made by primarily Japanese people who have very little contact with black people in their own country and in general live in a generally racial homogenous society. I can understand the reviewer's point about the game's use of certain imagery that carry alot of historical baggage to it. However, I am inclined to believe that the Japanese probably had no idea of this baggage and was just regurgitating ideas and images they saw in popular films and TV shows.
In contrast, I suspect that a Western developer would, even if such images are still in the game, at least have some knowledge and understanding of the implication of certain images.
Well, when you guys put it like that, I actually kind of agree with you. I guess I wasn't thinking about it properly when I read it.
Personally I do think that that mainstream, western media (as the only one I'm familiar with) has done far worse racial stereotyping then one videogame.
“It wasn’t racist when the enemies were Spanish in Resident Evil 4,” goes the argument, but then the Spanish don’t have the baggage of being stereotyped as subhuman animals for the past two hundred years."
That's bullshit. The Spanish (like most race groups) have been villainize just as much as other groups.
"If we’re going to accept this sort of imagery in games then questions are going be asked, these questions will have merit, and we’re going to need a more convincing answer than “lol it’s just a game."”
Black Hawk Down and American History X: lol, they're just movies.
How come I didn't see NOT ONE white/brown/asian guy on the Somalian side?
I think regardless of artist intent, a work will be perceived differently by who ever views it. People can read a full allegory of President Bush's term in office out of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, or see minstralism in Jar-Jar Binks. Whether George Lucas intended it as such can be secondary to the analysis of the final product.
Mr. Sparkle may just be a corporate logo, but he still looks like Homer Simpson.
Oi. See, I'm not gonna get any work done today :p
And yet I still have it reserved at GameStop. Go figure.
"As part of our RE5 seasonal DLC, we are releasing a "Pointy Ghost Sheet" costume for Chris Redfield this coming October. Combined with September's Harvest Time! weapon pack (Including a pitch fork and Firey! Night time light source to replace the flashlight), Chris will be ready to Trick or Treat with the Manjini!
"Unfortunately, Sheva's "Summer Tan time!" and Sassy Afro Wig have been delayed for North America due to retooling for region specific cultural reasons . . . "
the lulz, I do it for them.
1. Being in a different country does not make game makers immune or innocent of any racism. As a matter of fact, a lot of anti-black sentiment was picked up globally through our cultural exports.
2. Even if they were *completely* ignorant of any racial issues, that’s the reason why Capcom has an American marketing department, to assist with cultural translation and promotion.
3. Colonialist attiudes toward Africa are not the sole domain of the US and Britain.
Everyone's ignoring that this game was not made by western developers, but rather made by eastern developers who do not have as much of a racist history towards africans compared to the history of North America.
And overall everyone needs to take a step back and realize that this is a science fiction horror game, once again i emphasize the word fiction. Its taking a traditional horror plot (zombies/undead) and its enemies are simply reflective of the region the game takes place for the sake of being regionally accurate. The fact that the main character is a white american is coincidental, when they introduced Chris Redfield in Resident Evil I highly doubt they willingly thought of the idea of putting him in an all-african scenario where he can shoot them all.
don't throw more wood into this flame war shat
You actually inspired a blog--check out my c-blog if you're interested.
"Pinche Penejo!"
1 and 3. I agree that being in another country doesn't make the game makers immune or innocent of racism. I was simply trying to offer an explanation for why such imagery could find its way into the game.
Again, I really do think that people vastly overestimate the contact that Japan has had with black people. Japan is an extremely insular and homogenous society in comparison with the United States. Outside of tourists, foreign businessmen, and military personnel, I highly doubt that there are many black people in Japan. Note all three categories I listed imply a separation between these people and the general population of Japan. Therefore, it is very possible that the only chance or opportunity the Japanese do have to observe and see black people is through TV and movies that are likely to be based on stereotypes.
To be fair, we in the West are guilty of stereotyping and perpetuating negative racial images all the time (I'd personally cite Gran Torino as the latest example of that). Yet because in the West, we have a heterogenous society with diverse racial groups, religious groups, etc, we will have debates and discussions about such topics all the time. Again, in Japan, a country with likely very little black people, who is going to be pointing out these images or asking for a discussion on racial perceptions?
To be honest, I am frankly surprised that people are harping on RE5 for racial insensitivity as the Japanese and their artistic products whether it be anime, films, games, etc have been based on racial stereotypes for some decades now. Hell, consider how stereotypical the cast of the Street Fighter series is. Not sure how anyone after SF expected any more racial sensitivity or anything other than stereotypes in any game.
2. In considering the relationships that have traditionally existed between Japanese developers and their American division, I find it hard to believe that the American subsidiary has any real amount of influence or power to affect the product development in Japan unless the developers specifically asked for it. Based on what I said earlier, I really doubt that the Japanese developers had any idea that what they were making might in anyway be offensive and therefore I can't imagine them thinking that there even would be a need to ask their American division about this. And by the time the American subsidiary could mention this issue, I imagine that the product was largely finished and more or less locked down.
Would you like me to post your response on racialcious? It's really such a well-written thought out answer. I'm not sure how they'll take it though, they seem to have taken XBox Live as an accurate representation of gamers.
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Separately, I think lot of this outcry is egged on by the setting, and how bold it is. Living everyday Africa, as depicted here, isn't a setting that is mainstream friendly, even in film media. Africa is tread into for spoofs and action pieces and usually focus on the Safarai/wildlife aspect of the continent. Even Far Cry 2 delves into this great planes, exotica sort of territory.
Then you get films like Hotel Rewanda, which so isn't mainstream, but speaks to the same setting. Township living and occupation forces. I'd say that, oddly enough, RE5 stands as a rare depiction of this aspect of the African Continent.
Not to allay or counter any arguments posed, but its bold new territory for a game, for an action game, and really, for survival horror fiction. Its a great jumping poitn for all sorts of discussions, including the race issue.
And here the creators thought they were just setting a horror game in harsh daylight :)
I killed a Cactuar in Final Fantasy 8.
Lock me up, throw away the key, I'm a menace to society.