I've some people commenting, particularly some editors on podtoid, about the controversy around these games and i believe, although i may be wrong, that Jim Sterling said that he believes the backlash against the above games will be even more severe when the mainstream press gets hold of them. I would like to refute that argument.

Video Game controversies and the media outlets which perpetuate them do so because they push certain buttons, specifically ones relating to the sexualisation of children (hot coffee) or encouraging violence amongst children (manhunt). They use these 'hot button' issues because they are near-universal in their shock value. Maintaining the innocence of children towards sex and violence are values shared by such a huge segment of society to such a high degree, even though they are so hypocritically touted by the same people who do NOTHING to stem the tide of imbuing consumerism in children and sexualising them from an increasingly early age, that the GTA/Manhunt scandals were bound to get extensive coverage.

Racism and sexism however, are not hot button issues in the truest sense. The readership of the Daily Mail, Telegraph and other conservative media sources will inevitably respond to any accusation of racism or sexism whatever the medium in which it is contained with,

"Political correctness has GONE MAD"

It is well within the realm of possibility that organisations with little or no sympathy towards anti-racist or anti-sexist viewpoints will make a huge hypocritical leap from denouncing 'murder simulators' to giving zero coverage to these issues.

Don't get me wrong, i definitely do not think that any serious malice lies behind the design of resident evil 5 and fat princess. Even though i'm willing to accept that some black people might feel uncomfortable with the imagery of RE5, i doubt any serious person would call it outright racist although it may be a little insensitive.

I don't want a backlash against these games, they both look fantastic, but i would rather see a nation up in arms over bigotry and hatred than mindless rabble rousing in the name of 'the children' and i think it's worth commenting that although these issues will be covered extensively in the gaming press, where they can generate alot of interest and probably fuel game sales, the impact on the wider media will probably be minimal.


How does everyone else feel, do you honestly believe Fat Princess and Resident Evil 5 will have repercussions in the mainstream press or will these controversies sink beneath the surface whilst no ones watching? Also, do you agree with my analysis that racism and sexism wouldn't be considered equal to the protection of children from sexual and violent imagery in terms of their emotional weight and media response?