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Capcom in trouble again, forced to remove Islamic phrase from Zack and Wiki photo

According to this GamePolitics article, Capcom's racial insensitivity isn't focused solely on African villagers. Nay, the House of Mega Man is truly an equal opportunity offender (assuming you aren't caucazoid). Unlike the Resident Evil 5 issue though, the matter of Capcom vs the most controversial religious group in our modern world seems to have been settled.

Hit the jump for an explanation of what the hell I'm on about, and the most carefully worded post I have ever written.

On the surface, Capcom's upcoming Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure is an adorable adventure capitalizing on the company's long history of marketable characters and fun gameplay, but to the trained ears of some, it's an affront to the Muslim faith.

As you can (possibly) hear from the video embedded above, certain native villagers within the game utter the words "Allahu akbar", an Islamic phrase meaning "God is most great".  Obviously, the use of such a phrase by fictional savages in a video game is horribly offensive to those of the Muslim faith, and according to a press release from the Council of American-Islamic Relations, Capcom has been browbeaten into removing the phrase from the title.

Normally there would be a joke here, but anything short of copying the ingredients list off of a can of Spaggheti-Os will probably offend some ethno-religious group somewhere, and even in writing that last line, I've probably already offended the National Institute for the Protection of Sensitive Italian Stereotypes. 

I'm going to go check my bed for equine heads now. Those filthy Itals have a habit of horribly violent solutions to seemingly common problems (but damn if they can't make a fantastic ravioli).


Continue: More Zack and Wiki stories





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82 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:32
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain
The difference between African references and Muslim references is that Islam is often taken to the extreme.
bluemeep's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:36
bluemeep
Tomato paste gave my great uncle buttcancer, you son of a bitch!
xX SolidPliskin Xx's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:37
xX SolidPliskin Xx
im not sure if i should laugh or cry...
Reeper's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:39
Reeper
I wanna jump on the bandwagon!!

Goddamned Capcom and it's killing of white zombies in Resident Evil 0, 1, 2, and 3.
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:43
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain
I phrased that wrong. Islam response is often taken to the extreme, a la the infamous Muhammad-with-a-bomb-turban comic.
savagesaladin's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:44
savagesaladin
Oh shit, hit the fucking deck! Bury your head in the sand!
Deus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:46
Deus
That is hilariously insensitive. At the same time, CAIR (Council of American Islamic Relations) is a pretty controversial group, possibly because many of their high ranking members have been associated with terrorism and Muslim fundamentalism. They also made Paramount remove the Muslim terrorists in the Sum of All Fears and make the into Neo-Nazis for the movie. But you can't really argue that they're right about this one.
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 18:53
Professor Pew
I never really saw any problems for moderate Islam, they should be happy that one part of their call to prayer has seeped into mainstream media culture.
On the other hand, they use the exclamation to call some savage critters to drink soup from their cannibalistic skull-cups... Maybe not the best way to portray the West's "reaching out" and such :)
Magesx's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 19:04
Magesx
Guys, this is what it really says:

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
SpiderChrist's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 19:30
SpiderChrist
fuck allah
SpiderChrist's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 19:38
SpiderChrist
also, Destructiod Akbar!
SniperFodder's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 19:40
SniperFodder
I think Capcom should tell them to fuck off, what the fuck, can anyone review games and get them pulled from shelves?!? Fuckin' crybabies. Christ.
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 19:43
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain
@SniperFodder

So Muslims can burn down a Dutch KFC? Hell no, man.

Think of the Dutch KFCs.
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 19:45
Aerox
I do think this is a little bit different than the zombie/Africa case. As mentioned in the other article, as far as I know zombie myths are based out of African culture, and as many have said, it would be odd for a horde of white zombies to be parading around in Africa.

This though, seems a bit different. I couldn't find out the exact setting of the game (besides "Treasure Island"), but because it's got pirates galore and all that I'm assuming the Carribean. The percentage of Muslims in the Carribean is fairly small, somewhere between 5-15% of the population I believe, (and most of those are concentrated in Guyana, Tobago, and Trinidad), and Islam didn't really take hold in the area until the early 1900s. I absolutely detest censorship in video games and don't particularly agree with this (as I don't really agree with most censorship), but at the same time I have to wonder why they made the "savages" Muslim when, based on what I'm assuming the setting of the game to resemble, there is a very small Muslim population that really only popped up recently. I don't think the council is upset that people are saying the phrase "allah ackbar" persay, but rather that the people saying it are the "crazy backwards savages" in a setting that is predominately non-Muslim to begin with. It's kind of like how gamers get upset when they're portrayed in the media as super nerdy, awkward, and unattractive, when we all know that's not the case, at least with most of the Dtoid members.

Again, I'm not a fan of censorship at all and don't agree with the decision to pull it, but I also can see legitimate reasons as to why this group would be upset, way moreso than with the zombie debacle.
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 20:00
Professor Pew
@Agent Chieftain: Oh noes, all of our 5 KFC's! They are all full of black zombies anyway.
Churchhills Dog's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 20:01
Churchhills Dog
OMG will someone have the balls to tell these fucking maniacs to STFU?

For once in my life I want to see a radio jock, a news person, a game company or any other media outlet who is accused of "insensitivity" to just tell these special interest groups to fuck off. Theres bodies rotting in the sunlight in Darfur and the best that this group can do is sit there and act like some little fink in first grade running to his/her teacher because some Japanese game company DARES to use a religious phrase in a totally appropriate context.
Serpentish's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 20:31
Serpentish
Can anyone actually say that that's 100% what the character says?

All I hear is "AAAAAUAAAA HWAGBAR". I don't know though, that might just be insulting the God Aua.
hellsing321's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 20:46
hellsing321
They are definetly saying Alluha Akbar. The sound sample sounds like it was recorded from a mosque when they were doing their call to prayer. The Black Zombie things is pretty crazy but I can see why some Muslims might be upset over this. Muslim relations with the west are on shaky terms right now, and I don't think Muslims want their call to prayer associated with a savage tribal group that drinks out of human skulls. Fictional or not.
zardoz's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 20:48
zardoz
Religion fucking things up again? No way.

Humans, a bunch of delluded animals or a highly evolved species? You decide.
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 20:59
Aerox
"being confused with adorable animated munchkins would be a step up from the current stereotypical view of Muslim culture in our post-9/11 world."

Although, because they're cute and animated, it's more likely that younger children who don't understand the concept of stereotypes and things like that will see it.

This is something that's adorable and animated, and most people now (I hope) would consider it to be fairly offensive.


Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:01
Aerox
"being confused with adorable animated munchkins would be a step up from the current stereotypical view of Muslim culture in our post-9/11 world."

Although, because they're cute and animated, it's more likely that younger children who don't understand the concept of stereotypes and things like that will see it.

This is something that's adorable and animated, and most people now (I hope) would consider it to be fairly offensive.


Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:01
Aerox
Sorry for the double.
Andrew5329's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:06
Andrew5329
Yeah its kinda offensive, but who cares if something so stupid as this causes a lot of grief it just shows how people need something better to do with their lives then get pissy bout racism/stereotypes.
trunxkam45's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:07
trunxkam45
Yea, it should be removed. The Japanese can really be insensitive of other cultures.

And let's get one thing straight. "Fundamentalism" is such a noob term. It does not and should not connote terrorism. The problem with terrorists is that they are not educated. Therefore they don't even know the proper teachings in the fundamental Islamic sources. (the Qur'an and Sunnah)
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:12
Aerox
@Nex

I hope that didn't come across as me trying to show you up, because that wasn't my intention at all. And I agree that insulting physical features are more easily conveyed, but I also think it's fairly clear when you have a guy drinking out of a skull yelling ALLAH AKBAR.

@Andrew5329

In an equal society, that would make perfect sense and be totally ideal. In a country like the US, where I think the most recent poll said something like almost 50% of Americans distrust or dislike Muslims (I don't have a source for this, and if someone can prove me wrong I'd happily concede), it's a bit more sensitive. Additionally, everyone gets a little pissy about stereotypes when it's something that applies to them. Think about how we all get worked up (or at least I do), when some politician decides to take someone like the Columbine kids and say "LOOK WHAT VIDEOGAMES DO". Also a stereotype, granted it's far more extreme, but I think it helps highlight the point that it's really easy to dismiss other people's concerns about stereotypes yet act differently when the stereotype is a little more personal.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:30
Mxyzptlk
Yeah, who the hell are they to suggest that God is great? That dick still owes me 12 bucks.

Also, I totally want to see Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarfs now.
kittridge's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:34Image Hosted by ImageShack.us</a><br/>
kittridge
Oh, please. Stop with the intimidation tactics CAIR. This here infidel would like to tell you to STFUAJPG!
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:38
Aerox
@ Mxyzptlk

.....

I kind of do too.
SniperFodder's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:41
SniperFodder
Lers make all video games with vague and ambiguous genders/races with no voice overs so we won't offend anyone. I think the immersion and realism would make for some great gaming, don't you?!? Hey, while we're at it we should remove any music, as not to offend your grandma that doesn't like that "Devil Music" you always listen to. What the fuck, lets just play a nice safe game of shuffleboard instead, but in silence, so we won't be in jeopardy of offending any passers-by. Also, cocks.
trunxkam45's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:46
trunxkam45
I think it's kind of funny how generally people on the net side against the FOX News neo-cons except when it comes to race and religion.
Deus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:46
Deus
This game is at least less offensive than some Muslim oriented games are. I think Hezbollah made a game were you play as a young Arab boy that tries to stop the evil genocidal Israelis that try to kill your family for no reason.
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 21:52
Aerox
@Deus

That's a game that absolutely deserves to never see the light of day. I would say the same thing about any Israeli made game that did something similar.
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 22:18
Aerox
@Nex

I used to believe the net-pro free speech thing, but it seemed to me that people felt that way until it came to something that really meant something important to them, and then free speech was out the window. Again I point to the example of when people talk about video games causing violence; it's massively incorrect, and most of the game community gets (legitimately) upset by it. We care because it directly relates to us, and it's a slander on who we are and what we believe in. When it happens to another group of people we don't identify with, it's a lot harder to understand the rationale about why they're upset, and as such it's easy to dismiss their claims. Because most of the stuff like this that happens on the net in general isn't really directed towards the majority of net users, it seems like the net can really be pro-free speech when in actuality it may not be.
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 22:20
Aerox
@Nex

I used to believe the net-pro free speech thing, but it seemed to me that people felt that way until it came to something that really meant something important to them, and then free speech was out the window. Again I point to the example of when people talk about video games causing violence; it's massively incorrect, and most of the game community gets (legitimately) upset by it. We care because it directly relates to us, and it's a slander on who we are and what we believe in. When it happens to another group of people we don't identify with, it's a lot harder to understand the rationale about why they're upset, and as such it's easy to dismiss their claims. Because most of the stuff like this that happens on the net in general isn't really directed towards the majority of net users, it seems like the net can really be pro-free speech when in actuality it may not be.
Aerox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 22:21
Aerox
Damn it, why are these doubles happening?
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/01/2007 23:49
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain
Sean Hannity on Podtoid = Failure on a Win podcast
Diomeneus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 00:10
Diomeneus
My point I was going to make was made moot by Nex claiming that most net goers are pro free-speech. I despise political correctness and any further ranting on my point is already refuted by Nex.
Ritalin Twitch's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 00:35
Ritalin Twitch
Man, check out some of warner brothers WWII era cartoons, they are full of such wonderfully awesome racism. Coal Black is funny, but I personally reccomend Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips. Should be able to find it and a few other banned WWII era cartoons if you spelunk the torrents.

What I don't like is those old cartoons being censored. Yes, racism is an ugly part of the history of the states, but erasing evidence of that history feels very Orwellian.
free touch's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 00:49
free touch
I swear I posted something in this thread... now its gone... odd.
RJG's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 01:11
RJG
It's only rascist when you're shooting people with dark skin, because shooting spaniards and white people and asians is completely fair under the law of douchebaggery.

Now, this is kinda different. Except that it's not. If they are offended because a certain string of sounds appear in a video game, good for them. Go for it I say. I think they're just upset that when it happens in a video game, they're not blowing up REAL people, and we just can't have that.

They are not special, despite what their book written a thousand yars ago on the skin from a camel's ass says. We are all people and we all get equal rites. At least that's the myth.

If they don't like it they can go back under their rock where no one can offend them, but they can't ask our culture and heritage to be put on the back burner and have certain ideas blacklisted in the creative arts simply because their imaginary friend told them he doesn't like it.
bottled dark's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 01:57
bottled dark
i dont hear it.
T.T
SubOrbital's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 02:29
SubOrbital
Tell them to fuck off. Political Correctness is for pussies anyway. Capcom, don't bow to them!
hjd uk's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 04:53
hjd uk
Great, that music guy is going to get a ticking off, the characters werent sayign anything the badly recored "Alluh Akbar" bit was a backing vocal in the music. And this is just getting stupid, ok INSULTING their religion ok, id understand people being upset over that but, SAYING THAT THEIR GOD IS GREAT is offensive how? Touchy bastards.
RICHARD BLOCKER's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 08:38
RICHARD BLOCKER
@ trunxkam45 & Agent Chieftain


RICHARD BLOCKER's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 08:39
RICHARD BLOCKER
Just kidding. I totally hate Faux Noise.
cquezaad's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 08:41
cquezaad
I actually am offended (as a muslim) because they are saying "Alluhu Akbar" and it DOES sound like a recording. I'm only offended because they have these savage jungle men thing that are saying it to call them towards their lunch (which looks like cannibalization). Do I actually think anything will change Capcoms continuously offending fashion?...no...but will I buy the game because they did this?..no. Thats my choice as the consumer and everyone should have it that way

p.s. I would have a huge problem with them trying to depict the Prophet (PBUH) in any fashion, great or evil, just because that's very different. Just because the western culture has capitalized from a fictitious image of the Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) (PBUH) (which I also think is wrong) doesn't make it ok.
rpbowlinggod's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 09:08
rpbowlinggod
love the "National Institute for the Protection of Sensitive Italian Stereotypes" or now known as NIP-SIS. Any childhood memories that we need to know about?
Leathersoup's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 09:47
Leathersoup
Hold on! When's the last time a game company had to pull a game off the shelves for "taking the lord's name in vain"? I say make the freaking muslims tough it out.
If everyone else can handle people making fun of their fairy tale beliefs then so can they.
doro's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/02/2007 10:41
doro
Give me a fucking break. These people need thicker fucking skin. Let's censor anything that anyone takes any offense to! That'll make the world a better place. Right? Right?
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