During a recent interview with MTV Multiplayer (concerning the depiction of blacks in games), N'Gai Croal of Newsweek gave an enlightening talk about the controversy behind the Resident Evil 5 trailer, and how Capcom could have done things to avoid the unnecessary fuss.
According to Croal, it was just a few moments in when he realized that there were some things about the trailer that had the potential to inflame members of the black community, however unintentional it might have been. While the majority of us were fawning over the detailed images and dynamic lighting -- not to mention getting all antsy about the debut of a new Resident Evil game on next-generation hardware since RE4 righted the series again -- others were seeing something starkly different. To them, the trailer contained just over three minutes of classic racist imagery that many Caucasians (including myself) never even noticed:
More on this, after the jump:
"There was stuff like even before the point in the trailer where the crowd turned into zombies. There sort of being, in sort of post-modern parlance, they’re sort of “othered.” They’re hidden in shadows, you can barely see their eyes, and the perspective of the trailer is not even someone who’s coming to help the people. It’s like they’re all dangerous; they all need to be killed. It’s not even like one cute African — or Haitian or Caribbean — child could be saved. They’re all dangerous men, women and children. They all have to be killed."
Croal then goes on to touch upon Resident Evil 4, and that even though the zombies (yes, I know they were supposedly not zombies in that game) were obviously non-white, a fair comparison cannot be made, considering the historical American race relations of the past:
"And given the history, given the not so distant post-colonial history, you would say to yourself, why would you uncritically put up those images? It’s not as simple as saying, “Oh, they shot Spanish zombies in ‘Resident Evil 4,’ and now ‘black zombies and that’s why people are getting upset.” The imagery is not the same. It doesn’t carry the same history, it doesn’t carry the same weight. I don’t know how to explain it more clearly than that."
Still not sold yet on the idea that the trailer wasn't exactly thought out and planned as well as it could have been? Croal expands upon the effect imagery has on the larger audience when some historical context is brought into play:
"It’s like when you engage that kind of imagery you have to be careful with it. It would be like saying you were going to do some sort of zombie movie that appeared to be set in Europe in the 1940’s with skinny, emaciated, Hasidic-looking people. If you put up that imagery people would be saying, “Are you crazy?” Well, that’s what this stuff looks like. This imagery has a history. It has a history and you can’t pretend otherwise. That imagery still has a history that has to be engaged, that has to be understood. If you’re going to tread, if you’re going to engage imagery that has that potential, the onus is on the creator to be aware of that because there will be repercussions in the marketplace."
He finishes up by saying that he doesn't know for sure how Capcom views the whole situation, and the potential ramifications of the game's eventual release. Will it hurt the franchise? In the past, some retailers have tended to shy away from titles that might cause them to be viewed in the wrong way. You know, the image thing Croal's been referring to throughout the entire interview.
Contrary to the ebony-helmeted icon that I've chosen to represent myself here at Destructoid, I'm not of African-American descent. As a result, I may not be as finely tuned into the black community, as say, an African-American would be. However, I find it absurd to think that a Japanese publisher would set out to purposely (or even accidentally) conjure up negative racial overtones towards blacks while publicizing their next game.
Equally puzzling is Croal's mention of WWII-era Jews as a possible analogy. Although I can appreciate the point he is trying to make, there really aren't any parallels that one can draw from such a comparison. What does this really have to do with historical imagery of blacks in America?
Capcom has but two goals with Resident Evil 5: to weave a story that is true to the RE lore, and to make a profit at the end of the day. By nature of most shooters, it's going to be one man taking on many. In this case, Chris Redfield (who is white) just so happens to be taking on zombie-fied villagers that are black. I have yet to get my hands on the finished game, but judging by the trailer alone, there is nothing about it that overtly depicts the African-American community in a negative manner.
Go back and view the trailer one more time, and then decide for yourself if you see anything worth commenting about (other than the game itself) on a social level. Are there any villagers that seem to be pigeonholed into a stereotypical view that screams out to you in a way that says, "Aha! That is obviously aimed at denigrating blacks!"?
No, you won't find that. What you will find is a stunning trailer for a highly anticipated game, which just happens to take place in an area where non-white villagers are under the influence of something evil -- and it might lead back to a shady corporation that goes by the name of Umbrella. To think otherwise would just be reaching out and grasping at straws in order to back up an argument that shouldn't even exist in the first place. What do you think?
Contest:
1:04 PM on 04.10.2008
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Playing as a black man I capped a lot of cracka-ass crackas in that game.
"It’s not as simple as saying, “Oh, they shot Spanish zombies in ‘Resident Evil 4,’ and now ‘black zombies and that’s why people are getting upset.” The imagery is not the same. It doesn’t carry the same history, it doesn’t carry the same weight."
I think it absolutely is as simple as saying just that. If you're expecting, or even actively looking for racist or offensive elements in the media, you're going to find them, whether they're actually there or not.
Also: When comedians (of all colors and nationalities) stop making jokes that further the racial stereotypes that are always being complained about, I'll start to give a damn about your imagined racism.
What about when 50 cent shot all those white cops and Swat team members? Granted no one played that game for it to cause any drama but its ok for an African male to portray cop killing in a video game but Capcom can't allow a white cop/soldier/mercenary/hero to kill African zombies?
If it is alright for a game to depict the killing of a Spanish villager then it is equally correct to depict a group of hostile African zombies.
Racism has it roots in the creation of special rules for people of differnt backgrounds. That journalist needs to take a good long look at his own value set.
Next Gen Graphics & Modern Day Racist agendas.
If it was the otherway around and the game had a african american hero killing white people that looked evil, would the african american rasist comments still exist? Would they go against it saying its rasist for whites if just the colors of the skin was switched? No it wouldnt. And whites have be deplicted in the same manner in past video games. ITS A FREAKIN GAME. People need to get over it.
Such as the genecide thats taking place over in Africa. The widespread of disease and poverty and much much more. Why do people bash a videogame about being racist when people are dying from preventable causes.
Agreed.
Respect to N’gai and all, but he is way off base this time. I agree with whomever said that the fact that many gamers “did not see it” (whatever ‘it’ is) is a damn good thing. I think we should be able to see a black person in a videogame and not instantly think “black = racist” which seems to happen a lot.
Comparing this five minute trailer to a game that is set in 40’s Europe featuring emaciated Jews is absolutely ridiculous. The leap in logic is astounding and something I wouldn’t expect from N’gai. This game HAS a context — it’s set in Haiti, and there’s a reason it is. I can’t even properly debate the “emaciated European” comment because it’s so off target it’s stunning.
Frankly, I find it more racist that nobody cared about the Spaniards in RE4 but are all up in arms when their own color is portrayed. It reeks of self-service and is something I think is a huge problem in our society. What if RE6 was set in Japan or China? Would we all scream racism as the Asian zombies? I doubt anybody black would give a $*?*, just like N’gai doubts anybody black worked on this game (which, considering it’s developed in Japan, is likely, y’know).
These kinds of “one race is sacred above all else” arguments are a problem. If we want equality in the world, we need to be able to have a videogame set in Haiti without people throwing a hissy fit.
And just to point out, as I have done many times … Chris Redfield is the ethnic minority in this game.
I've had respect for Ngai Croal's writing in the past, but this... is just a pathetic grasp at racism.
Still, he deserves the chance to defend himself, and I hope that he stops by Dtoid to clear things up.
No, It would still be racist, it's just that no one would do that.
I think people are just afraid of a subliminal message saying "all black people are blood thirsty monsters!".
N'gai can say as much as he wants about how this game will be racist against black people but it's not about black PEOPLE! It's about black ZOMBIES! I've met a few and they aren't the insensitive cry-wolf that one might be led to believe.
Equality for African Zombies!
Im stunned tell ya, Stunned! Shocked even!
also vote obama.
I just wish I could be the one that tells who ever speaks out against it that they are Haitian and the game was created by Japanese.
These racism claims seem a double standard in today's world. Yea, racism still exists, but do people really think a Japanese company decided to make a game to "keep tha brotha down"? I bet people will be asking for reparations now. Shit if anything this is affirmative action in video games. If there werent black people in games, they would be complaining about that is racist.
It's absurd to think that Capcom went out of their way to make this game racist. Clearly they didn't and he's not saying that they did. He's saying the imagery very reminiscent of certain things, and it should've given them a pause for thought. Japan can be very isolated when it wants to be, so who's to know if this even came up. I bet it would've if you played as a Japanese person slaughtering Chinese zombies in Nanking.
Come on guys, read it again. He's not saying they're purposefully being racist, he's saying this stuff should give them a pause for thought. It would be irresponsible to say that the RE5 trailer is racist, it'd be similarly irresponsible to say any taint of racist imagery in it is laughable and non-existent.
#1 - he kept harping on America's history, but he's forgetting that this is Japanese game.
#2 - Haiti is deep-rooted in voodoo lore. Zombies are a huge a part of that religion's culture
#3 - Most of Haiti's population descended from West African slaves brought over by the Europeans in the 1500's.
Caucasian zombies running rampant all over Haiti just doesn't make much sense.
And I do feel that when he says “Wow, clearly no one black worked on this game,” he is saying you can't have black zombies. And I know he can't be so stupid as to not realize the game is being made by a Japanese company, where they don't have that "post-colonial history" he's talking about.
Basically it all boils down to political-correctness, which is something I FUCKING HATE.
I understand the painful history of African-Americans (a descriptor which in of itself is inaccurate) and the slaves who were taken from their homeland in chains; but an enormous deal of black people and their causes have become even more racist than the forces they started combating in the first place. They're not wanting racial equality: they're wanting racial preference. Proof in concept is the abominable Rooney Rule in the NFL, which forces team GMs to interview black coaches just because they're black. They can be the shittiest football coach to tie his shoes, but you have to interview him, otherwise the NFL and NAACP will come after you and label you a racist. And even if you interview a black coach but don't hire him, the NAACP will still come with an attitude and demand why they didn't. And don't even get me started on the whole N-word thing--black people demand white people stop using it, but a lot of blacks continue to use it themselves. It boils down to "we're allowed to because we're black". They identify themselves black first, and a person second.
I live in a town where 50% of the population is black. And know that I understand that there are many African-Americans who are fine, classy, intelligent, wonderful people (for Christ's sake, I'm voting for Obama); and that there are many white people who are anything but... but a great deal of African-Americans feel they're entitled to anything they want just on the sheer fact they're black, and it's because of this shitty political-correctness the US embraces so much that they're allowed to do so.
/rant
Blahhh.
my african american friends watched south park for years and loved it. until the movie came out and blacks were referred to as "darkies". then the show was racist and is no longer watched by several - was not racist all those years when whites were honkies and crackers and jews were the target of every other joke. this is a group that tends to thoroughly enjoy watching other cultures getting ripped on and then totally freak out when they feel the same attention directed in their way - no matter how slightly.
99% of the killing in games tends to be directed towards caucasions (germans must cringe with the release of every new WW2 game\movie) and i don't really see any group (especially an african american group) having a problem with that senerio...
lets just let games (or tv\movies) be games (or tv\movies) - and we will continue to look the other way when blatant crap like White Chicks and the like are released...
Way to make the white man seem like the devil. >:[
Honestly, there's no reason and hopefully some of you realize that not all blacks are crying over race. Though I see a lot of whining on both sides. I'm half dominican for fucks sake and I can't wait for this game.
You do realize that Spaniards/Hispanics/Latinos are considered white when it comes to race, right? I think you might find that there's more than enough history to support and show white-on-white destruction and cruelty.
There IS hundreds of years of institutionalized violence/oppression towards Africans and African-Americans that imagery in the trailer evokes, which is the comparison he was trying to draw describing jack-booted army men killing emaciated Europeans.
There's only imagery there by those who look for it. And, there are thousands of years of institutionalized violence/oppression towards whites. The fact that it was by whites doesn't matter unless you want racism to continue to exist.
He's saying the imagery very reminiscent of certain things, and it should've given them a pause for thought. Japan can be very isolated when it wants to be, so who's to know if this even came up.
Exactly what a non-racist society should be like. Sure, they have their own problems, but they had an idea and created it without at all thinking about the racial elements others would see in it. Isn't that kind of what we're trying to work towards, freedom of thought and expression without any ill intent towards any specific race or without a specific race claiming that they see racism where there isn't any?
You can throw around imagery all you want, but the fact remains that this is an issue that the individual is going to have to deal with because, as others have said, if it's okay to let 50 Cent or Carl Johnson go around and kill white people without any racist elements then there should be no problem with the reverse.
If you hold on to the imagery of the past then you will never get rid of racism. Which is more progressive, protecting people from seeing acts of violence against groups of a race that was once persecuted by another and yet allowing violence against the other groups by said group, or making everything equal in the end with the realization that racism requires intent?
Did any of you fuckers even read the article or his comments?
He is NOT complaining about the fact the zombies are black.
He is NOT complaining about the fact that you are shooting black zombies.
He is NOT calling for a boycott of this game.
He is NOT stating that he thinks this is going to be representative of the entire game.
He is NOT stating that he hates the game and what it stands for.
He is very specifically discussing what he sees in THIS trailer and the way it's being marketed, and why it raises concern for him.
He has an issue with the fact that, before the villagers are even turned into zombies, they're portrayed as shifty, scary people squinting at you from the shadows.
He has an issue with the fact that the game is presumably set in Haiti (which as far as I know hasn't been officially confirmed), which would make sense with zombie mythology, gets Somalian music attached to the trailer because obviously there's no difference between any predominantly black nations.
He has an issue with the fact that everyone is the village is basically shown as being pissed off angry zombies before they're even zombies.
Do you have to agree with everything he is saying? Absolutely not.
Do I even agree with all of what he is saying? No. I think he's somewhat off base on a few of his points.
However, when you reply to something like this without clearly having read the article, you look like a dumbass. When your response to an article you haven't read or understood that was written by a black person is "OH MY GOD BLACK PEOPLE ARE SO RACIST AGAINST WHITE PEOPLE" or "BLACK PEOPLE ARE FUCKING STUPID BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK LIKE I DO" or "OH MY GOD AFFIRMATIVE ACCTION"
There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with disagreeing with him. Disagreeing with him doesn't make you a racist. But if you do disagree, actually make an informed opinion and talk about the issues he's actually talking about without resorting to idiotic sweeping generalizations of black people or racial issues.
"Your ideas are intriguing to us and we wish to subscribe to your newsletter."
Yes thats an apt comparison because of the long history of colonial and imperial violence against Spaniards on the Iberian pennisula... oh wait a minute! With all due respect to Jim and all the other dtoiders posting on this thread, I really wish people would take a second and a deep breath and think about this issue. Its not about games bashing or knee jerk "Racism!" accusations. There are some deeply problematic images in this trailer. MAYBE in the context of the game it will actually be presented in a really clever way that will challenge some of those images BUT from the trailer alone there is at least enough disturbing material that it deserves consideration and discussion not immediate defensive posturing.
There is a long history of white on black violence particularly in a colonial context (like in Haiti for example which was not only the site of a massive importation of black slave labor but was, as recently as the early 20th century occupied for 2 decades by the United States.) The comparison Croal draws with depicting some white warrior mowing down emaciated hassids is, if perhaps a bit hyperbolic, at least somewhat helpful in bringing in a familiar example to aspects of history which many would rather gloss over, forget or who think are 'waaaay too focused on' (as in we've talked about them for about 2 decades now and thats long enough, thank you.)
And all of that without even going into prevailing attitudes amongst gamers, the crazy shit people say over xbox live, people making nazi cars and nazi miis, etc. As I said in a previous comment the last time this came up, while I highly doubt that Capcom said, "hey lets make a racist game!" they (and croal picks up on this well) are obviously at least unconciously cognizant of the fears and stereotypes which 'natives' and 'black people' can evoke and are playing on that. Who knows? I haven't played the game, it may turn out to be brilliant BUT there is definitely something to talk about and to be aware of here. I think Croal is pretty much on point in all his observations.
The entire goddamn point of N'Gai's post was that it doesn't matter if there is a game in which a fantastical black/latino protagonist shoots up a bunch of white folk because it has absolutely NO historical context with which it can be paralelled.
Did you ever stop to think that everyone is treating this like such a big fucking deal not because they're all fucking idiots with brains that pale in comparison to gamers like yourselves and Jim Sterling - but because it's actually kind of a big fucking deal.
You're all assholes.
You're a white guy going around shooting a bunch of africans (forget the whole zombie idea for a second). Japanese people if anything are the most subtle racists anyway, thinking the stereotypical American is Terry Bogard (Okaaaaay!). You have to understand for one second that many black people still see racism today, even though it may not be getting, lynched, fire bombed, shot in broad day light by the sheriff, or beaten in front of their children.
I like how you can all put a "it's not a big deal, it's just a video game" spin on it, because in the end, it should be just that. What you forget or just don't know all together, is that the subtle white vs. black hatred it never going to go away in America.
Yes this comment is going to jump all of you to immediate conclusions, but yes, I am indeed black. NOT african, but black and I saw this game for the first time with a little chuckle and thought "heh, that seems a little racist" with no real outrage. What I can't let slide though is everyone jumping aboard the "this isn't racist" train with no alternative thought. Sure RE4 was bad in that same light. It is the same thing, but spaniards being much closer to European than let's say latino mexicans, it was overlooked.
Look, I'm not going to get all up and arms over this because there isn't going to be a single person to agree with me unless they're black or african. All I'm saying is you can't just dismiss this and say you don't see it. It always has been and always will be a sensitive subject. I'm all open for the whole GTA:SA was racist argument, except for the fact that no one complained when they learned of this fact, up until now to use it as a counter point. Rockstar being a special case, most video games are made by japanese people, about America and how they usually view us, Capcom being a capital offender in many aspects (brings me to Dee Jay in Street Fighter).
I'm all up for good debate, but I can't let this guy get slammed for pointing out what he saw which I happened to see myself. It's the unpopular point of view, but I'm gonna stand by it.
You clearly didn't read all the comments thoroughly.
And yes, he is almost calling for a boycott of the game,
"I’m saying that the same rights that allow Capcom to put the game out are the same rights that allow people to bring pressure on people who might release that game."