[Update: Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick has issued an official response.]

UNICO National, an Italian American service organization, is looking to put a stop to the release of Take-Two's forthcoming third-person action title, Mafia II.

The organization claims that the title -- which follows the story of a young Italian man as he rises through the ranks of a mob family -- is a "pile of racist nonsense." In a letter sent to Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick, UNICO says Mafia II is an "inappropriate and insulting perpetuation of the pervasive and denigrating stereotype of organized crime being the exclusive domain of Italians and Italian Americans."

"Why would [Take-Two] foist a game on their targeted audience of young people wherein they will indoctrinate a new generation into directly associating Italians and Italian Americans with violent, murderous organized crime, to the exclusion of all of the other 'mafias' run by other ethnic and racial groups," says UNICO's Andre DiMino said. "Take-Two is directly, blatantly and unfairly discriminating and demeaning one group to the exclusion of all others. We are demanding they halt release of the game and cleanse it of all references to Italians and Italian Americans."

DiMino is asking for a meeting with execs from Take-Two, a company which he says has a "history of perpetrating its violent, sleazy, racist videogames upon an unsuspecting public."

Mafia II is being release next week, August 24, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. The game was announced in 2007; if UNICO is truly interested in stopping its release, it's unclear why it waited days before it hits store shelves to go public with its complaints.

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

mighty_marcos

There is no such thing as the mafia. I wished people would stop speaking such lies of very honest and hard working businessmen.

Conor Elsea

Fuck these assholes. If this were a movie they wouldn't say a damn thing.

Occams electric toothbrush

Well, I guess since they couldn't get Jersey Shore yanked off the air they will have to settle for Mafia II. I think if anyone seriously believes that all Italian Americans are involved in organized crime then they are actually mentally ill and not just discriminatory assholes.

Besides, everyone knows Irish Americans are the real enemy.

Draxxlith

Just in time, too! It's a good thing that they blocked the Godfather movies, and the first Mafia game, and all the other existing works that will get them laughed out of court.

Sæglópur

I hate the PC society we live in. Stop crying, assholes.

DroppinBrown

I don't think they have ever seen The Godfather.. or any of the other hundreds of Italian mobster movies.

Keasar

And I wish they never did The Godfather movies, rascist fucks. Or the Avatar movie, anti-human-military dicks. Or founded this group called UNICO, sensitive assholes.

enteringoblivion

Is Take Two not allowed to make this game unless they make a Russian mob or Triad game first? And they aren't "perpetrating" or victimizing anybody. You don't have to play the game and you don't have a right to not be offended.

Of course, this is just a publicity stunt. This Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson give-me-money-so-I'll-go-away shit will only work if Take Two lets it.

Nintendo Tim

"Mafia" is the term used for the crime syndicate that originated in Italy. So, if a game is called "Mafia" or has "Mafia" in the name, it should do history justice and feature prominently Italian members, amirite?

Sega is working on Yakuza 4 right now, and they even brought in real Yakuza members to critique their game. The Yakuza's aren't filing lawsuits or threatening to kill Sega employees. The Yakuza members even said Sega did a bang-up job on replicating the life of a Yakuza, except for the fact that running around the streets of Japan randomly beating up people and going willy-nilly would essentially get you killed by the Yakuza.

Mr Andy Dixon

@PhantomOfPanton

"So gay"

That's about what I expected out of you.

@Occam

"everyone knows Irish Americans are the real enemy"

Correction: Irish Americans living in Baton Rouge.

/stillnotoverthewholeToolthing

Dreamscape

Oh boy, here we go.

GoggleKnocker

No reason for them to be angry at video games... I mean we gave them Mario... the best Italian role model ever!

Sexualchocolate

Sopranos anyone?

Neroisonfire

I got Italian friends and I never think of them when I think of a mafia.

mix

Did they send a letter to the Sopranos?

Jackson Starburst

Another day, another bunch of idiots complaining about a video game

Malik

How can you have a "history" of releasing something to an unexpected public? If you have a history of something, then how can it continue to be "unexpected". Also if they have a history of what they're saying how can they "unfairly discriminating and demeaning one group to the exclusion of all others"? If they have a history of this wouldn't there be multiple groups that have be "discriminated" against and "demeaned"? How is it to the exclusion of all others when they apparently have done this repeatedly?

That was all sorts of dumb.

KingSigy

How is this "racist?" The Godfather is considered, by many, the best movie of all time and Mafia essentially is that.

hermes

Its ridiculous that they are not complaining about them being demeaned, but that they are the only ones referred, in a game called Mafia. So, the way for Take-two to get out of this is to include a mission where you fight against some gangstas, some russian mobs, yakuzas, and the cartel. That way italians wouldn't feel like they are there alone. Make it a multiplayer DLC, T2...

Xzyliac

@Sexualchocolate @mix
In their defense they are consistent.

spineofsnow

Every time I see an Italian person I am afraid of drills. Why, mommy?

Elzam

Godfather? Goodfellas? I guess these guys constantly have their dicks in knots.

I wasn't in the least interested in Mafia II until the demo, and after playing it honestly it looks far more dignifying to Italians than say, GTA4 was to Eastern Europeans, where nearly every character was loud, overweight, and mentally unstable.

AnEternalEnigma

I don't think UNICO has anything to worry about. I don't see Mafia II being a very influential game for anybody. For a game that took 8 years to make, it looks like crap.

Chris Carter

Can't believe no one has posted this yet:

Markusdragon

To be fair, this is UNICO's job.

NingaBulrog

Pussy liberal bullshit...that is all

gughunter

Magnalon, I came here to do just that. Now I got nothin'.

RedWinters

Multiracial Mafia oh gawd, complete with pitch black to sterile white skin tones, and an athletic kid in a wheelchair nicknamed Tommy"wheels"Thompson.

Fo0dNippl3

And the Yakuza series will convince our generation that all Japanese people are violent gangsters that wield katanas.

Chris Carter

@Fo0dNippl3
Actual Yakuza members condoned Yakuza 3 - they said it was accurate, in a good way.

CrispyWaffle

"if UNICO is truly interested in stopping its release, it's unclear why it waited days before it hits store shelves to go public with its complaints."

Very true I wonder why do it now?... So much for being professional. Idiots.

RichardBlaine

@Draxxlith

Beat me by miles to making a Godfather joke.

Mazakrov

What, so are they going to change the members to be of a non-existing race so nobody complains?

pokota

I think the public is not only suspecting, but appreciative. Carry on, Take-Two.

BlinkingPixels

Switch races to, lets say, Irish and I don't think they would be complaining.

CrispyWaffle

...and speaking of Italians why are they complaining about this and not the Jersey Shore?

DinnertimeNinja

I don't understand how groups like this feel they can "demand" things of other people.

YOU HAVE NO REAL POWER.

Ignited Impulse

I work for a similar organization involving people of Vietnamese descent. I would like to stop the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops. It is unfair that every game featuring the Vietnam War involves Vietnamese people.

sickNasty

I'm Italian. Fuck these guys.

Xzyliac

@CrispyWaffle
Seriously you guys, they're consistent. A simple Google search is all it takes. Know what you're talking about before you bitch. You look just as uneducated as they do.

CrispyWaffle

@Xzyliac
I'm doing homework, Jesus. If I was so interested I would have searched but I'm not THAT into it. But thanks for answering my question I suppose.

idesmond

It's only a video game I stop complaining

fetusmilk

Stereotypes are simplified conceptions of groups based on prior assumptions.
so its not like this "mafia" thing is new to everyone.

im not raciest, i just hate humans.

Xzyliac

@CrispyWaffle
Maybe I'm the only one who knows about these guys. I thought it was common knowledge that they were around poopin' on parties.

DinosaurPizza

As for the first Mafia game, The Godfather parts 1 2 and 3, both Godfather games, Grand Theft Auto III and Goodfellas. Those are all fine.

This game though, its crossing the line.

I forsee the release date staying the same and everyone continuing to ignore the UNICO

PenKaizen

I think they have a point.

jawshoeuh

"The game was announced in 2007; if UNICO is truly interested in stopping its release, it's unclear why it waited days before it hits store shelves to go public with its complaints."

This.

"Well, we wanted to let them pour millions of dollars into development AND THEN shut them down for maximum effect."

Budogenkai

Woke up this morning, got yourself a gun.

smurfee mcgee

Doo-WOP

Brandon Holmes

Guys, UNICO is of course referring to the game's opening cutscene!

Vito: I WANNA BE A MOBSTER
Joe: Me too!
Vito: Let's go see our local mob boss and inquire about a job!
Joe: Sure! Good thing we're Italian, because only Italians can be criminals and all Italians are criminals and we're all low-life scumbag Guidos!

How very racist indeed.