Resident Evil 5 racist as well as unplayable?
We’ve already established that Resident Evil 5’s control system is outdated and only fit for the scrapheap. But could the politically incorrect views of the game also be outdated? Is Capcom really about to release an inherently racist video game?
All the way back in August of 2007, Capcom released a trailer for the newly-announced Resident Evil 5. Mayhem and controversy ensued. Not because the game looked incredible or anything. No, because the game is set in Africa and showing black people as zombies clearly amounts to racism.
Fast-forward 18 months and the release of Resident Evil 5 is imminent. Now, after we’ve all played the demo, most of the attention is being focused on the crappy control system which turns the game from a gorgeous third-person actioner into an almost-unplayable mess, which seemingly seeks to frustrate the game playing it.
But, thanks to a hands-on preview by Eurogamer, that racism debate has once again been thrown wide open.
The original racism debate was sparked by the Black Looks blog complaining about the unfair depiction of black people. The insinuation appeared to be that the game’s developers had intentionally set out to promote racism and denigrate black people. Which I personally thought, and still think is hogwash.
However, review copies of Resident Evil 5 are now in the hands of some Web sites, and the full game seems to reveal a much higher level of stereotyping and belittling portrayals of black people. The defense for the trailer was that these weren’t just black people but zombified black people. So anything the on-screen characters were doing was justified by their state of being rather than the color of their skin.
I’m not sure this excuse actually works for the finished product though. Eurogamer details a few examples of black people in Resident Evil 5 being portrayed as an underclass or savages. And we’re not talking about the infected Majini either, just ordinary African men.
The scenes of something being beaten in a sack or of a blond woman being dragged off by black men aren’t even regarded as the worst, or most-outdated in the game either. There are, reportedly, even more outrageous things displayed later in the game but Capcom has asked these be kept under wraps for the time being.
Villains and enemies in video games obviously come in all shapes, sizes, creeds, and religions. And thats fine because it mimics real life where everyone is capable of doing bad things. But by showing ordinary black people doing unspeakable things when they aren’t necessarily the game’s bad guys does seem a little beyond the realms of what is acceptable in this enlightened day and age.
Could Capcom be aiming for controversy in order to help sales? The company has already lost me due to the horrible and outdated control system but even if that were fixed, I’m not going to buy a game that could be classified as racist.
NB. This article is not an invitation to make racist comments and any deemed to be as such will be deleted without mercy. The commenter could also be banned from participating on this site in future.
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40 Responses to “Resident Evil 5 racist as well as unplayable?”
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February 7th, 2009
ugh… I have heard about this subject way TOO much in the podcasts… give it a rest people… apparently Capcom likes to dress up in white sheets and doesnt like black people…
give it a rest…
I predict that the next resident evil will take place in San Francisco…
*hint* *hint*
and yet no one talks about the poor spanish folks who got massacred in RE 4… pfft… liberal media…
February 7th, 2009
I was originally in the “who gives a shit” camp when this first got stirred up back then. It was just a trailer, and the game was set in africa, to exclude black people for fear of being labelled racist, would surely have ruffled the same feathers…
But if the stereotyping goes beyond the mindless, race-irrelevant zombies, then there may be a point. The bitching back when would have be alarmist and premature, given the lack of detail beyond the 90sec trailer, but this round may actually be based on something. It is not a fine line between eschewing political correctness and outright racism.
Personally, RE4 was brilliant on the Wii, but otherwise i haven’t enjoyed an RE game since the original on the PS1. This topic is irrelevant in my non-purchase of this game, but if there is any appearance of racism, intended or not, capcom has to answer for it, and sales may be hurt by it (if a psychotic Corp can give a shit about a continent that is not known for being a major conduit of Video Game sales.)
On the flip side, it may boost sales in the deep southern USA~
February 8th, 2009
hahahahahaha
nice Jofa… its hard to make fun of racism without coming off as a racist…
anyways… I personally hate everyone… irrespective of their race, religion, ethnicity or sexual preferences… EVERYONE is a douchebag…
February 8th, 2009
“these weren’t just black people but zombified black people”… does this mean an exaggeration of black people in general/stereotypes in real life? Isn’t this what most videogames do with most every character? I remember people complaining about Dead Rising not having enough black people, not just characters, but in the swarms of zombies.
Regardless, the setting of the game is sensitive, and even (especially) if a videogame company depicts it as accurately as possible, there is no getting around the race issue and somebody saying it is racist. If the “hero” of the game was black, people would still complain about it being racist.
February 8th, 2009
I don’t think Capcom would even be aware of such ideologies. As far as I am to believe, racism just isn’t an issue in Japan. Though I suppose you could say they should be a bit more careful. Though I don’t think they should have to, this debate shouldn’t even exist.
I honestly think it is just unnecessary media bashing. If you read enough into any videogame / film you can piece together all sorts of theory crap. You should hear what people have to say about Disney’s work over the years.
I might talk to one of my theory lecturer about this, she would have an interesting take on it.
February 8th, 2009
I say they havent taken this far enough…
next RE… in America… nothing will cause a controversy more than killing “perfectly normal” American citizens in an american city… the dont even have to be zombified… it should be called…
Socialists: Up your ass Capitalism…
TAKE IT TO THE MAX!!!
February 8th, 2009
If you’re gonna set a game in Africa, you’re gonna have black people.
Is Africa now a no go area for games?
February 8th, 2009
Dave Parrack, can you put word in at Blorge headquarters to get Gravatars enabled on here? We are in the new age, get with Web 2.0!
February 8th, 2009
wait wha??
February 8th, 2009
Let’s see if this works!
February 8th, 2009
ZOH MY GAWD!!!
what have you done George??? You has broeKN my innernet…
how do I put in a picture… MY PENIS MUST BE IN THE PICTURE!!!
February 8th, 2009
Yeeeessssss! DWH, go to gravatar.com and get a gravatar!
February 8th, 2009
ok I has the gravatar… now what shall I do??
February 8th, 2009
Just sit back…and relax.
February 8th, 2009
Nice work George, and thank you. Any chance of getting post totals, registry dates, and a ranking system displayed too?
February 8th, 2009
YEAH BITCHES!!!
Look into my eyes and it BURNZZZ YOUR SOULZ!!!
muahahahahahahaah
carl… you do realize a ranking system would put me in the top…
February 8th, 2009
Post total would be cool actually, I’m tempted to put that on my blog.
We must not take advantage of Lord Blorge’s power, for even the mighty Gravatar may still be taken away from us yet if it is not approved…
I hope it stays, it makes recognizing comments and such so much more interesting. I think I’ll change my picture actually.
February 8th, 2009
just click on your name… go through the menus… apparently I have made over 22000 comments…
February 8th, 2009
Haha you fool, that is everyone’s altogether on the whole blog.
February 8th, 2009
ohh… well YOURE A POO POO HEAD!!!
also check your goddam twitter…
February 8th, 2009
DWH, done.
Let’s throw this back on subject, after all that excitement about getting a little picture next our comments.
Regarding how the publicity will affect RE5, it could swing both ways I guess. Gta would almost definitely not be so popular if it wasn’t for its reputation. And when Slipknot got all that attention early on about how ‘evil’ they were, it was possibly the best publicity for them.
But I guess this sort of publicity can only be good if you are racist, or want to know what the fuss is about. So I’m not sure. I can’t imagine anyone who was planning to buy it would be put off though by what the media are saying. It is a tricky one.
February 8th, 2009
best example… Mass Effect…
February 8th, 2009
thought of some more names… Ill post the older ones as well…
jaggamar
noobhax
haxbutton
canihasgame
now Im looking at you guys…
specifically Roy Bourne Arvis Carl and Harry… if you guys are up for it… its not that big of a responsibility… as I said… much more worthwhile than posting the same type of comments every day…
February 8th, 2009
It is a big responsibility to keep a blog, if you want people to read it.
Like I said, if I had the time, I would.
In the future when I’ve settled with a job (hopefully in the gaming industry), I had planned to work on making a gaming blog /community site. I’d come running back to get you all to help me if that happened.
February 8th, 2009
as I said… its not about making money or spreading the word… simple putting our thoughts into a better medium than the comment boxes…
doesnt have to be a big community site either… just some fucking articles about whatever we fucking want…
February 8th, 2009
guess who just added me on twitter….
hahahahahahahah
I feel so awesome…
February 8th, 2009
royzy is super sleuth… he KNOWS how to click on someone elses twitter profile and find other people…
MY GAWD HE MUST BE CIA!!!
February 8th, 2009
Sorry DWH, I’m not going to be around for a few weeks, the Mrs is being induced today, so I dare say I am going to be preoccupied for the next few weeks. I’ll let you know when I am back.
February 8th, 2009
I killed black and white zombies most of them were black. I highly doubt CAPCOM is racist.
February 8th, 2009
ok harry… you let me know as soon as youre available…
February 9th, 2009
BLORGE : Can we give DWH his own news posting to pimp whatever he is pimping? *grin*
As for the hole racism argument. A big fooking *SIGH*
Didn’t see anyone complaining every time a white Englishman is the baddy in an action flick? And think about those poor Russians? Always trying to steal/sell/fire some nukes or a laser.
When will people look at the material and ask ‘hey are those supposed to be normal black guys eating human flesh?, and is the game portraying that as normal real world behavior?’ instead of going “OMGZ TEH RACISM!!’
February 9th, 2009
darkwhitehair,
I’m okay with it… just let me know where.
February 9th, 2009
@harry
congrats.
February 9th, 2009
It’s funny that the topic of racism never came up in RE4. Leon killed nothing but Spaniards and no one had a problem with it. I feel that there is a bit of a double standard because this outing of RE features enemies with a darker skin tone.
February 9th, 2009
Also “Zombies” originated from Vodou… which is an Afro-Caribbean belief. It makes sense that in trying to locate the origin of the T/G-Virus, the series goes to Africa… which is populated by Africans.
February 9th, 2009
The issue now isn’t the race of the people being killed (as it was after the initial trailer was released), but the portrayal of the black people who are not zombies.
February 9th, 2009
I can’t view the Eurogamer link.. I did read blacklooks link and it seems like they over looked Shiva entirely to make there point more dramatic. Yeah, Capcom is trying to incite racism into children and young adults. *rolls eyes*
“This is problematic on so many levels, including the depiction of Black people as inhuman savages, the killing of Black people by a white man in military clothing, and the fact that this video game is marketed to children and young adults. Start them young… fearing, hating, and destroying Black people”.
February 9th, 2009
Next they’ll be claiming it trains you how to snipe…
February 9th, 2009
I’d have to play through the whole game to have better judgement on what they consider to be racist here.
The GTA franchise didn’t help alleviate any stereotypes.
February 11th, 2009
why isn’t anyone bothered with the new Far Cry. same concept, just not with zombies…
it’s dumb to claim racism.