Chances are if you ever bought Resident Evil 5 or Borderlands 2, you did. If you thought that killing black people in Africa and using "oh but they're just zombies" is a valid excuse or a white girl using ghetto talk is perfectly fine by your standards (because we all know how that type of communication is reserved for African Americans and no one else)then i would strongly advise you to check your privilege. Someone even made a handy Android app just for that

The latest example in this despicable trend is now Stanley Parable. Look at this ingame picture and tell me that there is nothing wrong with it. Now i imagine you're all probably brimming with rage so let me just explain you why you should be mad and scream for demanding of social justice in the first place. You see, there is nothing wrong that a grown man is setting a kid on fire, the problem here is his skin color (and i'm pretty sure the situation and public outrage would be the same if the roles were reversed, r-right?)
I bet you're all probably asking yourself what can i do at this point except nagging on the internet while trying to make a controversy out of nothing but! - that's where you would be wrong. With enough commitment and a lot of free time there is a chance that DICE might just hire you to work on a Mirror's Edge sequel with insightful unbiased advices or get a job in many of the Gawker media affiliates - the possibilities are almost endless.
So whenever you see a Black, Asian or Australian character in a videogame you should ask yourself why is he/she there in the first place if they don't have a leading role in providing a social commentary, we don't want you to play games just to have fun, that would be crazy!. Next time you see a videogame that you might like, dont just blindly buy it. Do some research, be sure to overanalyze everything and if that process you tend to separate a fiction from the reality, who cares? It's part of the package

tl;dr
If you buy Stanley Parable before they patch it, you are most likely racist

11 years ago*

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but Ashly Burch IS black, otherwise I agree, where is the button so I can repost this on my tumblr

11 years ago
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Also you should report that to the UN!

11 years ago
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No.

11 years ago
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What's the difference between racism and reality these days?

11 years ago
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These days? "Racism" is something people try to use for political gain, whereas "Reality" is something people try to avoid.

10 years ago
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Well said, good sir.

10 years ago
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So, developers should put only white people in videogames, because that's how the world should look like? I think you're a racist, not the developers who's makes games alike the reality. Also, you're a moron. Oh, and filmakers should not make WW2 movies, because that's fascist. And should not make movies what's shows the world before the ~80s, because in the '50s-'60s, the blacks were not equal with whites in the US. The linked picture is also from that era...

11 years ago
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I think you missed the part where he was being sarcastic...

11 years ago
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Thank god that he was.

10 years ago
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Please, refer to image

A and

B

11 years ago
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lmao, nice one.

11 years ago
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racism is ok I don't see pansy elves being equal to others I say let them only have elf stuff!

11 years ago
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Is that image offensive? yes. Are people racist for buying The Stanley Parable? No.

People did not buy The Stanley Parable because of the racist image. That's like saying if you wear Nike's then you are okay with slave labor. Or everyone who owns an iPhone likes sweatshops. One isn't mutually exclusive to the other. However, I think the fact that the developer is planning on patching the game to remove the offensive imagery speaks volumes that they are concerned enough to not pull a Phil Fish and say "f-you I don't care what you don't like about my game."

11 years ago
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It does speak volumes of how much of a piss ant coward the dev's are. And Phil Fish was in the right, you don't like images, sounds, or whatever in a game, don't play it, that simple. No need to go off and bytch'n'moan about it to others.

11 years ago
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Yes but won't the dev of the said "unplayed" game have a mental breakdown then? Double edged sword!

11 years ago
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Why is that image offensive? It's just a man who's setting a kid on fire... If you're not racist, don't look at his skin colour...

11 years ago
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I find a man setting children on fire a bit offensive. Didn't even consider the kid's race.

11 years ago
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ikr not offensive tho jsut plain wrong

11 years ago
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Its a strange image, and it might bother some people who believe that violent images make violent people. But you're right, its not racist.

10 years ago
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I began reading this thinking you were an idiot, then I realized.

11 years ago
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+1

10 years ago
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Why you so racist xara?

11 years ago
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I think if you try really hard you can find racism and misagony in pretty much anything. Sometimes a character is just a character.

11 years ago
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I do not approve of your behaviour.

11 years ago
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Xara, I'm disappoint.

11 years ago
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Where i may to buy unpatched game?

11 years ago
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+1

11 years ago
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Can someone explain to me how playing Borderlands 2 makes me racist? I genuinely want to know. Thanks.

11 years ago
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Somehow, Tiny Tina's type of speaking seems to mock the Africanamerican society.
I've READ that.. personally I don't seem to recognize any racism in that game - oh and I played it ;P

11 years ago
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I just thought Tiny Tina was annoying all around. Actually, I just thought Borderlands 2 was annoying all around, but that's just me.

11 years ago
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Because only certain races can talk certain ways. That is so much more offensive to say. Jesus Christ I hate people.

10 years ago
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Apparently some people say that Tiny Tina is using "Ghetto talk". IMHO its just stupid.

11 years ago
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What abaris919 said + i would like to add that words used by Tiny Tinas like "oh snap" and "crumpets are crunk" are almost exclusive to afroamerican community and their use by anyone else would define them as a mockery. It is too late now to ask for a refund for emotional damage this might have caused but if you didnt get to that part yet, i would advise you to do what i did: turn the volume all the way down when you get to the missions with Tiny Tina (and subtitles as well) so you won't be negatively affected by her choice of words. After you're done with her sidequests, turn the volume back up, enable the subtitles and you should have your feeling intact. Best of luck!

11 years ago
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I give you two clicks of the tongue in support of this message

11 years ago
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SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone ACTUALLY offended by Tiny Tina has issues, imho.
When I first played the Tina Tina quests, there had not been any debate on her, yet, and it seemed like "crazy-cool" to me. She's like 12, lost both her parents (IIRC), is the best expert on detonating stuff on the entire planet, permanently ADD'ing AND speaking "ghetto". It's just the package that makes Tiny Tina.
NOWHERE in the game there are racist behaviours that need to be made public.

It rather .. astonishes me that you didn't mention Roland being a (black) leader. Pretty much the chief there.
I know, I know...he does die. But .. have you played TTADK ? they do make a statement on all those things. Quite strong statements, in fact..

I don't know where I'm going with this..
It's just there are way more important things to deal with on this planet.. than some freaking chick in a videogame.

11 years ago
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True. But heck SPOILER alert there! Edit the damn post! :/

11 years ago
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Sorry - edited.

11 years ago
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Well.. searching the internet now to understand what "Ghetto Talk" means, and taking into account that I've already did the Tiny Tina's side quests are facts that i didnt get the references nor i have been offened by it personally.

Generally, a lot of movies, tv series and games contain stigmas, politics, and such things. As most of them might already influenced you, I hope you, as much as I am, are old enough to not let those things affect us negatively.

In other words, try to enjoy the game presented to you by taking it as a mere cartoon'ish science fiction. Dont try to search references to real life. Personlly I liked Tiny Tina very much. She is a cute cartoon'ish character for me. Nothing more, nothing less.

I hope others will do the same, and not get offeneded by a mere video game.

As an Israeli guy, I am well aware how far racism can go.

Cheers.

11 years ago
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isn't it strange? "it" being today's society.
I have German ancestors, you have Israeli ancestors - fuck there's been a LOT of damage done.
But nontheless, we both have the same opinion on a 12 year old talking "ghetto" in a video game.
It just amazes me.. history compared to today's standards.

Please don't be offended - I hope I wrote all that right.

11 years ago
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I'm not offened at all. In fact I have several german friends on steam (even an Iranian friend) whom I talk to without any grudges or whatnot.

I find it amazing that our society can leave past things behind. Much credit to the internet ofcourse.

11 years ago
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True, true.
It amazes me every day.. and - ironically enough - this comes to mind.

11 years ago
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Oh, I remember I wached it. Thanks for sharing :)

11 years ago
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Aren't you overeacting at little bit (or are you being ironic? my sarcasm detectors are off right now)? I haven't played the game but Boarderlands is set in a futuristic (and fictional) setting so making such direct comparisons seems a little excessive to me. Even in our society things that were at some point almost exclusively, and often negatively, associated with one group can over time lose this exclusivity and even these associations. For example jazz and rap. You wouldn't call a white musician racist/racially offensive just because he performs these genres, would you?

11 years ago
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if letting white children burn is okey but black not, THATS RACISM!
that image made uncomfortable but for totally different reason. why in the first place is he lighting cigar for that kid?! are we now promoting smoking to young children? if there is some "you have to play it to understand" then sorry but I didnt play it yet. still its very weird. @OP: I see no racism in it

11 years ago
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pretty much this.

11 years ago
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How about

No

11 years ago
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Same goes to feminists and white knights

11 years ago
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Black knight says "This is not OK!"

11 years ago
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That's racist.

11 years ago
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lol

11 years ago
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So you're saying that for me not to be a racist I must first have a look at a person's skin colour before evaluating the severity of their actions? That's so... ironic.
And the picture is taken out of context and thus makes no sense.

11 years ago
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oh - and this.

11 years ago
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By accident? No.

11 years ago
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You're none like the xarabas I've met before...the racism in the world and the games changed you.

11 years ago
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So many people responding without realizing that this is satire.

11 years ago
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It's beautiful in a terrible, terrible, this is the internet way.

11 years ago
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Perhaps but is the developer's removal of that image also a satire?

11 years ago
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No, that's just giving in to pressure.

11 years ago
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What I mean to say is, even if Xarabas is being ironic there is still an issue since these overeactions lead to (self) censoring. There are people who would say the exact same things, if not more, and actally mean it.

11 years ago
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My sarcasm skill is not high enough! Teach me, master!

Seriously though, I'm tired of people seeing racism and sexism EVERYWHERE. It's really damn annoying. And now a dev is being forced to change his game because of that bullshit. Freedom of speech my ass.
But, heck, what the hell could I do? People are apparently programmed to find as many reasons to hate each other as possible. What could us defective types possibly do? :/

11 years ago
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He's not being forced to change. Read the article. Two people contacted him -- politely -- to say that the image made them feel uncomfortable, including a schoolteacher who said that it made her feel that she couldn't share it with her class. The dev thought about this a bit, then decided that the parts that were bothering them were not important to the joke and, especially, that he wanted his game to be accessible to a lot of people (including something that could be shown to kids in school), so he decided to change it.

What exactly is wrong with that?

That's why the OP had to resort to crude exaggerated satire in order to try and get people whipped up into a frenzy about ZOMG VIDEOGAME MAKER FORCED TO CHANGE BY PC COLLECTIVE HIVEMIND, because the actual story is just people being reasonable and talking to each other like adults and a game designer deciding that something in their game wasn't appropriate for their (entire) intended audience.

11 years ago
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So, did you read the article then? I mean- the entire article. In the last paragraph the guy who "felt uncomfortable" clearly implies that he found that image as "racist".

Now the question is this: Did the dev REALLY decide to change the image because it didn't deliver the message they wanted... or did they decide on that because they realized that otherwise the game would inevitably sooner or later get framed as "racist" (aka, the Resident Evil 5 and Borderlands 2 "incidents")?
Of course that depends on how you look at it, but think about it for a moment.

11 years ago
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I'm not seeing it. People have the right to complain, for whatever reason; devs have the right to tweak their product in light of complaints, or to ignore them or whatever. If it hurts their sales, hey, that's what happens -- you have to know your audience (and decide who you're selling to, obviously.)

Why did you put scare-quotes around racist and incidents? Some people complained that those games bothered them. So what? Different people are bothered by different things; everyone has things that bother them and things that they find stupid, and it's not some horrific injustice if people disagree on that. It didn't cause the games to disappear and it didn't seem to hurt their sales.

I don't know, it feels to me like you're the one looking for an excuse to get offended here. The article, at least at face value, just seems to be about people being reasonable, and you're trying to frame it in a way that will let you feel that your buttons are being pushed so you can get upset. How are you any different from the people you're talking about?

11 years ago
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So the image in the Stanley Parable, which out of context seems to itself be commentary on imperialist influences destroying the peoples of indigenous cultures, is some how racist? How about the idea that it's okay to kill white zombies but not black ones simply because of skin color? If a game were set in Russia, and all you killed were black zombies, that would be racist. The game is set in Africa. If you were shooting hordes of white zombies something would seem out of place. I'm glad you're being sarcastic because otherwise I would have to bludgeon myself insane again.

Again.

11 years ago
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Love the phrasing on the main OP.

Other than that, there isn't much to say, stupidity and intolerance is everywhere (hell i can read some of it right here), and sadly there's no escaping from it no matter where you go.

11 years ago
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Ofc I'm!
All hail the German Reich!

11 years ago
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  1. Is that somehow racist?
  2. Is that a reason for suspension?
11 years ago
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  1. Dunno, if it happens, that even if you are somewhat German, you think that all Germans are evil Nazis who should suffer in hell and that they killed black people, than yes it is!
  2. Possible.

Now some questions from me:
What's wrong with "All hail the German Reich?", it just means I wish all hail to the German Reich, which isn't just the 3rd Reich and has existed for more than one Millenium, you are de facto living in it, it just has changed it's name, so why do people think it's wrong to say this?
And why do especially German people like you think the German Reich just existed from 1933 - 1945 and are so afraid of symbols and words, which were abused in this time?
No wonder the world is laughing over us.

11 years ago
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I'm not sure how to express this... I'm guessing "hail" or rather "Heil" (automatically) brings up the thought .. the image .. of millions "sieg heil'ing" Moustache Man.
which didn't bring good - we're clear on that, are we? :P
It's not that I'm offended when people use these troll mechanisms on German folks.
As I was saying.. I guess it raises the wrong kind of awareness.

11 years ago
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Yep, no moustache man intended!
Indeed, people may think I'm serious with it, but that's intended when you are writing this stuff.
I just answered because you are a German yourself. :d
So, we both don't like the moustache man and we both understand the history of our country.
All fine I think? ^^ Except the point that I may get a suspension from a raging mod. shrug

11 years ago
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but, but, it sounds like a nazi thing D:
also you can't be proud of your conutry, unless your country is 'murica...

11 years ago
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Now, THAT was definitely sarcasm!
Did I get it right?

11 years ago
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Closed 10 years ago by xarabas.