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Weltall Zero

Game Developer
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
19,343
Madrid
Overwatch has considerably more diversity than most games, this isn't the game to be disappointed with.

What a weird reasoning. If you are a black woman, that a game famous for its diversity doesn't have a black woman either is a perfectly fine cause for disappointment. Minorities can still care that they are represented even when other minorities are.
 

toastyToast

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,304
A black woman character sure would be nice.

Too bad there are so many other ethnicities represented though. It's like there's literally no room.
 

ThreepQuest64

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
5,735
Germany
Why assume it's "wracked with despair and suffering" level of disappointment then? It's as if you're attempting to exaggerate how people feel about this matter, and then use that as justification to dictate and police their feelings, which seems ridiculous.

And do you not see how irrelevant and condescending it would be to state something as obvious as "Blizzard can't do everything" in response to someone saying they'd like to see a hippie-themed character or beach level in the game? People want things in games, especially when that something (in this case: diverse representation of cultures/ethnicities in the playable cast) has precedence.

This isn't a case of people wanting things like full environmental destruction or a dating sim mode that aren't already present in the game and aren't things that the devs have prioritised. This is wanting a character with a certain background/nationality/appearance alongside an already diverse cast.

What actually is your problem with that?
I thought there is some kind of outrage, which is not case. My bad. It's okay wanting things in game.
 

replicantUK

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
838
United Kingdom
One can say the same for a playable black woman and yet the mere suggestion is receiving a ton of pushback itt

Where is the push back? Not seen any. Although, to be fair I've not had time to review the full thread.

Nothing wrong including a black woman into the game. As long as it makes sense. Nothing worse than token representation.
 

Aly

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,098
Relax. I don't think the hamster was chosen over a black woman.

And what is wrong with including a fun to play hamster character? Nothing.

Not saying it was and there's nothing wrong with it. My point is that including a black woman shouldn't be looked at as for representation sake or an impossible task if they could fit in a Hamster of all things. Yet there are people in this thread acting like it's some sort of outrageous request.
 

Spring-Loaded

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,904
Because the discussion is never made in good faith. Social media has made these types of discussions go from 'hey they do this to could improve' to 'they're being bigots for not doing this specific thing.'

Hell, in another Overwatch thread we had a poster try to bring up Genji and Hanzo's "racist accents" despite one VA being native Japanese and the other being Japanese American.

It's just become exhausting to have these conversations when people are so quick to go straight for the throat. I don't blame those who are upset over representation, what they feel are their real feelings. I just don't feel like the conversation will ever lead to anything better than "let's drag these people for this thing."

How can you not believe people want particular types of representation in games? That it's never something discussed in good faith? I don't understand why you focus so much on the most extreme responses rather than the discussion as a whole.

Like, you're referencing an individual's opinion from some other thread—one person—and seemingly being exasperated over it as if that shapes the entire discussion of Genjo and Hanzo's portrayals.

Saying "the discussion is never made in good faith" completely contradicts "I don't blame those who are upset over representation, what they feel are their real feelings." Which is it?

And why are comments like Austin Walker's in regard to Blizzard's "fumbles on race so many times" such an extreme instance of "dragging" or "going or the throat" to you? Do you think that's a super harsh criticism, or are you ignoring that in lieu of the more fringe, extreme comments? I ask because it's weird to see such concern in regard to gamers' responses to a game when we have instances of devs directly receiving death threats and harassment over puddles in games looking different between previews and final builds.

I thought there is some kind of outrage, which is not case. My bad. It's okay wanting things in game.

It genuinely doesn't seem like you felt that way looking through your posts in the thread. Not sure why that was your first impression either if there wasn't enough evidence that this was "outrage" to convince you it existed in the end.
 

replicantUK

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
838
United Kingdom
Not saying it was and there's nothing wrong with it. My point is that including a black woman shouldn't be looked at as for representation sake or an impossible task if they could fit in a Hamster of all things. Yet there are people in this thread acting like it's some sort of outrageous request.

It definitely isn't an outrageous suggestion.
 

Ste

Banned
Jun 8, 2018
514
England
When I see these posts I start to think that maybe the only way to please everyone is to include a character creation thing in every game. There are so many races on this planet that aren't in most games like Eskimo and aborigines etc that it would be very difficult to satisfy everyone.

Maybe it is time to not show gender or race in some games and have humanoid shapes with a helmet as it will reduce these complaints.

It should save money on the development time also.
 

Ravelle

Member
Oct 31, 2017
17,762
Fans are angry. More at 11.

I can't wrap my head around people getting mad over lack of representation in a game that's just a class based shooter, if it was an RPG in which you played a character I could understand but does anyone relate to characters in a team shooter? Especially one that already has a lot of different nationalities, asking two genders for each representation goes a little far because that would mean every character should have one. They can't grab these out thin air like, it takes time to make characters.
 

AztecComplex

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,371
You would describe Ana and Pharah as black? They're from an African country, but so are South African people who are white. Not all Africans are black.
Don't be disingenuous. They're not white. I know there are shades of black and they definitely land on of of those shades of black. The fact that they're African is a bonus.
 

Biestmann

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,411
Race remains a societal concept, not a biological one. That's why people constantly deny, shift and question the race of some. Ana and Pharah by all means are black, North African women. Even if they don't fit the stereotype some have created for what a black person is. That does not mean, however, that Overwatch could not use more central African, South African women in their cast, or a black woman living anywhere else on the planet. We should be able to ask for and receive all of that.
 

Chindogg

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,224
East Lansing, MI
How can you not believe people want particular types of representation in games? That it's never something discussed in good faith? I don't understand why you focus so much on the most extreme responses rather than the discussion as a whole.

Like, you're referencing an individual's opinion from some other thread—one person—and seemingly being exasperated over it as if that shapes the entire discussion of Genjo and Hanzo's portrayals.

Saying "the discussion is never made in good faith" completely contradicts "I don't blame those who are upset over representation, what they feel are their real feelings." Which is it?

And why are comments like Austin Walker's in regard to Blizzard's "fumbles on race so many times" such an extreme instance of "dragging" or "going or the throat" to you? Do you think that's a super harsh criticism, or are you ignoring that in lieu of the more fringe, extreme comments? I ask because it's weird to see such concern in regard to gamers' responses to a game when we have instances of devs directly receiving death threats and harassment over puddles in games looking different between previews and final builds.

You can feel a way and still discuss in bad faith. You don't really want to have a conversation, but just want to drag or criticize something/someone because of said feelings.

I referenced one example as an example of the kind of leaps in logic to be able to justify their take. And Walker's comments are a bit eye-raising, but nowhere near the level of death threats and harassment. That comparison doesn't even make sense and just tries to devalue the whole point that you can't make everyone happy all the time.

I'm sure there'll be a black woman in Overwatch relatively soon, and don't have a problem with it at all. Hell, I don't really have a problem with people bringing up wanting a black woman character.

I'm merely pointing out that someone's always going to have a gripe no matter what Blizzard does with this game because it catered to someone before them.
 

AztecComplex

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,371
User Banned (1 Week): Dismissive of concerns about diversity and inclusion, a history of infractions
They are Arab Egyptian. The dominant ethnic group in Egypt today are Arabs.
Overwatch is already the most diverse game I've seen in recent memory. Also diverse in ages and body shapes as well. Sure they can always do more and better but, Jesus Christ, cut these guys some slack! Overwatch doesn't have Eskimo or Filipino women either but that doesn't mean Overwatch isn't trying. People sure like to complain.
 

Spring-Loaded

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,904
Don't be disingenuous. They're not white. I know there are shades of black and they definitely land on of of those shades of black. The fact that they're African is a bonus.
I didn't say they were white. I'm using white South African people as an example of "people from an African country that aren't black." You said "they're actual African women..." as if they necessitated them being black, which isn't the case.

And they're definitely not white, but they would not generally be considered just straight up black either. Not that that's a meaningful distinction since race isn't a super concrete concept—the desires of the people referenced in the OP still stand even if you consider Ana and Pharah black. They want a woman who has dark/darker skin like Doomfist, and appearance that's more in line with what they consider black.
 

ShinySunny

Banned
Dec 15, 2017
1,730
They could easily solve this by allowing Efi to pilot Orisa like Dva.
I mean, how old is Dva? 17? 18?
 

Biestmann

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,411
Overwatch is already the most diverse game I've seen in recent memory. Also diverse in ages and body shapes as well. Sure they can always do more and better but, Jesus Christ, cut these guys some slack! Overwatch doesn't have Eskimo or Filipino women either but that doesn't mean Overwatch isn't trying. People sure like to complain.

I know you mean no harm, but the term Eskimo has been considered offensive for some time now. Please use the term Inuit instead.
 

SageShinigami

Member
Oct 27, 2017
30,455
Why do you believe it's an unwinnable situation, as if the only way to succeed is to do it 100% perfectly, and anything less is abject failure? Blizzard can have a really well put together, diverse cast of characters, and they can be one of the best in the business in that regard. They also have areas they can improve in.

Being good or the best at something doesn't mean you're perfect, and it doesn't absolve you of facing criticism. In fact, it's that Blizzard has generally been good about diversity and that they clearly strive for it that makes people believe discussing the matter is worthwhile. No one is going to discuss how Custer's Revenge could have done better at having more mindful diversity and better treatment of its subject matter because it never even tried in the first place.

Why do you characterize the entire discussion as being so extreme?

I can answer this: because it gives off the impression that people are never happy. That even when you're doing good, there's still someone with something to say. I think this is how some progressives lose their audience some time--everyone can identify with people constantly asking for more shit after you already busted your ass, and worked harder than everyone else seems to have worked. I totally get that sentiment, just....not in THIS particular instance, though.

'Cause its not hard to make a cool black woman character (Dishonored 2 seemed to have managed fine) and put her in a video game. And unlike people disingenuously asking for stuff like a half-English/Scottish LGBT character, black women aren't a small portion of the population at all.
 

AztecComplex

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,371
I didn't say they were white. I'm using white South African people as an example of "people from an African country that aren't black." You said "they're actual African women..." as if they necessitated them being black, which isn't the case.

And they're definitely not white, but they would not generally be considered black either. Not sure how else to describe it ...
Whatever. It is what it is I guess. Up until now I always thought of them as black but I guess I didn't analyzed them that closely. News to me then.
 

Deleted member 6230

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,118
Overwatch is already the most diverse game I've seen in recent memory. Also diverse in ages and body shapes as well. Sure they can always do more and better but, Jesus Christ, cut these guys some slack! Overwatch doesn't have Eskimo or Filipino women either but that doesn't mean Overwatch isn't trying. People sure like to complain.
Im not advocating for blizzards offices to be picketed and protested until a black woman shows up in overwatch. Why do y'all take the mere expression of disappointment and equate it with hysterical and disproportionate outrage? Nothing in that Kotaku article in OP is unreasonable and yet here we are.
 

rras1994

Member
Nov 4, 2017
5,742
Race remains a societal concept, not a biological one. That's why people constantly deny, shift and question the race of some. Ana and Pharah by all means are black, North African women. Even if they don't fit the stereotype some have created for what a black person is. That does not mean, however, that Overwatch could not use more central African, South African women in their cast, or a black woman living anywhere else on the planet. We should be able to ask for and receive all of that.
They would be considered Middle Eastern who do not define themselves as "black". It's like when people say Italians or Spanish are PoC when the majority very much see themselves as white. It's not about stereotype but how the people themselves refer to themselves. I don't think I've ever heard of Egyptians refering to themselves as black, it's mostly arabic or middle-eastern. We shouldn't tell others what they are, specially when it seems there's alot of black woman that don't see them as such. We don't get to tell them what is "black".
 

ShinySunny

Banned
Dec 15, 2017
1,730
That was the original idea. Then Blizzard realized it might not be a good idea for a 12 year old black girl to get shot and blown up in a video game.

D.Va's 19 btw.

Safety Pod?
Like if the robot blows up, it would shoot up a pod and a worm hole will spawn in the sky/above the robot, allowing her to safely be at the spawn point while we watch the broken robot body be blown up with similar death camera like other heroes until respawn timer is up.

Easy fix.
 

Spring-Loaded

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,904
You can feel a way and still discuss in bad faith. You don't really want to have a conversation, but just want to drag or criticize something/someone because of said feelings.

I referenced one example as an example of the kind of leaps in logic to be able to justify their take. And Walker's comments are a bit eye-raising, but nowhere near the level of death threats and harassment. That comparison doesn't even make sense and just tries to devalue the whole point that you can't make everyone happy all the time.

I'm sure there'll be a black woman in Overwatch relatively soon, and don't have a problem with it at all. Hell, I don't really have a problem with people bringing up wanting a black woman character.

If you enter threads like this one with the bolded as your assumption, you're the one who doesn't want to have a conversation. As long as you continually doubt that this subject is brought up because people care about it, you will be the bad faith actor you think you're fighting against.

I'm merely pointing out that someone's always going to have a gripe no matter what Blizzard does with this game because it catered to someone before them.

I can confidently say you don't need to do this at all. That someone will always want something or will have an opinion about something is a universal constant across all aspects of life—something that obviously doesn't need to be pointed out, and only serves as pushback against the topic itself, and white noise to disrupt the discussion you mentioned.
 

Z-Brownie

Member
Nov 6, 2017
3,905
give it time, the cast it's already one of the most diversefied i ever saw, I guess they already have plans to do it.
 

rras1994

Member
Nov 4, 2017
5,742
You know what, maybe we need more black women who would give their opinions on the matter.
We do have some stuff in the OP but most people in this topic have basically decided to say they are wrong and don't know what a black character is - which is unfortunate as I feel that last link was put in the OP for people not to do that.
 

Deleted member 6230

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,118
I'm merely pointing out that someone's always going to have a gripe no matter what Blizzard does with this game because it catered to someone before them.
Yeah, no shit. People are gonna have things they want and Blizzard isn't above criticism. What you're doing here is you're pretending that the people asking for a Black Woman character in the game are A) making unreasonable requests and B) are hysterical and disproportionately outraged. Going by that Kotaku article this thread is created from there's nothing that indicates to me that this isn't anything more than mere disappointment. No one is calling Blizzard racist company for not having black women in the game. No one is demanding that Blizzard's offices be picketed and protested until their demands are met. You just have a few people on social media who are disappointment with what could have been and what hasn't happened yet. there's no reason for such a response and in doing so you're purposely silencing people who have that opinion
 

Blindy

Member
Nov 16, 2017
3,929
I always lumped Orisa as a black female even if it's an optic given she was created by an African American(or at least inspired) creator. I would say it'd be cool if the omnics all had human skins but I know people will throw a fit that you would have an dark skinned woman with a horses body as an insult.
 

Budi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,883
Finland
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rude

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,812
Im not advocating for blizzards offices to be picketed and protested until a black woman shows up in overwatch. Why do y'all take the mere expression of disappointment and equate it with hysterical and disproportionate outrage? Nothing in that Kotaku article in OP is unreasonable and yet here we are.
Because they don't want black women in this game and are doing their best to shroud their disdain for anything black by painting a want for an unrepresented character as an insult to the people who work on the game.
 
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