Not surprised this wasn't caught as they didn't seem to catch Lorne Lanning being in their show either.
Little Devil Inside has some troubling African caricatures [up: developer response, see threadmarks]
- Thread starter Yasuke
- Start date
This is probably not intentional, not a good look with that mouth tough. Is the studio japanese by any chance?
I'm not sure that's the implication here, but I get that it can definetely offend people though.
Every time there's a case of accidental racism, this is always usually the reason.
The game looked amazing and all and was one of my most hyped titles. I however didn't notice this during the trailer. I do hope that they change it because it would be something holding me back from buying it.
E.g. the maasai tribe. For reference: https://www.africancraftsmarket.com/products/african-masks/Maasai-Mare-mask.html
Are we serious with this crap?This.
Is Aku Aku also offensive now?
Aku Aku is a floating mask who lives in a world populated by talking animals. He is not supposed to represent any minority groups.
Some of you need to understand that it is statistically speaking VERY likely that these will be the only instance of black characters in this game and said instance is going to be an outdated caricature of "savage" African culture.
Unless A) you are a complete asshole and/or B) that particular mask is a 100% authentic African tribal mask that for some reason absolutely needs to be in your fantasy game about a kid who hunts monsters for some reason, you would change it just to remove any sort of connotation to something that can be seen as deeply offensive and hurtful to a portion of your potential audience.
You know the answer to this, why I didn't even bother quoting it
Not surprising
edit: oh this is the game I read about some years ago. That's why the name sounded familiar.
Hope they change it. One of the top games of the show for me, but not a fan of that representation.
THIS
Context matters, look at the rest of the game's presentation, setting, etc. It's really problematic.
I didn't see that, and i think it is important that more people get sensitized about racial content.
I think chinese men with big hats and chopsticks would have been more recognised as racial content, and that is somewhat a problem.
But where lies the border that is not meant to be crossed?
What makes this ok
and the tribal people in the other game not ok?
I think chinese men with big hats and chopsticks would have been more recognised as racial content, and that is somewhat a problem.
But where lies the border that is not meant to be crossed?
What makes this ok
and the tribal people in the other game not ok?
No experience from there but Japan has always seemed bad and last time I was in China I ended up going to a haunted house my brother recommended. I entered the house before realizing that it had completely changed, being dragged in a canoe by "actors" wearing hula skirts and black face while playing minaret samples and then it only got worse. Way worse.
I realize not all asian countries are the same but if I worked for a company that catered to an international audience I'd put some of the budget towards help with diversity, help with the depiction of characters/script and basic clean up. It also helps improving the game.
Sony should be able to sponsor 10-15 k towards that sort of thing at least (preferably more).
I did not bring this up yesterday but as the dust is settling, it is good to see this topic:
Despite my love for the visual aesthetics, there were serious undertones of colonialism on display in that game including the display of "savages".
Despite my love for the visual aesthetics, there were serious undertones of colonialism on display in that game including the display of "savages".
This.
Is Aku Aku also offensive now?
Aku is a wise elouqent sentient mask not worn by a "savage" black tribesmen so...
I didn't see that, and i think it is important that more people get sensitized about racial content.
I think chinese man with big hats and chopsticks would have been more recognised as racial content, and that is somewhat a problem.
But where lies the border that is not meant to be crossed?
What makes this ok
and the tribal people in the other game not ok?
I can't tell what exactly you are trying to point out in this blurry pic, but what makes the imagery in the other game specifically not okay is that it is utilizing age old stereotypes of africans. It does not appear to be remotely authentic. As the game is going for a very turn of the century safari type aesthetic, It would seem they are also using a 1930s racist depiction of what white people back then would have thought African tribes looked like. The big red lips in particular are an example of exaggerated "samba" caricatures that were (and still are) used to demean and belittle black people. This is why it appears to be in poor taste and why people are pushing back on it.
I saw those during the trailer. It is a pretty huge bummer that they have racist caricatures when it was the most intriguing game of the show (and that was a packed show).
Hopefully, they aren't stupidly pigheaded, can understand why these enemies are extremely problematic, and will completely redesign them.
Hopefully, they aren't stupidly pigheaded, can understand why these enemies are extremely problematic, and will completely redesign them.
I didn't see that, and i think it is important that more people get sensitized about racial content.
I think chinese men with big hats and chopsticks would have been more recognised as racial content, and that is somewhat a problem.
But where lies the border that is not meant to be crossed?
What makes this ok
and the tribal people in the other game not ok?
one is appropriation to some degree yeah. the other is upholding outright mockery and long established racist imagery, how do you not see the difference?
also, everyone in horizon is a tribe aesthetic and not just "savage africans"
There was a thread about horizon earlier that was lockedI didn't see that, and i think it is important that more people get sensitized about racial content.
I think chinese men with big hats and chopsticks would have been more recognised as racial content, and that is somewhat a problem.
But where lies the border that is not meant to be crossed?
What makes this ok
and the tribal people in the other game not ok?
Definitely caught that in the initial stream, was waiting for it to blow up. Sucks, they should change it.
I am not sure why the Horizon thread was locked, but between Devil and HZ Sony sure had a lot of games about colonialism to show. (JETT: Far Shore remains to be seen as well). "Forbidden West" absolutely calls to mind depictions of the indigenous west while the US empire was expanding.
Can we stop making colonial cosplay games?
^^
Can we stop making colonial cosplay games?
^^
It's not the only reason. The mask in itself has a pretty questionable design (as others pointed out, actual African Masks don't have thick, red lips), but when you combine that with a person with black skin, short stature and dreadlocks, you get a stereotype straight out of old cartoons that are not allowed to be shown on Television for that very reason.
no, they should be replaced by a totally different enemy concept