Will Zangief be censored in Street Fighter 6?

[boontobias]

Note: I dont think this will happen nor want it to happen. I'm just discussing it since it's a possibility

Recently, Mortal Kombat 11 got an update out of nowhere. It contained 4k textures for the PC version, but also a much more surprising change.

Netherrealm games have had a skin motif called "Kold War" across Mortal Kombat and Injustice, themed around Soviet-era Russian outfits.

In the new update, one of the characters, Skarlet, had her Kold War outfit censored, removing overt Soviet-era imagery. Just as well, the term "Kold War" was shortened to just "Kold" on the store listing here.

NRS/WB is obviously different than Capcom and on another side of the planet. However, there could be a chance that everyone's favorite Russian wrestler 'Gief could get the same treatment. From the original SF6 leaks, the character JP was shown as being from Russia. There's no reference to that in his latest reveal trailer except maybe the red and blue streamers on his stage. Also, some people are saying that his special moves in the Japan version are spoken in Russian but all translated for the English version.

 

[AgeEighty]

Wait, did they remove the Red Son characters entirely, or just change Skarlet?

 

[PurpleMoustache]

Changes to textures/models != censorship.

The government stepping in to demand they change it = censorship

 

[nsilvias]

zangief is just a wrestler not some dude in russian military uniform

 

[Neoxon]

Capcom has been dialing back the Russian parts of Zangief's character in SFV, so they'll probably just keep doing that. Plus Zangief was more of a heroic character anyway, unlike JP who's more of a villain. Even in the leaks, JP was listed as being both Russian & with an unspecified group (likely Nayshall).

 

[Professor Beef]

What overt Russian imagery has Zangief even had in the last couple of decades?

also, this:

Changes to textures/models != censorship.

The government stepping in to demand they change it = censorship

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[MizerMan]

Zangief's current characterization has little to do with Russia nowadays.

He's just a proud "Muscle Power!!" pro wrestling dude who just so happens to be Russian

 

[rude]

Across 4 and 5, Zangief has only had two costumes that explicitly reference Russia.

They already removed the red star from Mecha Zangief in V. And the fur hat with the red star from 4 didn't even make it to V.

 

[Spacejaws]

That new Scarlet looks better. I thought this was gonna be about putting a shirt on Gief or something.

 

[LiK]

Zangief is just "MUSCLE!" now.

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

Changes to textures/models != censorship.

The government stepping in to demand they change it = censorship

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I know this term holds some contention since a few years ago when gamergate idiots started ranting about women characters wearing clothes being an attack on freedom or whatever but I feel like there's no need to play these semantics games. We've been using censorship in this way for literally all of modern pop culture. When profanity is bleeped in music on the radio we call it censorship. When blood is removed for a game release overseas we call it censorship. When the cross was removed from the shield in Zelda it was censorship. Changing a character's design to remove originally intended references to a particular historical event or culture would also be censorship. Doesn't make it inherently good or bad but it is what it is. Nothing wrong with OP's use here and we don't need to let some dumbasses throwing fits about it restrict our use of the word to only "when the government demands the change".

 

[TheMoon]

stop calling things that aren't censorship "censored" challenge failed

I know this term holds some contention since a few years ago when gamergate idiots started ranting about women characters wearing clothes being an attack on freedom or whatever but I feel like there's no need to play these semantics games. We've been using censorship in this way for literally all of modern pop culture. When profanity is bleeped in music on the radio we call it censorship. When blood is removed for a game release overseas we call it censorship. When the cross was removed from the shield in Zelda it was censorship. Changing a character's design to remove originally intended references to a particular historical event or culture would also be censorship. Doesn't make it inherently good or bad but it is what it is. Nothing wrong with OP's use here and we don't need to let some dumbasses throwing fits about it restrict our use of the word to only "when the government demands the change".

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removing curses and blood are literally only done because otherwise those songs wouldn't be allowed to be played on public radio or the games wouldn't be allowed for sale (refused an age rating) in whatever the respective country.

 

[PurpleMoustache]

When profanity is bleeped in music on the radio we call it censorship. When blood is removed for a game release overseas we call it censorship.

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These two examples are… very literally government censorship.

Radio broadcasts are regulated by the FCC… a *federal* organization that has established rules, punishable by fine on standards for broadcast.

And other countries, especially Australia, which you are targeting with the other point… also run their games rating board as a government agency.

The other examples would fall under "localization" NOT censorship. A willing change by the company (in all cases your examples are companies making changes for regions) are making changes to work best with cultural mores… and are *not* forced by government intervention.

 

[jaytothe]

theyre probably going to give his dick poke counter from sf5 a murkin on top

 

[JustTeaThankYou]

When profanity is bleeped in music on the radio we call it censorship. When blood is removed for a game release overseas we call it censorship.

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Those two examples are when something got removed due to pressure / requirements from a third party. Radios won't play your song if you swear in it, germany won't (or wouldn't) sell your game if there was blood in it.

A company making the decision to change the style of something because they think it's now more right isn't censorship, and if people have been using the term that way for a long time (which I would disagree with, it feels like a GG+ thing) it doesn't mean you just have to accept the word no longer having meaning.

 

[Bigg]

As others have said, Capcom has definitely dialed down the distinctly Russian aspects of his character for a while now and he's basically just an Eastern European guy who loves bodybuilding and wrestling.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Make him Ukrainian

 

[TheEchosOfTheCyborg]

Not Street Fighter but what about Tekken 8 and Dragunov given that their VERY explicitly Russian military (specifically a Russian Special Operative) in backstory and design:

 

[TheRyzzl]

Across 4 and 5, Zangief has only had two costumes that explicitly reference Russia.

They already removed the red star from Mecha Zangief in V. And the fur hat with the red star from 4 didn't even make it to V.

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Man I can't wait to see sf6 mecha zangief. It's going to be nuts

 

[Axiom]

It's not Zangief's fault his government sucks, he just wants to wrestle people and/or bears. I don't think there's really been much overtly Soviet about him since the first game, but even there I don't think he's even been portrayed as a bad guy - no matter what Wreck It Ralph, the movie and his pro wrestling character might say.

Terry Bogard is an American wearing a red hat, but I'm not assuming he's MAGA.

 

[N1corex]

they should just make him defect to ukraine

 

[RedHeat]

I think they eliminate his references to his Russian citizenship, but he'll keep his accent and color scheme.

 

[Pancracio17]

I think they eliminate his references to his Russian citizenship, but he'll keep his accent and color scheme.

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Pretty much. Zangief is iconic, but the iconic part is not the description on his bio.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Terry Bogard is an American wearing a red hat, but I'm not assuming he's MAGA.

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Alex on the other hand...

 

[Magneto]

Alex on the other hand...

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I wonder where Alex and Ken were on January 6th

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

These two examples are… very literally government censorship.

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Those two examples are when something got removed due to pressure / requirements from a third party.

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I'm glad that I'm being told my examples are wrong for contradictory reasons.

Both of which are missing my point. Nobody considered this term controversial before it started becoming a sticking point for nerds online and the way we jump down anyone who uses it's throat as if we're always carrying around baggage from reading "vagina bones" on twitter 8 years ago is kind of ridiculous. It's very clear what OP was talking about and half the thread being posts like this:

stop calling things that aren't censorship "censored" challenge failed

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... it's weird to me.

Like the word "censor" is a very common and simple word. It means to cover up, change, or obfuscate. If someone does an interview and asks for their identity to be kept a secret, it will be censored. It does not mean "forced by the government to cover something up, always negative" and I think acting like it does is just as reductive as the people who were misusing it over anime boobs.

 

[Enforcer]

Oh I thought you meant they gonna censor his huge bulge or something.

 

[ultraluna]

Oof, I though they had covered his chest, thank god

 

[The Quentulated Mox]

i don't think it's any big deal

 

[LiK]

Make him Ukrainian

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i like this

 

[boontobias]

They changed Kens voice actor already so give Gief a Ukrainian accent. Thats funny they should

 

[Beanbeany]

I thought this was going to be able a huge bulge or something.

 

[The Albatross]

I don't think we're going to see any significant changes to Zangief.

 

[mute]

Those pics in the OP are on a whole different level compared to Zangief IMO.

 

[JustTeaThankYou]

I'm glad that I'm being told my examples are wrong for contradictory reasons.

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We aren't contradicting each other lol, we're saying the exact same thing, the only difference being PurpleMoustache specifically mentioned the government forcing the change, I just said "a third party" because idk maybe radios make that decision themselves what do I know.

If the government, or Steam, or Sony, or some other third party told the SF team that Zangief had to change then that would be arguably censorship. If the SF team makes the decision themselves because it now makes them uncomfortable (or any reason), that wouldn't be.

 

[Deleted member 61531]

stop calling things that aren't censorship "censored" challenge failed


removing curses and blood are literally only done because otherwise those songs wouldn't be allowed to be played on public radio or the games wouldn't be allowed for sale (refused an age rating) in whatever the respective country.

Click to shrink...

This is a deliberately narrow characterization to make a point: musicians sell edited versions of albums in stores--that has nothing to do with radio broadcast law, and we still colloquially call those versions of the album "censored". Similarly, many games have removed religious imagery for sale in places like North America, despite there being no law that I know of that would impede their sale stateside. This is also referred to as "censorship" (not even getting into the obscured Trish buttcrack in DMC5, but I know you understand the situation).

Basically everyone understands how to evaluate context and I doubt anyone in this thread thinks governments are cracking down on street fighter when the OP asks "will Zangief be censored".

 

[JuicyPlayer]

Just because Putin is terrible having a Russian background shouldn't get you cancelled. I hope he stays the same.

 

[SpankyDoodle]

I'm glad that I'm being told my examples are wrong for contradictory reasons.

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They aren't though, at all. The third party in both examples is the government.

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

We aren't contradicting each other lol, we're saying the exact same thing, the only difference being PurpleMoustache specifically mentioned the government forcing the change, I just said "a third party" because idk maybe radios make that decision themselves what do I know.

If the government, or Steam, or Sony, or some other third party told the SF team that Zangief had to change then that would be arguably censorship. If the SF team makes the decision themselves because it now makes them uncomfortable (or any reason), that wouldn't be.

Click to shrink...

They aren't though, at all. The third party in both examples is the government.

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Okay, fine. In that context that's not how I took "third party", but conceding that small quip, my post was about how that's missing the point anyway.
I think this is a very narrow definition of the word "censored" that we latched onto to combat GG nerds and it's silly how angrily we attack each other over it when... it's fine. The word has different levels of severity and makes no statement on the intention behind the action on it's own.

 

[Moara]

He's just gonna be a russian dude that's really into muscles. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[EssBeeVee]

Oh. I thought this was about removing his trail

 

[Futaleufu]

Just because Putin is terrible having a Russian background shouldn't get you cancelled. I hope he stays the same.

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This

Terry Bogard is an American wearing a red hat, but I'm not assuming he's MAGA.

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Terry is a drunk, butt slapping, rude, aggressive guy from Florida.

 

[Nida]

I don't understand why. Russia is a large country. It's not like he was modeled after a real person.

 

[Ryu bogard]

Maybe they should change his country in his bio to Ukraine and keep everything else the same.

 

[AstralSphere]

He's just Russian. That's it.

What are they going to do, remove him from the game?

Maybe they should change his country in his bio to Ukraine and keep everything else the same.

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But why? He's just Russian. Being Russian isn't pro-Russian propaganda.

 

[Mekanos]

Hopefully not, that would be very stupid.

 

[BloodRayne]

Being Russian isn't pro-Russian propaganda.

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Are you sure

 

[AstralSphere]

Are you sure

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If he was a brand new character that didn't already exist, and was positioned as a symbol of Russia's military with plenty of visual references, then sure.

But he isn't. He's literally just from Russia.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

When a movie is on cable and it has the swears taken out, it isn't "censored" because advertisers are the reasons it is cens- I mean 'fun-icized', not the government. /s

People's attempts to make censorship a strictly governmental thing is always funny to watch. It's censorship. There is governmental censorship. There is corporate censorship. There is self-censorship. Don't tie yourself into a knot to avoid the 'scary' word.

 

[Kreim]

I hate his numb skulled muscle power thing, but yeah that's all he is now.

I kinda wish he could be pro Russia. I mean, that our reality was different I guess. He fit a certain archtype coming out of the 80s, the super proud Russian character. It goes to show just how old the series and Zangief really are.

Instead of making him a moron, what if he was sad gief? I dunno, might be interesting to see him act a bit melancholy about his homeland. That would be too inherently political I guess. But it would be neat if he was able evolve and reflect the times he's in, without having to just pretend he didn't care about representing Russia or whatever.