"Wherever we may stand today as an industry, I am confident that we will stand somewhere far better tomorrow." Watch BioWare designer Manveer Heir's great GDC talk about racism, misogyny, and homophobia in the video game industry. The audience gave him a standing ovation.
Earlier this month, a banner reading "Japanese Only" hung inside Saitama Stadium 2002. The incident led to the Urawa Red Diamonds soccer team being punished: This weekend, the team was forced to play in an empty stadium. And yes, the team is being punished for the actions of insensitive fans.
As part of a shopping promotion, Bangkok shopping mall Central Festival unveiled billboards and ads to mark the Chinese New Year. The ad featured a white woman pulling one of her eyes. The text read, "Good to be Chinese." Understandably, people got upset.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qcAgG60d--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19168zg92bak1jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--i9QAZnHZ--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19168zg92bak1jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_NUAjrYa--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19168zg92bak1jpg.jpg, (large)])
Ever read the comments on a popular YouTube video? There is no faster way to strip yourself of faith in humanity. It's a cesspool. And this is coming from someone who writes for the Gawker network. We know a little something about rowdy comments sections. YouTube's is worse, but it's finally about to smarten up.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ZBnQOpCG--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/190v68qodd4jfjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--siLmUFNa--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/190v68qodd4jfjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_dNFkDke--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/190v68qodd4jfjpg.jpg, (large)])
A few months ago a guy reached out to me over Twitter with a common question, but for an unusual purpose. He asked if gamers can create or rename teams in Madden NFL. No, I replied, that hasn't been a feature for several years. His reason for asking is probably why: the guy wanted to create the Washington Whiteskins.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--vPBI2Xwa--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18rx2nvw9gpk5jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--iNVcy3JJ--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18rx2nvw9gpk5jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--fa2tdsmB--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18rx2nvw9gpk5jpg.jpg, (large)])
"BOOYAH. Not racist," exclaims Tiny Tina in the newest Borderlands 2 DLC, out today. It's not every day you hear video game characters discussing racism. Especially those who have had history with the concept, warranted or not.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_l3TZPa6--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18mrt46n09s38jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--n8AWGSkK--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18mrt46n09s38jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---axOE8Dp--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18mrt46n09s38jpg.jpg, (large)])
If I learned anything this past week, it's that some people will find any context in which an ethnic slur is not an ethnic slur, or will find some justification for its use, from the name of a video game to that of a football team.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UCpdaNcM--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18dn9i2mggva8jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JEM_9BLU--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18dn9i2mggva8jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KWRgViku--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18dn9i2mggva8jpg.jpg, (large)])
Dedicated cosplayers will tell you that the real spirit of cosplay is supposed to be about having fun, making friends, paying homage to your favorite characters, and perhaps even about challenging yourself. Even so, some cosplayers demand absolute 'accuracy' when it comes to cosplay: and this can make things turn…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LJtiDNPL--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18dnhvemehiw2jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jhbd0GTr--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18dnhvemehiw2jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sNDjcppE--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18dnhvemehiw2jpg.jpg, (large)])
This weekend, we reported that some players took umbrage with Tiny Tina, a character from Borderlands 2 and how she used "black lingo." Gearbox was receptive to these players, listening to their concerns and even offering to change the character in future updates should they be convinced that Tina's dialogue was racist.
…], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--L8n_K98V--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18ragi3mfusaajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Gp2Pbn-t--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18ragi3mfusaajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Nv5uTLe---/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18ragi3mfusaajpg.jpg, (large)])
Today, an argument broke out on Twitter between Anthony Burch, lead writer on Borderlands 2, and a few players who think that Tiny Tina is a racist character.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bDu7lCTp--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18cokmmsflicqpng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--fcmeEtOb--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18cokmmsflicqpng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tX_gxBTE--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18cokmmsflicqpng.png, (large)])
Meet Reddit user BourgeoisBanana. Like many people, he watched Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained—a hyper violent Western film that deals with slavery. Unlike most people, the movie inspired BourgeoisBanana to recreate a colonial-era plantation in The Sims 3 according to PC Gamer—slaves and all.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--QQsdfyGN--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/1889n4og4e6c5jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--TqX4GxtP--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/1889n4og4e6c5jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--MyzMOX30--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/1889n4og4e6c5jpg.jpg, (large)])
The BioShock games have always had a weightier tone to them than just shooting things in the face. The first game was lightly basted in an Ayn Rand marinade, while the upcoming BioShock Infinite deals with some tricky issues like racism.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1ekN-tYu--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/184bm0wort5nyjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1CdHPDif--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/184bm0wort5nyjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FzR_QUAU--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/184bm0wort5nyjpg.jpg, (large)])
I couldn't find the words to respond to the appearance of that most unacceptable of racial slurs in a random game of Letterpress on my iPhone this weekend. Luckily I found the right letters.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0MLHI5LS--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/182z4vns198gfjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Oj-_m2Ea--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/182z4vns198gfjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--E9k0oLHd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/182z4vns198gfjpg.jpg, (large)])
I enjoyed the new trailer for BioShock Infinite. It's the best look we've had in a while at a game that I've been looking forward to since 2010, when the first gameplay footage surfaced.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--y_eZtPfj--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/181381qhhwp60jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mz8GWfvO--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/181381qhhwp60jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--R8uAS3EK--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/181381qhhwp60jpg.jpg, (large)])
Four of the staffers at the centre of some serious racism allegations at San Francisco developer KIXEYE have been fired, studio boss Will Harbin has announced.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KI9lceYs--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/180z0iju4ouc4jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--GBlYWpm6--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/180z0iju4ouc4jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--f93A6-HY--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/180z0iju4ouc4jpg.jpg, (large)])
San Francisco studio Kixeye is at the centre of some pretty serious allegations of institutional racism, after a person claiming to be an employee wrote a lengthy blog post [Update - since removed] outlining repeated acts of discrimination against he and other black colleagues.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--r-NX9zs9--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17xdc9o8j3suvjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--pY1jy8cO--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17xdc9o8j3suvjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--IId2CjyE--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17xdc9o8j3suvjpg.jpg, (large)])
I played a game over the weekend that changed me into an Asian person. And then a white person. One time I stayed black. That was good, I guess. Except for having to kill the "wetbacks."
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--hpVtAGuu--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17vc8j7pimd5djpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KUclZS6t--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17vc8j7pimd5djpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ygYL3grj--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17vc8j7pimd5djpg.jpg, (large)])
One would imagine it would take more than 130 years for humanity to embrace the ideals of an organization calling itself the (insert number here) Reich, but the destruction of the planet Earth does funny things to a civilization. In Miner Wars 2081 the Nazi party rises to power once more, thanks mainly to its decision…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DD9Jqqa2--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17tu5vvp8ul49jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FBuJNWG7--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17tu5vvp8ul49jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--YwcJeGle--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17tu5vvp8ul49jpg.jpg, (large)])
It only took a week for Gamers Against Bigotry to be defaced by bigotry.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Vcw9ae-2--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17n1ke1kwj34ljpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qik-suws--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17n1ke1kwj34ljpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--q_zzAd6r--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17n1ke1kwj34ljpg.jpg, (large)])
Toby "Tobi Wan" Dawson is a professional commentator for esports site JoinDOTA. He covers DOTA and now DOTA 2 matches and tournaments, and is considered to be quite entertaining. Unfortunately, the commentary he was caught making while playing in a live-streamed public match over the weekend is not so much entertaining…
