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Denver, 7:38 AM
Tue Nov 10
57 posts in the last 24 hours
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07/30/09
The reason I ask is because I cannot imagine titles like GTA4 or even Super Mario Galaxy as positive tools for "identity formation."
(I would also wager that most games on that list are likely games kids should not be playing.)
Personally, I like to identify with characters that rank high on my Awesome Scale.
Dante? He is a 9. He is RADICALLY awesome.
Tingle? A 3. Needs less of a color palette and more steroids.
07/30/09
As South America catches up economically with the west, maybe we'll see more hispanics. Same goes for India and Indians, the Middle East and Arabs etc.
One of the problems though is that the biggest language market by far though is English (What with the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa etc.) so having a non-enlgish speaking game is more of a missed sales opportunity than not having more Native Americans or women.
Also, calling 50 Cent Blood on the Sand a "title that reinforces stereotypes" is just plain absurd. The game is made by a black man, about himself, so if anyone is reinforcing stereotypes about black people with that game, it's black people. Something like GTA:SA would have been a better example.
07/29/09
1. In most games you can't even see your char so you could be a damn smurf and it would make no difference!
2. I'm sick of this Diversity crap! There is no difference in people just because of their color, it doesn't matter if you're pink or silver, you're in the game to play the game.
3. the stats are wrong, in MANY games out there the players can choose the color of their skin and if there was a bigger market for it then game companies would market that direction. You don't become a big time game maker not knowing your demographic.
4. In most games there are no midgets or fat people, but I'm sure midgets and fat people still play games.
5. When we have put Blacks in games then we've been said to be stereotyping! Everyone needs just just STFU and get over diversity and stereotyping crap.
-Diversity happens without you making sure we have just enough of every color person in every aspect of life.
-Stereotyping happens for a reason because the group that you're stereotyping has a know provable history of doing whatever the stereotype is.
07/30/09
Very true about number 5. Re4 came out and there was nothing. Re5 on the other hand brought some Croal on Capcom's asses. Quiet down Croal, you weren't crying for the last decade when we've been killing white people in our games.
Another point of interest in RE5 is the Africans wearing African clothing. Some people have a problem with this. However, these kinds of Africans have existed, and I believe, still do exist this very moment. There are some things that would be embarrassing about any race/ethnicity, but if those things exist in real life, I don't see why people complain. I'm part Irish, and I happily accept the drinking stereotype and the silly accent.
07/30/09
:)
07/29/09
He might not a great role model, but that is not the question at hand; he is a real person, he is popular, and he is black.
07/30/09
Not trying to accuse or incite anything here, just posing a thought...
07/29/09
07/29/09
It's the language.
What these groups don't realize is that gamers don't really give a flying fuck about what skin color the protagonist is - they care that they can play the game in their native language.
I'm from Mexico and I can't tell you how many friends of mine ask me to buy certain games for them - as long as they can get by with gameplay and not have to read too much. They don't know English.
You want to not have a "missed sale opportunity"? Start offering games with languages other than "English" and "Japanese".
There's a few games that did it, but the game sold unexpectedly low - Heavenly Sword, for one. Or Recently, King of Fighters XII. But the latter is just a pos incomplete game and I don't feel bad it hasn't sold at all.
But at least these people have the right idea.
07/29/09
07/29/09
When game companies try to include characters of any race in all venues of the title, people will peer through it under an atomic microscope and find it racist in their viewing (Too stereotypical, Not ___ enough) or pandering.
But when companies decide that it's too much of a hassle to deal with appeasement and just make a damn fun game, well then it has to be racism that just about everyone is white and any other character who isn't doesn't have enough screen time to give the professionally offended a chance to justify their rage.
It seems you can't really win with PC.
07/29/09
You do enough research, and your end product will be adopted by everyone because it respects history and not stereotypes.
I don't see the same sort of research going into, say, 50 Cent's game.
07/29/09
i seriously dont think that most gamers really care about what colour a persons skin is in a game. if the game is good then i dont care if they are black,white,yellow,red or fucking purple as long as its enjoyable.
07/29/09
I think this is a horrible decision, as the number of cat-owners in the US is rivaling those of dog-owners. It is time for them to be accurately represented. Speaking, as a dog owner, it does get pretty boring.
Let's mix it up, mkay?
07/29/09
07/29/09
I have read your reply, and my anger has passed.
07/29/09
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07/29/09
Fewer white people in games is not necesarily a good thing. Without them, who would star in Damnation? Leisure Suit Larry? Hour of Victory?
Need I say more?
07/29/09
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07/29/09
dead space had a normal black guy same with rainbow six vegas and alot of other games with black people...the fucking media only look at the stereotype games and not the games were everybody is...dare i say it...NORMAL!
07/29/09
07/29/09
True that!
07/29/09
We're all united under the same banner of gamers, regardless of what or who we are, so what is the harm of seeing more representations of that diversity in our games.
07/29/09