In the latest episode of Rick & Morty alternative The Simpsons, guest star Alison Bechdel describes her famous Bechdel test for films: Do two female characters have at least one conversation that’s not about a man? Marge immediately brings up Homer, provoking Bechdel’s FAIL animation, shown here in handy exploitable…
Over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, white supremacists held a rally that escalated into violence. An activist, a paralegal named Heather Heyer, was killed after a man drove his car into a crowd of protesters. I usually write about video games on this site, but today I need to talk about my dad, who marched…
Artificial intelligence is infiltrating our daily lives, with applications that curate your phone pics, manage your email, and translate text from any language into another. Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft are all heavily researching how to integrate AI into their major services. Soon you’ll likely interact…
When you think of a visual novel, you probably think of pursuing super sexy romantic interests (or pigeons). Most of the interactions in these games involve choosing which way to compliment your virtual crush. At first I thought Let’s Meat Adam would be another dating simulator (only this time with goats). But it’s…
Red Canids were set to be a team to watch in League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational, which kicks off today, but now they’re in the spotlight for an entirely different reason. After posting a racist joke to Twitter, Felipe “YoDa” Noronha has been served with a three-game suspension, and a $2,000 fine.
Most pros’ careers end in injury, deteriorating mechanical skill, or just when their interest in competing runs dry. Toronto Esports’ Matt “Dellor” Vaughn opted for a different end: A very long, very public stream of racial slurs during an Overwatch game.
Hello, apocalypteers! Reality is a nightmare, so let’s head immediately into the sweet embrace of pop culture. This week, I explain the many reasons why video games movies don’t work, the difference between Iron Fist and Rogue One’s Chirrut Imwe, what the hell the Super Friends cartoon is in the Arrowverse, and more.…
Racism is everywhere in Mafia III, in a way never before seen in a major video game. It’s gotten people talking.
No-nonsense bans for players who are repeatedly racist, sexist, or bullies? Sounds like a pretty fair deal, but a number of Killing Floor 2 fans see the game’s strict policy as a step too far. Some are refusing to play the game altogether.
Back when Grand Theft Auto V was originally released, one particular theory about race started floating around. According to some players, the cops in GTA didn't treat all of its protagonists the same. Some players thought that Franklin, the African-American character, got racially profiled by cops.
"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.
Mass Effect designer Manveer Heir has a few (very good) ideas. I had a lengthy chat with him about gaming culture, diversity, and the role of creators in making games and companies better for all involved. Go check it out.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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…
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…
