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Yoshinori Ono comments on Street Fighter 5 buttslap and related changes

Moraizen

Member
With all this sexy talk going around, I think it's fitting to share Capcom’s view on feminism in SFV. I wanted to make a thread to share this interview with Yoshinori Ono that came out today, but since I don’t have thread creation privileges, might as well post it here. If someone wants to make a new thread out of it for further discussion, please be my guest.

As a side note, this article was completely translated by me, with some bolded quotes for emphasis. Since I speak native Portuguese, I can assure you that it is 100% accurate:

Regarding the discussion about feminism in videogames and the way the heroines are portrayed in them, “Street Fighter V” has been criticized because of two characters seen as extremely sexualized – including the Brazilian Laura.

In an interview for UOL Jogos, the producer of the fighting game series Yoshinori Ono guaranteed that Capcom wants to erase that notion so that their game doesn’t disturb the female audience.
“Our objective with ‘Street Fighter V’ is to start over from zero”, explains Ono. “We want the professional players and the casual fans of the series to return, but we also want to reach those who have never even touched a fighting game. So we can’t have something in the game that makes people think, ‘This is not acceptable’”.

Originally, the fighter Rainbow Mika slapped her butt during one attack sequence, but the action was removed. That led some fans to question if some kind of ‘censorship’ had occurred.
“We didn’t make any change because of external influences”, reassures Ono. “Those changes came up internally. We decided to remove that because we want the biggest possible number of people to play, and we don’t want to have something in the game that might make someone uncomfortable”.

The objective, according the producer, is to have characters that people like, and not put them off the game. “Probably we won’t be able to remove everything that could offend someone. But our goal is, at least, to reduce that number as much as possible so that they think ‘Ok, there is this issue here, but it is within the limits’. We want that everyone can play and enjoy without worrying about anything else”, he says.

“Street Fighter V” will be launched for PlayStation 4 and PC on the February 16, 2016.

*The journalist travelled at the invitation of Sony.

Source link: http://jogos.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/2015/12/08/capcom-fez-lutadora-de-street-fighter-v-menos-sensual-pra-nao-incomodar.htm?cmpid=fb-uoljog

Update 12-13-2015:

Credit goes to EventHubs. Capcom's Director of Brand Marketing & Esports, Matt Dahlgren, explains in further detail why those changes took place:

"First and foremost, it's a product still in development, so things get tweaked as we go along. If something could be considered ‘going too far,’ then we might have to scale things back."

“We work very closely with the ESRB to make sure we're a Teen rated franchise, and that's the primary, driving factor," he said.
Source link: http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2015/dec/12/capcom-speaks-out-changing-street-fighter-5s-risque-visuals-we-work-very-closely-esrb-ensure-we-remain-teen-rated-franchise/
 

Kinyou

Member
With all this sexy talk going around, I think it's fitting to share Capcom’s view on feminism in SFV. I wanted to make a thread to share this interview with Yoshinori Ono that came out today, but since I don’t have thread creation privileges, might as well post it here. If someone wants to make a new thread out of it for further discussion, please be my guest.

As a side note, this article was completely translated by me, with some bolded quotes for emphasis. Since I speak native Portuguese, I can assure you that it is 100% accurate:



Source link: http://jogos.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/2015/12/08/capcom-fez-lutadora-de-street-fighter-v-menos-sensual-pra-nao-incomodar.htm?cmpid=fb-uoljog
I wonder if they did some focus testing or anything like that. It's hard to believe that someone would draw the line at buttslaps while being okay with the costumes etc.
 

Ferrio

Banned
Well confirms the reason why they removed the buttslap. That's disappointing. How bout the animation change at the end, that change bothers me more.

edit: They really should just redo the entire starting sequence. I feel this was a lazy coverup. You still hear the loud ass smack and the whole animation is centered around it.
 

Breakbeat

Banned
In a world as popularity-driven as the modern fighting game market, you either go for mass appeal or shoot for a niche. It's obvious that SFV is doing the former. There's plenty of booty to be had in some of the niche (cough, otaku) fighters, if that's your thing...
 

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
That reasoning doesn't fit with the outfits and the characters in general.
 
I don't see anything wrong with this. It's a piece of media intended for mass appeal. So, no kidding.

If you include something questionable, you potentially alienate players who find it embarrassing or offensive.

If you don't include it, you don't alienate anybody. You either pander to one demo or attempt to include more people in your target audience.

This shouldn't be a surprise.
 

PSqueak

Banned
While i think the buttslap was overally harmless, i also think that the removal is of no consequence and i don't care for it, in fact, i feel like everyone raging about is being unreasonable, like, i cannot comprehend how people could care so much about it. It's embarrassing that ono had to release such statement.

As in, he didn't have to, there is nothing to be sorry about, this didn't have to be explained, this should be such a non issue.
 

Timeless

Member
It still makes the sound effect, right? All it does is the camera zooms in so you don't see the animation anymore.
 

Warxard

Banned
Still an incredibly stupid thing to get upset about, let alone cry censorship for. It's still in development. The choice is theirs and theirs alone. Any changes are fair game.

wish people so enthusastic of declaring censorship would be as enthusiastic to actually play the game.
 

ponpo

( ≖‿≖)
"we don’t want to have something in the game that might make someone uncomfortable"

Better change the size of all the hands and feet then. I'm omega triggered.
 

Alucrid

Banned
capcom is so brave to know many issues happening in video game industry with regard to how to treat female in video game industry
 
In a world as popularity-driven as the modern fighting game market, you either go for mass appeal or shoot for a niche. It's obvious that SFV is doing the former. There's plenty of booty to be had in some of the niche (cough, otaku) fighters, if that's your thing...

Yeah, because Street Fighter V is short on that sort of thing right?

jpg


2885915-20150615182338.mp4.00_00_36_19.still002.jpg


Please lol. I don't think the mainstream cares about the whole fanservice issue nearly as much as the hardcore gamers do.

Not really calling for the return of the buttslap or anything, don't get me wrong.(I didn't even notice it was gone until GAF pointed it out.)
 

Crocodile

Member
I don't get this. If they are worried about offending people, who would be offended by a butt slap but then still sign off on everything else about R.Mika? She's a "trashy" wrestler who take cues from "trashy" wrestlers IRL. I feel like it makes more sense and is more logically consistent to either let her embrace the trash or to have just done a more significant redesign of the character to being with. Are they going to change her fighter poster too?
 

kewlmyc

Member
That reasoning doesn't fit with the outfits and the characters in general.

Tell me about it. Buttslap is too much, but the rest of R.Mika and Laura to some extent are just fine. Okay.

I don't mind the buttslap being removed, but they went about it the lazy way. Make a new animation, just don't adjust the camera up slightly. Now it just looks weird because the buttslap still happens, it's just offcamera now.
 

bounchfx

Member
In a game that's literally about people beating the shit out of each other, a lady can't slap her own bottom

She can show it off though zoom zoom in ya boom boom giiirrrrrlll
 
Tell me about it. Buttslap is too much, but the rest of R.Mika and Laura to some extent are just fine. Okay.

I don't mind the buttslap being removed, but they went about it the lazy way. Make a new animation, just don't adjust the camera up slightly. Now it just looks weird because the buttslap still happens, it's just offcamera now.

Insert lazy devs * ;P

In all seriousness it wasn't even that huge of a deal anyway.
 

- J - D -

Member
Buttslap seems tame if you look at a lot of the character outfits.

As the models for these games look more and more realistic (despite still being relatively stylized), I think people will start looking at them and those costumes differently.
 
but we also want to reach those who have never even touched a fighting game

They said the same thing with 4.

Don't get me wrong, I think pulling some of the hyper-sexualized shit is the right move. But I just don't buy into the ideal that an old-ass genre, and an old-ass franchise will attract new/younger people. Not in any meaningful numbers, in any case...
 

MattKeil

BIGTIME TV MOGUL #2
Tell me about it. Buttslap is too much, but the rest of R.Mika and Laura to some extent are just fine. Okay.

I don't mind the buttslap being removed, but they went about it the lazy way. Make a new animation, just don't adjust the camera up slightly. Now it just looks weird because the buttslap still happens, it's just offcamera now.

Plenty of time until release to put in a new animation. They just didn't for the update on the beta.

They said the same thing with 4.

Don't get me wrong, I think pulling some of the hyper-sexualized shit is the right move. But I just don't buy into the ideal that an old-ass genre, and an old-ass franchise will attract new/younger people. Not in any meaningful numbers, in any case...

And 4 did exactly that for a lot of people. I know people who have preordered 5 who would never even have had a fighting game on their radar before 4. They are unquestionably dealing with a much larger audience than before, and one that will likely grow larger with 5.
 

Reset

Member
So we can’t have something in the game that makes people think, ‘This is not acceptable’”

We decided to remove that because we want the biggest possible number of people to play,

They should be worrying about the bigger problem then. Ken's face and hair, man.
 

Warxard

Banned
They said the same thing with 4.

Don't get me wrong, I think pulling some of the hyper-sexualized shit is the right move. But I just don't buy into the ideal that an old-ass genre, and an old-ass franchise will attract new/younger people. Not in any meaningful numbers, in any case...

The biggest fighting game series getting a sequel on the number one console (and PC!) only is sure to draw some huge numbers regardless. At least in everywhere but Japan.
 

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
Tell me about it. Buttslap is too much, but the rest of R.Mika and Laura to some extent are just fine. Okay.

I don't mind the buttslap being removed, but they went about it the lazy way. Make a new animation, just don't adjust the camera up slightly. Now it just looks weird because the buttslap still happens, it's just offcamera now.

She can hit OTHER people with her ass, but she can't lightly tap her own. Logic.
 

Ultimadrago

Member
Tell me about it. Buttslap is too much, but the rest of R.Mika and Laura to some extent are just fine. Okay.

I don't mind the buttslap being removed, but they went about it the lazy way. Make a new animation, just don't adjust the camera up slightly. Now it just looks weird because the buttslap still happens, it's just offcamera now.

I'm grateful that they were lazy with it and just shifted the camera.

That means it may be modded back to the #OriginalVision on PC.
 
Disappointed in you, Ono.

But why?

Do you genuinely take issue with his logic: to make SFV more inclusive to all kinds of players?

Isn't that a reasonable ambition?

EDIT (Just so this post doesn't become front-page rage-bait from people missing the ensuing context, I've included the whole thread of replies relating to this comment):

Lauras massive tits, rmika outfit that clearly highlights her tits,, chun li alt where shes barely wearing anything.

But that slap. That is a line we do not cross. Capcom fun police says that was too much fun.

I agree with this. But I also take issue with those things. I'm not sure if you do too.

It's unfortunate, because I really appreciate his reasoning for altering the content. But I think he altered the wrong content.

The ambition is reasonable but this arbitrary line in the sand is not. As others have pointed out, there are other aspects of the game that are way more sexual.

I get you now. I agree, I actually just posted that above you.
 
I think removing the buttslap was dumb. And it'll be even dumber if they don't give her a new animation.

That said, it's fine that they changed the game to draw in a bigger audience.
 
So the internal team was ok with huge breast implant like jiggly tits and g-strings for almost every female characters but they didn't like the camera angle of the buttslap (the butt slap is still there, infact you can see the hand slapping, just not the ass cheek that's being slapped).

This is some dumb shit, I respect devs who are honest first and foremost and this is obviously bullshit. Also they're not starting from zero, this is the same old street fighter with a couple of characters doing a palette swap e.g. new blanka like dude replacing blanka.
 

vocab

Member
Lauras massive tits, rmika outfit that clearly highlights her tits,, chun li alt where shes barely wearing anything.

But that slap. That is a line we do not cross. Capcom fun police says that was too much fun.
 

Needlecrash

Member
This PC bullshit has got to stop. You can have the alternate Chun-Li outfit, Laura's Double D's and Cammy's ass but remove the ass slap? Give me a fucking break. If someone is uncomfortable, then too fucking bad. Stop pandering to people and just make your game.
 

Ferrio

Banned
Lauras massive tits, rmika outfit that clearly highlights her tits,, chun li alt where shes barely wearing anything.

But that slap. That is a line we do not cross.

I found the slap way less sexual than Chun Li's costume. That's what I don't get.
 

Pompadour

Member
I think they removed the butt slap, for instance, because it was easy to do so. I feel like if they really wanted to remove things that were objectionable then whole costumes would have to be redesigned which would take much, much more effort than moving a few camera angles.

I'm fine with the changes but I kind of miss the butt slap, because it was much funnier the way it was before. In fact, I'd rather them remove the slap entirely because it's odd that they still kept the sound effect and everything. The Cammy one was for the best because I don't know if I want to start every match against her looking at her labia majora.
 

Jawmuncher

Member
His comment seems to kind of go against what he said. "It wasn't because of anyone, it was a internal choice". Which is odd since as was said they made a internal choice after letting it loose on the world. I don't care about the matter, their game they can do what they want, but that sticks out to me.
 

Mizerman

Member
So the internal team was ok with huge breast implant like jiggly tits and g-strings for almost every female characters but they didn't like the camera angle of the buttslap (the butt slap is still there, infact you can see the hand slapping, just not the ass cheek that's being slapped).

This is some dumb shit, I respect devs who are honest first and foremost and this is obviously bullshit. Also they're not starting from zero, this is the same old street fighter with a couple of characters doing a palette swap e.g. new blanka like dude replacing blanka.

You have no idea what you're talking about.
 
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