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Far Cry 4's art is racist and the antagonist is (potentially) gay

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MattyG

Banned
There is no such thing as "look like gay". The guy in the cover looks like a guy dressed in pink, nothing more.
That's what I was thinking. Isn't it kind of offensive to assume that he's gay just because he's wearing pink?

As for the cover, I don't think it's racist at all. The antagonist is presumably coming in and oppressing the native peoples (we don't know the plot yet, but it has been assumed that that is what he is doing), and that is exactly what the cover is depicting. It's not saying anything negative about one race or the other, it's showing us the character of the villain in one quick glance.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
Reminds me of the guy from skyfall. I don't think you ever discovered if he was gay or not and it left you to make your own mind up.

javierskyfall_620_110612.jpg
 

whoszed

Member
How about we play the game when it comes out and then start worrying about it. When we, you know, have some actual context on the matter.

That's also a pretty good example above me. The dude in the artwork strikes me as someone who's super flashy, akin to males on a show like Jersey Shore.
 

njean777

Member
I don't even think he is white tbh, his eyes are slanted (no offense). As long as for being gay, I see no problem with that.
 
What I personally find much more problematic is the glorification of domestic violence that is clearly shown on this one picture. Also, if you look closely you can see that the protagonist is a scientologist which I find very problematic indeed.

haha comments like these are the only reason to keep reading this thread
 
OP avoids answering any serious questions about his crazy OP, but instead replies to some very random and OT comments.

What a great thread.

i like how his avatar is him licking a DS4 in a suggestive manner. i get the reference but it's crazy how a guy nearly fellating a goddamn control pad gets offended at the sight of a dude in pink being a "gay stereotype".
 

CaptNink

Member
No consideration given to the fact that the man kneeling could be the protagonist? After all, wasn't Jason Brody up to his neck in sand at the feet of Vaas on the Far Cry 3 cover?

That would kill the stupid "white savior" argument.
 

rdrr gnr

Member
So the fact that a white villain may subjugate other races in a demonstration of his villainy makes a game racist?

And gays can never be villainous ever? All depictions of them must be flawless and heroic?
Think of the political leanings of the people who dominate these kinds of conversations. They are the type of people who conflate the fictional depiction of something controversial with the most negative, real-world parallel. Once your offensive is established, real or perceived, you frame every request to remove or alter content on basis that it is making the world a better place.
 

Apathy

Member
We know almost nothing about the game, who the characters are, their personality and people just want to assume everything about it from the boxart. Who cares if the main villain is racist, that just makes him a bad person, it gives you more reasons to despise him and him more reasons to do the evil things he does. It's a work of fiction that is trying to tell its own story.

Some people will not be happy until games become "nondescript person A might not agree with nondescript person B but acknowledges that they are their own autonomous person and can make choices that do not agree with their view"

And no, this game will not increase hatred of gay people. If a game could do that then there would have already be increases of hate and discrimination for anyone who has ever played a villain in a game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIsSNEUmc4
 
he looks like he has the potential to be more entertaining than vaas. that's just based on appearance alone though.

vaas looked lame as hell but ended up being pretty cool.
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
What I personally find much more problematic is the glorification of domestic violence that is clearly shown on this one picture. Also, if you look closely you can see that the protagonist is a scientologist which I find very problematic indeed.

Clearly. It's also glorifying flamingo's as a as a superior breed of animal far better the lion the native represents through his lionly posture. This must not stand.

There are images that blatantly represent a certain offensive concept. This is not one of them without context.
 

Kssio_Aug

Member
Yep. There's no argument here. He looks gay on a stereotypical level. From his hair and purple clothes, his ruffled shirt and even the way he holds his left wrist.

They just went about it the wrong way.

And if it turns out that he is not a gay character, can we consider it exactly the opposite? That Ubisfot just teached a lesson, and showed people that the color of a cloth and the posture of a person does not implicate anything?

Because I dont see whats wrong on his posture either.
 

Timeaisis

Member
Calling a game racist for featuring a racist antagonist is akin to calling a game anti-Semitic for featuring Nazis.

The logic presented by the OP is actually really fascinating:


  • By portraying an antagonist as racist, the game is positively reflecting on racism.
  • But, by portraying an antagonist as gay, the game is negatively reflecting on homosexuality
.
That doesn't add up to me. Seems like there's a lot of baggage being dragged in to the evaluation of what message the game may or may not be making.

Didn't you get the memo? With critiquing media we're supposed to err on the side of horrible intentions whenever possible, logic aside.
 

Tookay

Member
The imagery of a subservient "native" kneeling for the white man is definitely undesirable in this day and age. You'd better bring some nuance or underlying meaning to supplement this imagery or you will be rightfully frowned upon. One must be very ignorant to not understand this.

But what if the white man is the villain? How ignorant can we be if we're waiting for some context that would characterize the dude on the cover?
 

MattyG

Banned
What exactly is offensive if you called someone gay???
It's not, but he's assuming that he's gay based on stereotypes of gays. But thanks for twisting my words.

Just so it's clear, I didn't mean that being called gay is offensive, I meant that anyone who is gay might find it offensive to see a character called gay just because they're wearing pink. Maybe it was poorly worded (ans I think it still is), but I was in no way saying or implying that being called gay is offensive.
 

Garjon

Member
I see it as an white man invading a foreign area, taking it over and defiling its culture, as shown by him using the head of a statue as a footrest and the weapons on his 'throne'. He's meant to be a villain and is quite obviously in reference to white/Western invasions and pillaging of foreign lands. This I have no problem with by itself.

However, I am concerned, based on the quality of writing of FC3, that they will fall into the same traps of failing to get the satirical message across and thus end up with a unpleasant, highly racially charged mess of a story. I also seriously hope the main protagonist is not also white, or if s/he is, then they end up making the situation worse. Ubisoft have shown a progressive track record as of recent so I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that they will get this one right.

I did not get gay vibes from the villain at all, btw.
 

liquidtmd

Banned
I don't care whatever quotes you post that implies the Internet agrees with you OP, you just sound like the kind of person that actively WANTS to be offended and pick a fight.
 
And if it turns out that he is not a gay character, can we consider it exactly the opposite? That Ubisfot just teached a lesson, and showed people that the color of a cloth and the posture of a person does not implicate anything?

Because I dont see whats wrong on his posture either.

Hence "stereotype".
 
God forbid a character that I'm most likely supposed to hate does hateful things.

Should we portray Nazi villains as having legitimate motives for their campaigns?
 
I haven't played Far Cry 3 or Blood Dragon, but is it all just getting more goofy like Saint's Row?

Anyway I think people are way too sensitive to issues of race and sexuality.
 
One must be very angry and judgumental before actually waiting to see how the actual game manages it

That's what you get for releasing questionable cover art without releasing any further relevant information. I haven't judged the final product as of yet but considering Ubisoft's previous efforts I highly doubt they have the writing chops to actually handle this subject in any respectful or nuanced fashion. We'll see.
 

MormaPope

Banned
Ubisoft_Montreal.jpg


ixparty108_1201622c.jpg


"Yeah, we didn't even need to wait until E3 to show that CG trailer! They're eating up that box art Mark and Alex drew. Hey! There they are, thanks guys!"

"I can believe how much buzz that got! I was expecting something, but not this!"
 
As an openly bisexual (if we must label it) man with a boyfriend, I'd like to think I know about gay dudes. I'm just saying it looks like they created a character that leans towards being a gay stereotype from looks alone.

My question to you would be, had this character's suit been, say, black and with a tie, would you have mentioned anything?

My bet is no. This whole thing, ironically, paints an interesting picture about your preconceived notions, as a bisexual.
 
I think the main issue here is 1. Far Cry 3 completely bungled its commentary on racism/colonialism, despite having some interesting elements. There's prior precedent of poorly handled topics.

The other issue is this being the choice for the box art. I think the image itself is quite potent - for the record, I think his flamboyance is meant to illustrate his wealth and poor taste, not his sexuality, although I can see why people might be worried he's a stereotype - and could be a great scene in a well-written game. However, it's a terrible image to choose to promote the game as a product.

Think about it this way - the scene in Schindler's List where Fiennes' character casually shoots at camp workers is incredibly well done. Would a movie poster or trailer based around that scene work well as an advertisement? Christ, no. Intense images devoid of context don't work well for this kind of thing.

Far Cry 3 is also at a disadvantage because I'm sure most of the people who are in the middle of the "understands the image is satirical" and "has played Far Cry 3" Venn diagram don't have a high opinion of Far Cry's writing.
 
It must be exhausting to be "offended" by something each and every waking moment of one's life.

What is your end game here?

Do you want to force a creator to change a character or an image (which they have the freedom to make any way they choose to make) because it goes against YOUR ideology?

A fictional character.

You want somebody to change a fictional character because that character's fiction goes against YOUR beliefs.

Is THAT your idea of "diversity?" To squash all speech, opinion and expression that goes against YOUR beliefs?

Why are YOUR beliefs so important? Why are YOUR beliefs "right?"

What a piggish, narcissistic way of thinking (and acting).
 

Chucker

Member
I feel like this is why we can't have nice things. If I made a game I'd probably have to make it look like a 2600 game so that nobody could infer anything from it.
:(
 

rdrr gnr

Member
But what if the white man is the villain? How ignorant can we be if we're waiting for some context that would characterize the dude on the cover?
Context is irrelevant excuse-making, check your privilege. And haven't you learned from the last go-around from that rape sim masquerading as Tomb Raider?
 

sn00zer

Member
Im starting to think its impossible to create any interesting character trait that wont offend someone. Cant have a bad guy that dresses eccentrically, because he might be gay, cant have a bad guy doing something evil, because...racism?
I would love to create a thread where neogaf designs an interesting cast of characters in which it is impossible for someone to find something offensive about it.
 
I just see a gun lord being a psycopath type of villain by playing with the life of one of his henchmen (?) in a very cruel way.

Anything beyond that is just malicious interpretation.
 
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