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[Aj174]

Alright so I haven't read the pages of comments before me but I have a few problems with OPs post, OP, you're overreacting.

Firstly OP is assuming the guy in the cover is gay. Honestly, when I saw this picture all I thought was "wow what an interesting character, I wonder what the story is behind it, I wonder what the story is behind that character". I never thought about the sexuality of that person, ie, I never even thought about "is he gay?".

But OP did. I think this is your problem OP (no offense), but you applied a homophobic stereotype of gay people (blonde hair, pink suit), to accuse Ubisoft of being stereotypical of gay people. The logic just isn't there.

Now what if the character is gay, so what? Why is this a bad thing? Ubisoft created a character, and coincidentally (assuming he is), the character happens to be gay. Whoever is going to think differently of gay people after playing this game with a (potentially) gay antagonist, shouldn't be playing in the first place because they are probably 10 years old. We all have values and beliefs, including those regarding the gay community. Those values and beliefs aren't going to suddenly change after playing a fictional video game based on a fictional setting.

Long story short, you're reading too much into it OP

 

[ricardo_sousa11]

Right, cause that isn't false equivalnce or anything right?

Being gay is such a minor aspect of a personality, that its not even valid. Saying this character is gay because of his clothes and style is ludacris.

 

[Tinfoilhatsron]

That was actually one of the only good scenes from Transformers 3

Well shit, looks like I'm a racist!

What in the acutal fuck? You thought that was a GOOD scene? Not the robots fighting, not the almost

Spoiler

Bumblebee execution scene

, which were the only redeming factors? Well then I guess you are. The first step is to admit your bigotry. (Also there are tons of hilarious comedies with black characters, but on this it was just bleh.)

 

[Chucker]

When you (mostly) only show gay people as villains or punchlines or stereotypes, that is problematic.

You keep saying this but don't post evidence. Punchlines sure, but villains?

 

[stufte]

Stereotypes are bad. Period.

Straight people aren't stereotyped in movies and video games like gay people are, plain and simple. They have the privilege of being the majority in media and having plenty of representation. When you (mostly) only show gay people as villains or punchlines or stereotypes, that is problematic.

Yah. Ok.

 

[Zeyphersan]

There's a few things I've been thinking as I follow this entire thread:

1) There are two different statements that people often mistake for being the same thing: "I'm offended" and "This is offensive." The first is a personal opinion, and one that the person making the statement doesn't really have to justify. It's how they feel, and telling someone how they should feel about something is never going to get anywhere. "This is offensive" is the person taking a broad stance and should be expected to back up with something, because they're trying to make a statement with it. As a forum, let's think critically about this: Was the OP saying "I'm offended" or "This is offensive"?

2) Criticism does not need an end goal, as some people have mentioned. Critique does not always need to inspire change or have some time when the critique is "over," it's an observation meant to present an opinion and hopefully start a discussion, maybe even some critical thinking. The people asking what the OP's goal are, I feel, are missing the point.

That said, the OP's criticism is based on an astounding lack of information about the source, and he's only digging himself a bigger whole with the comments. Just wanted to bring up the two first things 18 pages in, thanks

 

[snesfanboy]

peope are so easily offended these days it seems, it's really sad

i, for one, would love to see some crazy ass villains appear in games

hell, it adds a little extra to it, instead of the same bullshit everytime

i mean, i'm a ginger and i honestly wouldn't give a shit if any game would portray something ginger-related in a despicable/degrading way, it's all shits and giggles, right? some people really need to loosen up a bit...

 

[Astarte]

The outrage is pretty limited to one person I think.

I'm really hoping that it is, but it's probably not. I know some people on tumblr are having a field day with it, at least.

 

[MHWilliams]

Yah. Ok.

Most of those dudes are awesome.

 

[DarkFlow]

I'm really hoping that it is, but it's probably not. I know some people on tumblr are having a field day with it, at least.

You're always going to have a few social warriors take shit like this to the extreme for no good reason.

 

[BennyBlanco]

today i learned if i were a purple shirt and sit in a chair people will think i'm a gay racist

 

[Karkador]

Nowadays it feels like games/movies are walking on thin ice when designing a character, and that is so so sad, cuz we are losing so many creative characters because everyone gets offended by something.

Honestly, I really doubt this is true. Not only have we not "lost" any characters to people's public criticism (because there has never been a significant change to a game character as a result of these types of critiques), but it's not like throwing together edgy, offensive characteristics has ever made for a good character. By that reasoning, Postal 2 has excellent story and characters.

 

[Dr.Bergenstein]

If they made a sequel to this I would be so happy.

Game was surprisingly good (and ridiculous).

 

[snoopeasystreet]

I'm unsure of the endgame for the OP. Lately, there seems to be people stirring up shit for no valid reason and there should be a punishment for inciting this faux-outrage.

The more people jump up and down and see things that aren't there, the more it takes away from the real issues. In a way it's like a game of boy who cried wolf.

Other people that have done this IMO are Patricia Hernandez from Kotaku, trying to say that Ubisoft were homophobic for Spider having a headband that translated to Lover of Man.

Another was Kat Bailey for claiming that Dracula killing a man and then feeding on his wife in Lords of Shadow 2 was actually rape.

It really boggles my mind, I don't know if it's a cultural thing but people need to stop this misdirected pitchforking and focus on what actually matters.

Yeah, there has been a tonne of outrage recently and while it's been for mostly valid reasons, I find it pretty hilarious that no one really gives a shit about the core interaction in these games is mass murder. It's just taken for granted that you're going to kill a tonne of dudes but then if there's even a possible sniff at something other than outright murder going on, people start speaking up. It almost seems hypocritical in a way.

I don't have a problem with violence in games when it's contextual with the tone of the world but in the case of Far Cry 4 (assuming it's similar to 3), the gameplay loop of becoming a more efficient killer by killing is far more of a fucked up concept than the sexuality/ideologies of a video game character.

 

[Master Nairb]

I can see the character possibly being gay but why is the cover racist???

 

[Crayons]

I can see the character possibly being gay but why is the cover racist???

Because it's colonialism, any depiction of colonialism is racist. That's why I threw out my history textbooks.

 

[bequietdrive]

I'm genuinely shocked that this thread exists. Op has just wildly jumped to conclusions and decided to be outraged pretty much for the sake of it. Utterly ridiculous.

 

[TheBaronOfNA]

See, but they release the box art to evoke an emotion in you: desire. It's supposed to give you a feeling of the games they'll show you in the future and push you towards its purpose. Box art as an image is crafted, they aren't just throwing anything out there. This is Uibsoft saying, "this is the best minimum representation of our upcoming product."

Now, anything that can engender positive emotions and can also do the opposite.

Just as you can love this cover, you can decide you dislike it. You have decide it does not resonate with you for reasons. You can even state those reasons, in person, on Twitter, or even in a public forum.

Criticizing an image or trailer related to a game is possible, even if those criticisms may not extend to the final product. The content creator released them. If they wanted to show a different tone, they could just as easily release something different. The image is the complete context until Ubisoft decides to release more.

TL;DR. If you like it, you can dislike it. This extends to teaser images and trailers.

To be fair, you also need to be specially desingenious if, knowing this as marketing, you can't wait to get more context.

Of course you can not like the cover and say why you don't like it... but how you choice to tell this reactions counts a lot. I assure you, that the reaction of this thread would have been a lot different if OP expressed his troubles about the image as others also pointed out in less absolutist matters.

 

[Kadayi]

 

[rdrr gnr]

Because it's a tired trope that misrepresents gay men as a whole. While effeminate gay men exist (and serve an important role in eradicating prefigured gender norms) they compromise but one archetype of male homosexuality.

But as another user said, having an ostensibly straight man who loves cock is just apt a misrepresentation as no single individual embodies the entire spectrum of sexuality or behavior, right? It's the trope part, not the flamboyance you would have an issue with.

It would be far more effective (and, arguably, intelligent in terms of adding depth to a character) to deviate from this type of caricature and offer a less obvious concept than the gay super villain.

Again, it's the caricature that lacks depth, not the actual flamboyance, right? If this is by the same team, I don't think we are getting a Saints Row-type character. But if this antagonist is actually gay or flamboyant or more subtle, he would only need to be half as interesting as Vaas to be compelling.

 

[Dennis]

Oh wow, this is how it is going to be from now on? We drum up hysteria over nothing? What for?

Villain Guy wears flashy clothes - game is homophobic
Victim Guy is 1/16th of a shade darker - game is racist

My eyes are rolling so hard they may leave my head.

 

[Zyae]

including a PhD Candidate in Media Studies named Austin Walker

Someone call the president!



This is such an overreaction.

 

[NervousXtian]

Antagonist is a bad gay stereotype (which sure some people might be that way IRL), OP doesn't like stereotypes and hopes that this isn't a character based on one.

You are stereotyping him as gay yourself.

Which makes you exactly what you claim to be against.

 

[reggie]

You see this thread, you see the Mario Kart thread, and some people still believe political correctness isn't a cancer?

All the professional whiners of today very obviously never grew up with the story of "The boy who cried wolf", otherwise they would understand why these ideas and clickbaiting nonsense do nothing but to muddy the waters and make matters worse. Disgusting.

 

[nateeasy]

Since when does wearing purple equal gay?

 

[JJDinomite]

I guess you could say that this is a FAR CRY from being racist

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Stereotypes are bad. Period.

Straight people aren't stereotyped in movies and video games like gay people are, plain and simple. They have the privilege of being the majority in media and having plenty of representation. When you (mostly) only show gay people as villains or punchlines or stereotypes, that is problematic.

Okay, so nobody who's a certain race can do anything that also happens to stereotypical of that race. Right.

You do realize how inane your entire argument is, right?

 

[Dennis]

"Follow up on Veerender's important tweet: I know FC3 was hugely successful, but a number of the game's fans were put off of a game they would've otherwise enjoyed b/c issues of colonialism, racism, homophobia, and ableism. From the infantilization and othering of native peoples, to the decision that framing male-on-male rape as "especially" villainous, FC3 is filled with troubling content. Please engage with these critiques during FC4's production. This art makes a bad first impression. It reads, at best, as misguided & undercooked. Don't trust the artist or writer who says they're not [whatever]ist. Get consultants. Put in work." @austin_walker

This can't be real. Austin Walker is a satirist.

Or you know, hire Austin Walker as your consult, Ubi. He is pitching hard.

 

[ngower]

But as another user said, having an ostensibly straight man who loves cock is just apt a misrepresentation as no single individual embodies the entire spectrum of sexuality or behavior, right? It's the trope part, not the flamboyance you would have an issue with.

Again, it's the caricature that lacks depth, not the actual flamboyance, right? If this is by the same team, I don't think we are getting a Saints Row-type character. But if this antagonist is actually gay or flamboyant or more subtle, he would only need to be half as interesting as Vaas to be compelling.

I don't have a problem with flamboyant gay men, no. I have a problem with externally defined (i.e. made by hetero dudes) flamboyant gay man. That's where my issue lies: non-queer folks making an exaggerated stereotype that potentially does damage to the people it's intended to represent.

 

[scoobidoo112]

I guess you could say that this is a FAR CRY from being racist

 

[Keirnoth]

You know, in this social climate, I wonder how someone like Russel Peters would fair.

He's a Canadian-Indian comedian that takes the stereotypes each race has and makes jokes out of them, knowing full well that such stereotypes ARE stupid, that they DON'T APPLY to all races, and that it's fun to poke fun at ourselves and each other over something as silly as our perceived stereotypes. His audience are people of all ethnicities that seem to know how to take a joke. Lots of them were young people around our age.

Whatever happened to these people?

 

[Snkfanatic]

I can't be the only one that finds the update at the top of the OP a bit much...right?

 

[spwolf]

Stereotypes are bad. Period.

Straight people aren't stereotyped in movies and video games like gay people are, plain and simple. They have the privilege of being the majority in media and having plenty of representation. When you (mostly) only show gay people as villains or punchlines or stereotypes, that is problematic.

you are the one that is stereotyping here... you are the worst offender right now.
That villain does not look gay at all. Why is he gay, because of the outfit? That seems like very narrowminded.

And since when are gay people shown as villains?

 

[PixyJunket]

I changed my Twitter icon a few days ago to a picture of me wearing a bright pink shirt with a flamboyant quote on it, "Arrive. Show Off. Leave."

According to the OP's logic, not only am I gay, but I'm doing irreparable damage to the gay public.

 

[bequietdrive]

You see this thread, you see the Mario Kart thread, and some people still believe political correctness isn't a cancer?

All the professional whiners of today very obviously never grew up with the story of "The boy who cried wolf", otherwise they would understand why these ideas and clickbaiting nonsense do nothing but to muddy the waters and make matters worse. Disgusting.

I just believe some people seek attention and want a cause to rally behind because they have nothing better to do with their lives. Sadly the internet gives everyone a voice, even when they have nothing worth listening to.

 

[Maintenance]

So if I use that logic if someone makes a villain black he is being racist, since there is not a lot of black protagonist characters? What the hell?

 

[HarryKS]

Serious question and I say this without any malice: Was the thread starter influenced by the concept of "white guilt"?

 

[MHWilliams]

To be fair, you also need to be specially disingenuous if, knowing this as marketing, you can't wait to get more context.

We do it all the time. Trailer --> OMG! Greatest game of all time! Image --> Look at those shots!

That's a large number of threads on GAF. Having a negative reaction isn't really that far out there, especially within the context of our admittedly strong positive reactions.

Of course you can not like the cover and say why you don't like it... but how you choice to tell this reactions counts a lot. I assure you, that the reaction of this thread would have been a lot different if OP expressed his troubles about the image as others also pointed out in less absolutist matters.

But of course, how you present your opinions matters as much as the opinions themselves.

Because it's colonialism, any depiction of colonialism is racist. That's why I threw out my history textbooks.

Classically, colonialism was linked to a racial ideal, putting European males above the indigenous population. That this broke out into issues over races is linked to historical actions, like the British in India or Africa.

 

[Master Nairb]

Because it's colonialism, any depiction of colonialism is racist. That's why I threw out my history textbooks.

Is every one being sarcastic on here, I can never tell any more?

 

[Ilive1up]

i bet there are animals in this game that are used as pets.

sickening.

 

[spwolf]

I can't be the only one that finds the update at the top of the OP a bit much...right?

wow, i just noticed that... wow.

 

[RetroStu]

I swear the world is going mad. In 50 years time, we will be walking around like zombies scared to look or talk to each other incase we might say something that offends someone.

 

[NervousXtian]

But what if he is flamboyantly gay with a lisp? Why is the line drawn there?

Someone should think about the bears.

My bear friends always feel left out.

 

[Uno Venova]

Yah. Ok.

Why is Niko here.

 

[Ape]

The fact that people are calling the character gay without knowing he's gay is sort of strange.

 

[Loud Hawk]

Hold up a minute?

Wearing purple and having an undercut makes you gay? Well hot damn, turns out I'm gay then...

Calling out homophobic stereotypes while making them yourself.


Also on the racism thing. I am pretty sure the "brown guy" is a Gurkha, judging by the military style clothes and the very similar emblem on his chest. All that means is that the antagonist is badass enough to make some off the world's biggest badasses surrender.

Seems like a good game, day one from here.

 

[vg260]

Being gay is such a minor aspect of a personality, that its not even valid. Saying this character is gay because of his clothes and style is ludacris.

Leave him out of this.

 

[Dennis]

Edit: Those of you that are personally attacking people that I've quoted here are disgusting. You really think being racist and homophobic towards someone makes them less sensitive to these issues? It must be a miserable life spending all your time hating people online.

Are you trolling right now?

 

[Suzushiiro]

https://twitter.com/Veeren_Jubbal/status/467079148892979200

.@Brandon_NC_Ward I am sure! You cannot be racist to white people, Brandon!

Aaaaaand any credibility this guy had is gone.

Really, though, can we wait until we see more of the game than the fucking box art to talk about if it is or isn't racist/homophobic?

 

[Effnine]

I can't be the only one that finds the update at the top of the OP a bit much...right?

The whole idea of the thread is too much ... glad others see it similarly ...