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[yurinka]

I think people over-reacts with Resident Evil.

I mean, in Resident Evil 4 you were shooting villagers in Spain. Here in Spain we took it as something good, like always that a game is set in Spain. We even made jokes with the non-Spanish accent, etc. We didn't understood that Capcom considered that all Spanish are villagers, or dumb to shoot.

We just understood that they wanted to include castles, churches etc that fit with the story of the game so it was ok to set this part in Spain or to put some villagers there. And considering the genre, it was ok that almost all were zombie-like infecteds to shoot. Yes, appeared Spanish police and there were Spanish good and bad guys, but it would be ok for us even if they weren't included.

We didn't felt they were insulting us, over stereotipizing, being racist etc.

So I don't understand why there is a problem if they set RE5 in Africa, the land of the humanity roots, to find the roots of the virus. Since it's in Africa, I think it's normal to see a lot of black guys as citizens. They're infected for sure, because this is Resident Evil. There are different sets, in some of them appear tribes. Maybe I can understand this part a bit insulting with the guys with lances and shields. But I think it shouldn't be the case. There was even a great main character from there, Sheva, who is really cool and hot.

In RE6 looks like the virus is spreading all around the world, and there is a part in China. What I think it's cool place that appears for the first time in the genre, something that for me is positive.

I don't feel that they just put a game in a region just because they are racist and want to have fun killing people from there, and I don't understand why people is offended.

I'm blonde, and I don't care if the guys killed in a game are blond, and I don't care the race of the main character. Imagine if the US citizens had to be offended for every game where you kill Americans.

And if there where reasons, why to complain just with Resident Evil? Why not with all the other games?

 

[mattiewheels]

Pretty unbelievable that Resident goddamned Evil has become a series that people can accuse of being racist. So if the series just stayed in America everything would be fine...because mowing down American zombies is fine. But mowing down foreign zombies with a RE hero is racism distilled. They're not even human anymore, if you hadn't noticed.

 

[VerTiGo]

This is so retarded.

New Settings = Racism

Rightttttt...........

 

[Despera]

Is this thread for real?

Judging from all those bans, it's pretty damn real

Thanks, N'Gai Croal. Now we'll have to deal with this for every main entry of Resi it seems.

 

[Sickboy007]

Too much vodka apparently...

 

[Pachterballs]

I'm guessing we should blame ngai for this topic? Its not like 96%* of all videogames aren't white male lead centric? Because with RE games, race... IS now a hot topic.

aka can't have black zombies in ... "africa". never mind that he didn't seem to have an issue with spanish zombies in spain.

*not a scientific number

I don't have a problem with the fact that its "cast of familairs". I hope ada will come back because she was really interesting in RE4 and mostly well written in the RE world. As for race representation; can anyone really say til the game is released; it should have more characters when the plot gets going.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

Just stop the faux-exasperation, there is actually a discussion to be had and acting as if anyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong is really galling.

Why, in a game with 6 protagonists, at least 2 of whom are knew, are all of those characters white? What particularly annoys me is that white is assumed to be the default. Nobody ever mentions that it's just as much a conscious decision to make a character white as it is to make them another race or gender or religion.

Like it or not, the developers at Capcom made the very conscious choice to have all their characters that have been revealed so far white. It's not a particular instance of being offensive here, nobody is genuinely calling Capcom white supremacists.

It's the fact that their underlying attitudes are pretty repulsive. I wouldn't say they're necessarily bad people, just remarkably ignorant. Look at how they dealt with the Resi 5 race thing, completely missing the argument and including white and chinese zombies too. And the inclusion of Sheva, who consciously was half-white with very Caucasian facial features.

Not for the actual arguement here but leons partner isn't white and neither is his female assistant hunnigan. Ada is sitting at about 90% confirmed and we haven't seen the rest of chris squad. Considering capcom is hiding the new guy and ashley/sherrys identity it suggests they are both already known characters since they revealed names to all of the other characters but have intentionally remained quiet on those two. This suggests to me that they are already established characters such as steve burnside or one of the wesker clones meaning race is already established prior to this game.

As for this debate, the op has a somewhat valid complaint but capcom shouldn't change the game just to satisfy certain demographs. I think obsessing over skin color is more of a problem. Most of the main characters in the series are white and fans want these characters to return. Its not racism and I don't think anyone is saying to not have a racially diverse cast just that what's done is done and I don't think they should change the game for those reasons.

 

[Sickboy007]

I'm guessing we should blame ngai for this topic? Its not like 96%* of all videogames aren't white male lead centric? Because with RE games, race... IS now a hot topic.

aka can't have black zombies in ... "africa". never mind that he didn't seem to have an issue with spanish zombies in spain.

*not a scientific number

In that case there was the previous history with animalistic caricatures of africans etc etc, so the complainers had at least a shadow of an argument. This is just...dumb.

The OP is even intentionally inconsequential since from what i've gathered from the reveal thread, Ada Wong will be a playable character. But i've also read here that apparently she's not asian enough.

 

[Pachterballs]

I was going to reply to you; but I'm assuming you're refering to the OP? I agree that his topic is sort of stupid. How is Ada Wong not asian enough? . She runs around RE4 in a typical asian cheongsum (that dress). And even does backflips and shit in it.

I also think that shaved head dude in the trailer balancing on the helicopter is pretty bloody stupid..

Spoiler

day one. this sequel

but bishoptl, those games are nothing compared to the games that have the same stereotypical white male lead. I think there's an influence, but not to the point where Capcom will dismiss every other race just for business purposes.

capcom is one of the few companies on this planet who

a) cast a hongkong/asian actor for onimusha and then the other japanese actor for O2.
b) made the lead in lost planet a korean actor.

 

[WrenchNinja]

Who said any specific new character HAD to be white?

No one. But what am I supposed to say when Capcom does another game starring white dudes? Ignore it and pretend nothing is happening? I dont want Chris and Leon gone but Im just saying it would be nice to have the other major characters being another ethnicity instead of 4 other white dudes.

 

[AmenAmazing]

OMG RE6 coming out

 

[Kuran]

This thread should not exist.

No one. But what am I supposed to say when Capcom does another game starring white dudes? Ignore it and pretend nothing is happening? I dont want Chris and Leon gone but Im just saying it would be nice to have the other major characters being another ethnicity instead of 4 other white dudes.

It isn't Capcom's job to preach egalitarianism.
Perhaps you should pitch to them to have palette swap DLC for the playable characters and/or zombies?

 

[Aselith]

dp

 

[Aselith]

No one. But what am I supposed to say when Capcom does another game starring white dudes? Ignore it and pretend nothing is happening? I dont want Chris and Leon gone but Im just saying it would be nice to have the other major characters being another ethnicity instead of 4 other white dudes.

Well, what about Ada Wong, Sheva and Carlos Oliviera?

 

[kamorra]

Typical Italian

I'm outraged. OUTRAGED

 

[Kaori's Babydaddy]

So I hear that there's a new RE movie. Why?

 

[Sickboy007]

So I hear that there's a new RE movie. Why?

Paul W.S. Anderson's family gotta eat.

 

[Arklite]

To anyone who steps into this thread, before you say something, just answer this:

Is it too much to ask that out of 6 leads in this one game, to have 1 or 2 of the characters to be non-white? Especially when the story is set in other country like China/Hong Kong. Is it too much to ask that another race is being represented out of the 6 lead characters?

Wait, what are the leads? Chris, Leon, and New Guy are playable. Ashley is support, Hunnigan is support, and Ada is rumored? Ada and Hunnigan are none white right? That would be two. Also, there maybe extra supporting cast relevant to the location, like Josh Stone in RE5. We haven't seen everything.

 

[Apoc29]

I don't care what races are represented in Resident Evil. It's a video game, not a society simulator. I play these games to shoot zombies in the face, no matter what color they are or I am.

Anyone who does care must either be trolling or overly sensitive. I'm glad you are fighting for people's rights, but perhaps you should focus your energies elsewhere, you know, somewhere where it actually matters.

"With that attitude, we'll never get anywhere in society!" I really don't understand how including Asian characters will make anything better. I'm not a psychology major or anything, but I don't really see how a person would make the connection that "hey, I get to play as an Asian person in this game. Now I'll stop hating Asians".

If you are arguing that there should be Asian characters because the game is set in Asia and it should be realistic, then maybe you shouldn't target a game featuring zombies and magic herbs. If you arguing that the lack of Asian representation is racist, then you should really think about why this upsets you, and what the actual repercussions are.

I am the first person to make light of the fact there are so many typical white male leads in modern video games, in fact I made a poster a while ago demonstrating that. I don't have a personal stake in the matter; I just like making fun of things. When you spend most of your time looking through the player's eyes or at the back of their head and fending off monsters, things like race are the last thing on your mind.

 

[Raging Spaniard]

Pretty much what Yurinka said. I wasnt offended that RE 4 was in Spain and had no major Spanish characters in it.

Matter of fact I dislike it when a company feels like they have to pander to every ethnicity, sorry but I dont want the cast of Captain Planet in every game.

 

[Parallax]

Well, what about Ada Wong, Sheva and Carlos Oliviera?

Carlos and Billy need to main an RE title in the future. With special guest Regina....

 

[FreeMufasa]

I mean, in Resident Evil 4 you were shooting villagers in Spain. Here in Spain we took it as something good, like always that a game is set in Spain. We even made jokes with the non-Spanish accent, etc. We didn't understood that Capcom considered that all Spanish are villagers, or dumb to shoot.

Let me start by saying I agree that the RE5 racist complaints were stupid and unfounded, but I never understood this argument. Sometimes when people talk about RE5 and racism, posters always bring up "But in RE4 you were shooting Spaniards and no-one complained".

Of course. But lets say RE5 took place in Ethiopia and the main characters was Kenyan. Do you think those that were shouting racism! still would? Of course not.

 

[WrenchNinja]

Well, what about Ada Wong, Sheva and Carlos Oliviera?

What about them? Theyre not in the game as far as we know. Well Ada supposedly is but she's not one of the six possible playable characters shown.

 

[Aselith]

What about them? Theyre not in the game as far as we know. Well Ada supposedly is but she's not one of the six possible playable characters shown.

So it has to be THIS game? Good god.

 

[Shtof]

I think people over-reacts with Resident Evil.

I mean, in Resident Evil 4 you were shooting villagers in Spain. Here in Spain we took it as something good, like always that a game is set in Spain. We even made jokes with the non-Spanish accent, etc. We didn't understood that Capcom considered that all Spanish are villagers, or dumb to shoot.

We just understood that they wanted to include castles, churches etc that fit with the story of the game so it was ok to set this part in Spain or to put some villagers there. And considering the genre, it was ok that almost all were zombie-like infecteds to shoot. Yes, appeared Spanish police and there were Spanish good and bad guys, but it would be ok for us even if they weren't included.

We didn't felt they were insulting us, over stereotipizing, being racist etc.

So I don't understand why there is a problem if they set RE5 in Africa, the land of the humanity roots, to find the roots of the virus. Since it's in Africa, I think it's normal to see a lot of black guys as citizens. They're infected for sure, because this is Resident Evil. There are different sets, in some of them appear tribes. Maybe I can understand this part a bit insulting with the guys with lances and shields. But I think it shouldn't be the case. There was even a great main character from there, Sheva, who is really cool and hot.

In RE6 looks like the virus is spreading all around the world, and there is a part in China. What I think it's cool place that appears for the first time in the genre, something that for me is positive.

I don't feel that they just put a game in a region just because they are racist and want to have fun killing people from there, and I don't understand why people is offended.

I'm blonde, and I don't care if the guys killed in a game are blond, and I don't care the race of the main character. Imagine if the US citizens had to be offended for every game where you kill Americans.

And if there where reasons, why to complain just with Resident Evil? Why not with all the other games?

What did you think of the trailer for Brothers in Arms: Furious 4? I certainly didn't like how all the nazis were portrayed as a blond guys when in reality, most germans at the time had brown hair.

 

[WrenchNinja]

So it has to be THIS game? Good god.

This topic is about Resident Evil 6.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

This has got to be the dumbest goddamn argument GAF has ever had.

 

[Raging Spaniard]

Let me start by saying I agree that the RE5 racist complaints were stupid and unfounded, but I never understood this argument. Sometimes when people talk about RE5 and racism, posters always bring up "But in RE4 you were shooting Spaniards and no-one complained".

Of course. But lets say RE5 took place in Ethiopia and the main characters was Kenyan. Do you think those that were shouting racism! still would? Of course not.

I think the argument was "in this game you only kill black people, thus its racist"

Its stupid, but I think thats where the complaints were coming from.

 

[Alucrid]

*looks at avatar*

well, I don't really care. I mean, there are far too many real issues in this world that I would rather put my anger towards than not being 'represented' in a video game. I will buy it and I will love it. We get that asian girl in RE:RC anyways for you race sensitive people.

 

[iconoclast]

there could be a really good qte sequence when leon gets chased down a hill by a zombie in a wheelchair

This would seriously be awesome.

 

[Sickboy007]

What about them? Theyre not in the game as far as we know. Well Ada supposedly is but she's not one of the six possible playable characters shown.

As far as we know (which is a reveal trailer and a scattering of previews) Ada Wong is a playable character, this told to IGN by Capcom. Are you really criticizing them for the direction of the trailer?

 

[WrenchNinja]

As far as we know (which is a reveal trailer and a scattering of previews) Ada Wong is a playable character, this told to IGN by Capcom. Are you really criticizing them for the direction of the trailer?

No, I thought I was criticising them on using four more white dudes in the starring roles.

 

[Sickboy007]

No, I thought I was criticising them on using four more white dudes in the starring roles.

Thank god there is an asian female then. All is good with the world.

 

[bengraven]

Is Replicant being real?

I don't even know anymore. I'm assuming this thread is a parody of the N'Gai fueled "killing my people" controversy surrounding RE5. Right?

 

[WrenchNinja]

Thank god there is an asian female then. All is good with the world.

I believe IGN as much as I believe my left nut can tell the future. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

 

[Sickboy007]

I believe IGN as much as I believe my left nut can tell the future. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

I wouldn't trust Capcom either, maybe it's a fake trailer!

 

[Nyoro SF]

Capcom is not required to do any racial divvying in their cast if they don't want to.

Nothing about RE6 so far is racist.

Have I covered all the bases with these statements?

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Finally saw this thread catching up through the forum. My reaction after reading the OP is pretty much:

 

[HitokiriNate85]

Leon needs to have his face melted off again. Also, if Chris loses to Javos, there should be a cutscene where Jill's eating at a Chinese food restaurant and she goes, "Hmm, this food tastes familiar... It tastes like... Nah, couldn't be." As the camera zooms in on the Chinese food three times.

Hahahaha. Unban Neiteio.

OP, I hope you're trolling. Why has RE become the series with race issues? It's a Japanese game. How are you even remotely surprised, and after 5, is this really worth discussing again?

 

[udivision]

This has got to be the dumbest goddamn argument GAF has ever had.

Oh, I can agree with that.

 

[Globox_82]

this racism bs needs to stop. If you want it the other way make your own game.

Game is made by Asians, it's their take on this game, boo hoo who cares.

Just as I don't care that main character in Starhawk is black, or that black guy replaced white guy in TM (guy that drives chopper). Honestly who cares.

 

[Jharp]

You really have to sit back and admire the vitriolic attitude people spew at Resident Evil for it's "racism".

Game was made by goddamn Asians, and you're accusing them of some ethnocentric superiority complex predicated on being white? The goddamn series started in America, and like a less humorous GTA, it was essentially a foreign take on American culture. Now what do you suppose other people see from the outside looking when it comes to America? Fucking white people. So that's where the RE story's roots lie and where it evolved from. Caucasian motherfuckers, and forgive me if I don't have a problem with them adhering so closely to the mythology they've established.

Why don't you idiots give the same treatment to Silent Hill? Five games and all white protagonists, with a new game coming out featuring a (surprise surprise) WHITE protagonist! What about Metal Gear Solid? Two protagonists between four games and they're both (oh god, no!) white! The only non-white characters in MGS are relegated to positions no more important than Sheva or Joshua in RE5, or at best Ada Wong.

I'm not saying it's okay for games to feature nothing but white people, but if you guys are so intent on bringing liberal white guilt to video games, there are so very many more worthy battles to be fighting. Why does every Call of Duty/Battlefield game feature a white protagonist? But when it comes to Japanese-made games based in America or on American people, they're going to be informed by the view of America and Americans that those Japanese people have, which is fucking white people.

 

[disappeared]

Finally saw this thread catching up through the forum. My reaction after reading the OP is pretty much:

What's the context of that photo?

 

[Tron 2.0]

You really have to sit back and admire the vitriolic attitude people spew at Resident Evil for it's "racism"...

I think there's an interesting discussion to be had about race in video games, but I think framing it as a Resident Evil debate was a mistake.

Replicant isn't actually the one who made the thread, he was commenting in the RE6 thread and Nirolak split it off.

The whole thing would have gone down a lot easier if the OP was: "The Resident Evil 6 reveal got me thinking, why don't we have more minority characters in video games?"

 

[yurinka]

What did you think of the trailer for Brothers in Arms: Furious 4? I certainly didn't like how all the nazis were portrayed as a blond guys when in reality, most germans at the time had brown hair.

This reminds me a joke of people saying Dragon Ball Z was nazi because of the supersaiyans etc.

 

[Htown]

Having a white character go to a foreign country and kill coloured natives of that land isn't racist as long as the motivation for killing them isn't "you're a different colour to me."

After the American Civil War, and the 13th Amendment that ended slavery and the 15th that made it illegal to prevent a man from voting based on his race, millions of blacks were going to be able to vote for the first time. In response, many southern states enacted laws that said, in order to vote, you either pay a poll tax/submit to a literacy test, OR you could vote IF your grandfather was able to vote or YOU were able to vote before the 1860s.

Now, there was nothing in that law that explicitly said that black people wouldn't be allowed to vote; that would be illegal. However, if the only people who can vote are those who can pay a poll tax (with recent slaves having no economic power), or those who can pass a literacy test (black education ranging from nonexistent to poor in those days), or those who were ALREADY able to vote (in a time before black people were allowed to), isn't that a racist law whether or not it TEXTUALLY claims to be a racist law? Or would you say that it's not racist because it doesn't explicitly call out black people as nonvoters?

Same deal here. Whether or not something is ACTUALLY racist often has little to do with whether or not something EXPLICITLY SAYS that it's racist.

 

[marathonfool]

I don't understand why folks are outraged at the topic of racial representation in interactive entertainment. The wider discussion is important as the biggest market in the world becomes more and more racially pluralistic. White people will no longer the majority in our lifetime. In the next 10 years, there will be no racial majority in our youth.

This discussion is relevant not only in the context of RE 6, but all games in development for the future. In this isolated dialogue, I have no faith in asking one of the most insular ethnocentric societies(Japan) in the world to tackle the changing cultural and racial dynamics of the largest western market.

The question is important and relevant.

 

[Dick Justice]

Jharp hit the nail on the head. It's a game made by Asians, so how the fuck can it be regarded as white supremacist in its intentions?

Anyway, I really don't give a shit about the color of the person I'm playing as in a videogame. Is he white? Cool. Is he black? Cool. Is he Middle-Eastern? Cool.

Amazing how no one seemed to have a problem with EVERY OTHER FUCKING GAME IN THE MAIN SERIES having white protagonists. Chris, Jill, Leon, Claire. But apparently, that's not allowed when they decide to take the games worldwide to other countries? Nothing's better than a token non-white character, amirite?

 

[Lord_Byron28]

After the American Civil War, and the 13th Amendment that ended slavery and the 15th that made it illegal to prevent a man from voting based on his race, millions of blacks were going to be able to vote for the first time. In response, many southern states enacted laws that said, in order to vote, you either pay a poll tax/submit to a literacy test, OR you could vote IF your grandfather was able to vote or YOU were able to vote before the 1860s.

Now, there was nothing in that law that explicitly said that black people wouldn't be allowed to vote; that would be illegal. However, if the only people who can vote are those who can pay a poll tax (with recent slaves having no economic power), or those who can pass a literacy test (black education ranging from nonexistent to poor in those days), or those who were ALREADY able to vote (in a time before black people were allowed to), isn't that a racist law whether or not it TEXTUALLY claims to be a racist law? Or would you say that it's not racist because it doesn't explicitly call out black people as nonvoters?

Same deal here. Whether or not something is ACTUALLY racist often has little to do with whether or not something EXPLICITLY SAYS that it's racist.

Really? LOL. We're comparing laws in the 1860's to RE6.

I have my doubts that Asian developers are racist against themselves by showing white men shooting Asians.

 

[udivision]

Really? LOL. We're comparing laws in the 1860's to RE6.

I have my doubts that Asian developers are racist against themselves by showing white men shooting Asians.

Give the Japanese props. They're being blatantly racist in RE4, 5, and now 6, but since the main character is White, everyone somehow takes this another act of Evil Caucasian Racism. It's the perfect plan!

I'm only kidding, but seriously.