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[Kin5290]

The marketing in COD WW2 actually isn't diverse at all, at least so far.

This is dumb, though. Let's wait until the game comes out before we accuse it of using halfassed or ultimately regressive examples of "diverse" characters as nothing but a marketing gimmick.

That said, the nothing-but-WASP American protagonists are extremely disappointing. There were tons of non-white men in the US Army, like Italian Americans or Japanese Americans. Imagine a game following the 442nd Infantry Regiment, a unit composed almost entirely of Japanese American soldiers, who became the most decorated unit, for its size and time of service, in the history of American warfare. That unit, over the course of its service in WW2, experienced a replacement rate of 250%, which is goddamn horrifying.

Also, how the fuck hasn't there been a game about the 442nd Infantry Regiment already?

 

[PSlayer]

Devs can't win either way

Pretty much! Even if it's true,does it even matter? Getting mad at this is like getting mad at devs because they make games for profit and not for pure love.

 

[Inuhanyou]

https://youtu.be/3KQLifOQC_g?t=1m24s

I'm talking about in regards to COD once again, i know some other games have done it to varying degrees

I'd like a deconstruction of your typical world war 2 game that's features a narrative thats more than "war is hell", campaign wise anyways.

Brothers in arms did that a long while back..and yeah, WAW featured instances of that, nazi's begging for their lives in the soviet invasion, people losing limbs, arms, heads, torture.

 

[calavera_jo]

Pretty much! Even if it's true,does it even matter? Getting mad at this is like getting mad at devs because they make games for profit and not for pure love.

Devs can make any game they like. Hell I'm probably going to play it, because I like shooting nazis.

 

[Erevador]

Hmm.... there sure are a lot of Asians working on this "all-white" production.

Polygon is such an embarrassment.

 

[Lady Gaia]

Hmm.... there sure are a lot of Asians working on this "all-white" production.

Polygon is such an embarrassment.

Again, the article is pretty clearly referring to the stage production where an all-white group introduced the game and waxed lyrical about the importance of diversity. The fact that nobody stopped to ask why not one of the presenters reflected the diversity they were talking about suggests that they think of it as important to their customers, but that it's not something they're particularly self-aware about.

So yes, the presentation was somewhat tone deaf, and that what the article is about. It's quite possible that the product and development team are a very different story. The article also acknowledged this, at least in terms of the forthcoming product. The headline is the real cringeworthy part. It's definitely in the click-bait category and misrepresents the point of the article.

GAF is an embarrassment on a more regular basis than Polygon, and isn't particularly self-aware about it.

 

[nynt9]

Again, the article is pretty clearly referring to the stage production where an all-white group introduced the game and waxed lyrical about the importance of diversity. The fact that nobody stopped to ask why not one of the presenters reflected the diversity they were talking about suggests that they think of it as important to their customers, but that it's not something they're particularly self-aware about.

So yes, the presentation was somewhat tone deaf, and that what the article is about. It's quite possible that the product and development team are a very different story. The article also acknowledged this, at least in terms of the forthcoming product. The headline is the real cringeworthy part. It's definitely in the click-bait category and misrepresents the point of the article.

GAF is an embarrassment on a more regular basis than Polygon, and isn't particularly self-aware about it.

Yeah, no. The only real embarrassment here is you. See this post:

You can have a discussion, but this article fucking terrible. It's poorly researched, as at the time it states that it's unknown if minorities and women would even be playable even though it was already confirmed that at least one of the playable characters would be female. The comment about the racial makeup of the development team is also garbage, because even if they didn't watch the dev doc that was featured in the same stream as the trailer, the least they could've done was go to their Instagram account

That was posted five days ago. Do some basic research before writing an article like this because it may make you step back and realize that you're jumping to conclusions.

Keep defending Polygon's garbage though.

 

[onken]

Polygon basically invented the "controversy for clicks" style gaming journalism so I don't know why anyone would be surprised at this.

 

[Moon_frogger]

Well, they are kind of right lol. I'm not sure why everybody keeps posting a picture of a person of colour who happens to be working on the game like that's some sort of check mate 'gotcha' moment lol. There is definitely such a thing as paying lip service and checking the diversity checkbox. I guess we'll see if it's handled well or a complete disaster but does anybody really have any faith that this is anything other than some bottom of the barrel pandering? I mean, id love to see a call of duty that has a woman or person of colour as the main protagonist. Has that been done? If it has and I missed it then I apologize.

 

[Falchion]

They've really been on a huge clickbait streak lately.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

They've really been on a huge clickbait streak lately.

"Lately"

 

[cLOUDo]

COD WWII’s ‘diversity’ is nothing more than marketing

Like 80% of the games in the latest years

 

[Moon_frogger]

Like 80% of the games in the latest years

Well yeah but as the owner of the most successful entertainment franchise ever I think they should be held to a higher standard then 80 percent of published games. Blizzard are huge as well and they don't have a diversity problem.

 

[firehawk12]

Hey, if they let you play as a non-white male in multiplayer, it's already better than DICE at least. lol

 

[proto]

Again, the article is pretty clearly referring to the stage production where an all-white group introduced the game and waxed lyrical about the importance of diversity. The fact that nobody stopped to ask why not one of the presenters reflected the diversity they were talking about suggests that they think of it as important to their customers, but that it's not something they're particularly self-aware about.

So yes, the presentation was somewhat tone deaf, and that what the article is about. It's quite possible that the product and development team are a very different story. The article also acknowledged this, at least in terms of the forthcoming product. The headline is the real cringeworthy part. It's definitely in the click-bait category and misrepresents the point of the article.

GAF is an embarrassment on a more regular basis than Polygon, and isn't particularly self-aware about it.

Definitely agree. You don't need to watch too much of the video to see what Polygon is talking about. Case in point:

https://youtu.be/n2wNC5TYjyw?t=53m13s

There's a twitter question about who you'll be able to play as and at one point he starts listing out different diversities like he's going through a checklist in his head. Granted this livestream shit is useless and tiring for the presenters but c'mon you gotta be more tactful if you're pandering for diversity.

We're not saying that the devs aren't sincere in their efforts to promote diversity through the game, but their marketing is pretty tone-deaf. I mean just listen to this.

https://youtu.be/n2wNC5TYjyw?t=25m17s

 

[Bloodporne]

What is this, Yale Graduates of 1959 meeting, right Polygon lulz?!?!

Embarrassing and poor.

 

[SolidSnakex]

They posted a pic of their whole dev team on Twitter

 

[tearsintherain]

Polygon article tomorrow: Sledgehammer studio only allows black or white t-shirts, other colors not welcome

 

[BronsonLee]

Polygon basically invented the "controversy for clicks" style gaming journalism so I don't know why anyone would be surprised at this.

They've really been on a huge clickbait streak lately.

Wasn't Polygon the site that got started with 250k in Microsoft money, and then they did some stupid documentary that showed Gies getting a tattoo for some reason

 

[Lightbreaker]

They posted a pic of their whole dev team on Twitter

We shouldn't be hard on Polygon, race baiting and trolling is big business this year.

 

[SirClinksAlot]

Wasn't Polygon the site that got started with 250k in Microsoft money, and then they did some stupid documentary that showed Gies getting a tattoo for some reason

Yeah it was. It was really bad.

 

[funkystudent]

Wasn't Polygon the site that got started with 250k in Microsoft money, and then they did some stupid documentary that showed Gies getting a tattoo for some reason

They have been pompous asshats since day 1 but they atleast had a decent editorial direction for the most part during the early years.

The last few years though. They took a real hard turn and never changed course. I think I remember they got rid of some important staff and maybe Vox had to change some standards once the early money dried up. They went full Brian Crecente and you should never go full Crecente

 

[MoogleMan]

Devs can't win either way

Pretty much.

 

[ultratruman]

identity politics eating its own tail as usual

sick of videogame writers trying to justify their bachelors degree with pedantic crusades like this; the sad thing is some devs actually listen to them.

 

[Lightbreaker]

What this? Your Polygon is evolving!

Congratulations, your Polygon evolved into a Baiter!

 

[funkystudent]

Nm

 

[bigpumbaa]

Wonder what the collective market/response would be for Call of Duty: Tuskegee.

Wonder if NeoGaf would scream "identity politics" or post pictures of the dev team then.

Wonder what it feels like to have nearly every main character in everything be at or near your race/color/background.

Don't have to wonder what it feels like to be called out as a "feature," tho...

Also don't have to wonder what it feels like to have someone in a game speak my language and feel authentically a part of the universe (one of the first times was Sombra in Overwatch. And I'm 32.)

 

[DaciaJC]

Hey, if they let you play as a non-white male in multiplayer, it's already better than DICE at least. lol

Black soldiers have been featured in Battlefield multiplayer as far back as BF2 in 2005, or possibly earlier with BF: Vietnam (but I'm not entirely sure).

 

[meltingparappa]

I am grateful that Owen Good, a white male himself, is so readily eager to throw women and minority game developers under the bus just to co-author so superfluous an article.

 

[Lightbreaker]

I am grateful that Owen Good, a white male himself, is so readily eager to throw women and minority game developers under the bus just to co-author so superfluous an article.

The thing is, Owen and the people who have same traits as him would sell out their own kind as long it ensures them success.

 

[Steiner_Zi]

That said, the nothing-but-WASP American protagonists are extremely disappointing. There were tons of non-white men in the US Army, like Italian Americans or Japanese Americans.

Since when are Italians not considered white? Lol

 

[Chumley]

Bruh. Ironcreed trotted out some "anti-white sentiment" bullshit got rightfully called out by other posters then threw a tantrum.

Getting dogpiled on by anonymous strangers via text, a medium ripe with misunderstanding, is an enraging experience for anyone. I don't think Ironcreed is a racist, for what it's worth, I think he/she was trying to make a point and then lost the plot once people jumped all over the offending posts.

I do think there's something profoundly sad about a poster who's been here for years getting discarded like that in a moments notice. I often times think the people who interact with each other here don't actually care at all about the other people they're interacting with. Like, what's the point of any of it if after all these years everyone is still just a stranger? There's such an inherent lack of humanity to it all.

 

[Einchy]

How did this article not get updated with a comment saying, "disregard all that bullshit you just read".

 

[Kin5290]

Since when are Italians not considered white? Lol

They weren't really in the 40s, at least compared to Midwestern farm boy WASPs, but at the same time there weren't segregated into their own units like black soldiers. There's no reason why an American infantry unit would only include lily white WASP characters.

 

[Slayven]

No, I am all for diversity. I simply think all of this anti-white shit going on flies in the face of that and represents the very thing we are supposed to be against. This article being a good example.

I never said that calls for diversity are bad, so I don't know where you are getting that. Merely the hateful anti-white sentiment, which is pretty loud these days from some folks and represents the very thing we are supposed to be against. Articles like this being a good example, as it paints having all white guys unveiling a game and talking about diversity as a negative, whereas that should not matter at all to one were they truly 'inclusive.'

At any rate, they are clearly wrong here. Which is par for the course when it comes to Polygon. I'll not deviate from the topic further and will be moving on from it.

Getting dogpiled on by anonymous strangers via text, a medium ripe with misunderstanding, is an enraging experience for anyone. I don't think Ironcreed is a racist, for what it's worth, I think he/she was trying to make a point and then lost the plot once people jumped all over the offending posts.

I do think there's something profoundly sad about a poster who's been here for years getting discarded like that in a moments notice. I often times think the people who interact with each other here don't actually care at all about the other people they're interacting with. Like, what's the point of any of it if after all these years everyone is still just a stranger? There's such an inherent lack of humanity to it all.

Where is the misunderstanding, seems pretty clear. There is a reson that typing in "Diversity and Anti White" brings up Stormfront and the like

 

[Megalosaro]

Hmm.... there sure are a lot of Asians working on this "all-white" production.

Polygon is such an embarrassment.

Jesus christ that dev staff is young. They're fucking kids.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Jesus christ that dev staff is young. They're fucking kids.

They are my age yeah. I don't think the old white men stereotype applies here. And endangers actual social justice advocates online because alt righters and other people see this kind of aggressive overreaction and it gives them ammo to convert more follwers

 

[wandering]

You're all heart.

I was of course, referring to the US forces and btw, altering history in an entertainment product that claims to be historically accurate is something that should never occur.

What's next, altering history in schools?

Well shit, I guess the 442nd really isn't the most decorated regiment in American history.

 

[Tookay]

Since when are Italians not considered white? Lol

Italians, Slavs, Hungarians, and Eastern Europeans weren't considered white in the same way as WASPs and were frequently discriminated against up until the mid-20th century.

 

[Whom_Gods_Annoy]

Trash article. I doubt ill ever be on board for inserting women or POC into armies or fronts where they barely or didn't exist, but I think games should highlight the actual historical units and minority individuals that played a not-often told part in the conflict. As others have said I want to see games that let me play as a Japanese American, Native American, or black soldier that is a part of a unit comprised of those individuals that actually fought in battle. Correct me if im wrong but to be dissapointed in seeing no women or segregated minority soldiers in a trailer that that highlights the big red one seems silly.

 

[StoveOven]

I also thought the way they listed off minorities as if they were special features was weird.

This article has some issues in the way it is framed and written, but I think the basic criticism of the presentation is totally valid. Devs have obviously responded to calls for more diversity, and I think telling them when they're doing it right or not is useful enough.

But of course, there is no room for measured reactions here on GAF.

 

[Inuhanyou]

I also thought the way they listed off minorities as if they were special features was weird.

This article has some issues in the way it is framed and written, but I think the basic criticism of the presentation is totally valid. Devs have obviously responded to calls for more diversity, and I think telling them when they're doing it right or not is useful enough.

But of course, there is no room for measured reactions here on GAF.

They specifically did that because they KNOW WW2 is often viewed as the white man's war, just like the article said, and previous WW2 COD games could be accused of being color blind and playing that narrative straight.

They are trying to alleviate that by saying up front that they are taking steps to bring other types of people into the campaign.

 

[mckmas8808]

They specifically did that because they KNOW WW2 is often viewed as the white man's war, just like the article said, and previous WW2 COD games could be accused of being color blind and playing that narrative straight.

They are trying to alleviate that by saying up front that they are taking steps to bring other types of people into the campaign.

It doesn't make it less weird. But you do make a great point.

 

[lowhighkang_LHK]

How did this article not get updated with a comment saying, "disregard all that bullshit you just read".

There is no standard in video game journalism. You just keep throwing shit out there, hope something sticks to gain popularity. No accountability for stupidity. Why do you think people use Neogaf to get their news.

 

[Palmer27]

I also thought the way they listed off minorities as if they were special features was weird.

Agreed with that comment.

Otherwise what a confusing fucking article.

I'd have to second some of the other suggestion that polygon's banned from gaf. The article just reeks of a click-baity appropriation of diversity. Diversity deserves to be a much more nuanced discussion, one that can't be dissected before anyone's even played the game by badly written article by some white dude.