Support NeoGAF

[GQman2121]

You don't have to agree with someone else's opinion in order to respect it. A lot of people learn that by the time they're adults!

I can respect someone's opinion but I can also differentiate between conversations on the internet involving people that are concerned with internet backlash and hostility towards a videogame characters sexuality. Frankly, it's redundant.

Who really gives a shit what other people think? Homophobes on the internet discussing game characters are going to homophob. Just ignore them and continue to be happy that you don't live such a miserable existence. .

 

[Jibbed]

Read the whole thing, and I'm in the 100% no ballpark.

I don't understand why this keeps coming up.

 

[-COOLIO-]

nevermind, double post

i still doing get how this quote became a thing and i feel like it must be missing context or something.

the idea is that you dont want to offend people if you can avoid it but sometimes you dont know if you are. if people let you know that something offends them then youre at least made aware of it, and then it's up to you if you care to capitulate.

 

[RayMaker]

Taking LGBT Characters out of videogames, will cause probably more harm then good. There will then be people upset by the lack of equality of LGBT people. People will say ''why cant we be in videogames, we have just as much right as anyone else''.

The world is never going to be perfect, I think its best to ignore people who discriminate against LGBT people, I'am sure there are people who will inspire and give happiness to you. Focus on them.

 

[Marvel]

Not at all I love what little I've seen of him.

Oh and he's voiced by Troy Baker so yeah, A+

 

[FStop7]

Concern trolling.

 

[RSLAEV]

A killer with dyed hair and a flash suit isn't an attack on your sexuality.

 

[pokeystaples]

I've never been interested in a Far Cry game before this one. I am also a member of Teh Gheys. I don't take issue with the baddie. He actually seems kind of bad ass. We can't all be heroes. Some of us must be villains.

 

[fernoca]

I think it would be better to wait till we have more details, rather than blowing things out of proportion.
Saying the character is gay based on looks and mannerism is as bad as the people that reject men and women for those very same reasons.

I am gay, and never crossed my mind that the villain in FarCry 4 could be gay. It seemed more like an eccentric/crazy/flamboyant character.

 

[ultratruman]

If the character is gay then I don't think the "average gamer" will hate him for that. They'll probably hate him for the horrible things he does what with being a stab happy warlord. The people that will use the gay aspect (if it's there) are the intolerant homophobes that should be ignored until the ignorant hate dies out.

Where is the evidence that gamers hate stab happy warlords?

Stab happy warlords are awesome.

 

[Woo-Fu]

No, nobody else is concerned. They have real problems like forgetting the pop tarts they left in the toaster this morning. I'm not concerned about what he does or does not do in the bedroom with one or more consenting adults. He's not the spokesman for LGBT any more than zombie nazis are the spokesmen for Germany.

I might care that he abuses power.
I might care that he places no value on human life.
I might care that he is some sort of evil mastermind bent on taking over the world.

I don't care that he frosts his hair and dresses flamboyantly. That is just flavor text that might make him a bit more interesting than the last super villain I ran into in a game.

 

[Dany]

Goodness gracious guys. It's like none of you know what a metrosexual is.

 

[Mononoke]

You have valid concerns, but shouldn't we wait until we see the character in game? He might be a very well written villain. And even if he's flamboyant or has stereotypical traits, he could still be an excellent character.

I agree it's troublesome when the majority of characters are portrayed the same way. But this idea that we can't have extreme characters with traits like being flamboyant or eccentric is weird to me. What I mean is, a character like that could exist. People like that do exist in the real world. You don't want everyone to be stereotyped as the same person, absolutely.

But taking it to the other extreme and saying characters can never be potrayed that way is also problematic. For me, it only becomes an issue when it becomes an overused archetype for everyone of a specific group.

 

[Vanpastel]

Which summed up everyone's feelings quite nicely in my opinion.

Yeah, not mine. I kind of agree with the OP, I think I will avoid this game entirely if the villain turns out to be a stereotypical gay man.

 

[Avari]

A bit wary perhaps given that there have been some questionable choices made in the series, but I'll reserve judgment until the game is out. If the character is gay, it will depend on how that impacts the game. If it's simply one facet of his character and he is a well developed character then that should be no issue, if it is somehow played as a part of his villainous behavior then I will have a problem.

 

[Zoe]

Where's the confirmation that he's gay?

 

[RetroStu]

I actually thought the character was great and i don't give a shit if he's ay or not. I honestly hardly ever pick up on this kind of shit that some of you do, probably because i'm not trying to be offended by the most ridiculous stuff.

 

[GlenChivas]

I still don't get how people are seeing this guy as a gay man. Maybe a bit eccentric but I wouldn't equate that to being gay. Besides I prefer my psychotic bad guys to have a bit of flair. Makes them more interesting.

 

[BloodMoney]

Same boat. That was unnecessary.

Yep... I learned one thing in this thread. Thanks OP

 

[Orayn]

I want more LGBT characters in games! ...but they have to be the hero.

First off, I find it extremely troubling that the OP, who is LGBT, is ASSUMING the character is gay based on stereotypes and then becomes "concerned".

C'mon man, as a white Italian-American male (I know I could have it worse!) I could cry all day about how my ethnicity is stereotyped in games, movies and society. I am not in the mafia, I don't like Jersey Shore, I don't wear gold wrist chains. I choose to ignore that sort of ignorance and keep on going. You can't change peoples opinions and perceptions if they are ingrained and you will only make yourself miserable trying.

We all have something to bitch about if we look hard enough. OP is so concerned with members of their community being represented in games, but not only do they have to be represented, they have to be represented in a POSITVE way. Sorry. That's bullshit in my opinion.

IF the villain is gay does that mean every gay person is an evil fashionista? If the villain is Italian and in the mafia does that mean all Italians are in the mafia?

Speaking in a general sense: I don't think people are saying that you can never have a gay or flamboyant bad guy, but that they find it troubling when a minority is frequently depicted in video games as a stereotype, villain, or stereotyped villain, if they're represented at all. I think it's a pretty valid concern to raise for a medium that has a reputation for bad writing and basing a lot of games on the premise of "white guy shoots brown people."

 

[SpookyFries]

I really don't see what the problem is having a bad ass gay villain. As long as he's a good character and as sinister as Vaas then I'm all for it.

 

[BigDug13]

Yeah, not mine. I kind of agree with the OP, I think I will avoid this game entirely if the villain turns out to be a stereotypical gay man.

And that is the right of every consumer and you're welcome to it. Things turn ugly when someone's dislike of a villain's representation is cause to stage protests against the game and the developer and cause a bunch of press coverage for "thing they don't like".

So just for clarity, if the villain happens to be a heterosexual/metrosexual dude who frosts his hair, you're completely ok with it, but as soon as you find out he likes men, you're out based on principle?

 

[Staccat0]

Man... so many people in here didn't read the OP it's almost like I'm reading replies to a different post... Was it drastically edited or something?

 

[ChiliManiac]

Where's the confirmation that he's gay?

That's what I'm wondering, is he like being stereotyped a gay by gays who are worried about stereotyping? My younger brother is gay and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't give a damn.

 

[crappybannedjunior999999]

I've never been interested in a Far Cry game before this one. I am also a member of Teh Gheys. I don't take issue with the baddie. He actually seems kind of bad ass. We can't all be heroes. Some of us must be villains.

I like you. A lot. But not in a gay way.

 

[indivisible]

So a classic gay stereotype is being an impulsive murderer? Or running your own secretive country?

 

[Darksol]

From the impressions, it seems like Far Cry 4's villain might be gay. Horribly stereotypical judgement, but he dresses, looks and sounds like a gay stereotype. And that worries me.

Yeah, I hate it when gay people get all stabby when they are displeased with the militia that they lead. When will we be rid of this horrible stereotype?

/s

 

[TheChillyAcademic]

Has a trailer been released with the character in question speaking?

 

[njean777]

No I really do not care at all. Gay people can be villains just like straight people.

 

[sjay1994]

What about the villain in FC4 make people assume he's gay?

Just because he wears purple?

He seems eccentric, not gay.

 

[ramuh]

If anything I see it as good. He is a badass villian who happens to be Gay. There is no 'stereotyping' going on here. He's just a normal badass.

 

[Darksol]

Has a trailer been released with the character in question speaking?

http://youtu.be/h_9rNwyZ1-s

 

[RetroStu]

Its funny because when i was watching the Far Cry 4 footage yesterday, there was that part with the monkey where that guy gave it a little slap on the back of its head because it was doing something. Well literally the first thing i thought was that there will be a new thread opening on the Gaf talking about how offended people have been and how it promotes cruelty to animals or something.
Of course i was wrong and happy to be but now we have this instead.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Yes. But too many people on GAF will claim that any attention paid to gross bias issues is POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD and that real equality means it's okay to shoot a gay dude in the head at the end of the game.

Does it matter more that he's gay or that he's the villain of the game and as such, needs to meet a bad end.

 

[sjay1994]

Has a trailer been released with the character in question speaking?

Yeah, can't link cuz on mobile. But it should be called the villain reveal trailer.

 

[crappybannedjunior999999]

Has a trailer been released with the character in question speaking?

Yes. No lisp. He's not gay.

JK.

 

[backflip10019]

Its funny because when i was watching the Far Cry 3 footage yesterday, there was that part with the monkey where that guy gave it a little slap on the back of its head because it was doing something. Well literally the first thing i thought was that there will be a new thread opening on the Gaf talking about how offended people have been and how it promotes cruelty to animals or something.
Of course i was wrong and happy to be but now we have this instead.

RIP slapped monkey.

 

[Jado]

This guy got banned for this? REALLY?

Why are you questioning it? He was deliberately shitting up the thread anyway.

My one concern with the villain is that there are very few playable gay protagonists and that this game may have the unintended consequence of generating more hatred toward any prominent gay characters in gaming. Many gamers are unfortunately immature and anti-gay: if not openly homophobic in a horrible way, then at least in a "no gays or 'gay agenda' in my games" sort of way. A despicable villain who just happens to be gay? I can see that giving a segment of players more glee and motivation to put a bullet in his head. As the Watch Dogs thing demonstrated, there really are immature people out there who get a kick out of killing minorities and reveling in a twisted reverse-Django scenario.

 

[Hex]

Did I miss the backlash about

Spoiler

Ellie not being straight

?

 

[DrPreston]

Huh? What? Should every villain be a white male? "Gay villains" are hardly a common trend. It doesn't seem homophobic to make a villain homosexual. It seems bass ackwards to complain every time a villain isn't a straight white male.

 

[BigDug13]

What about the villain in FC4 make people assume he's gay?

Just because he wears purple?

He seems eccentric, not gay.

Yeah to be fair, I watched that entire trailer and never once did the thought run through my mind "that guy's gay". Maybe I'm not trying to look for it or I just don't care or maybe it's not quite as obviously gay as people seem to think.

 

[ANDS]

So apparently DLC I was holding off on for the PS4 version of TLoU just got spoiled big time. . .in a FC4 thread. Dirty pool. Dirty pool.

 

[Death Penalty]

I think we should wait to find out what the character's sexuality is, if it's even mentioned at all, before having a discussion condemning the game to being problematic.

This is about as reasonable as it gets at this stage. I didn't catch any gay vibes from the dude myself, struck me more as a slightly off-kilter villainous sort. The villains in Far Cry 3 were masterful and iconic to me as well, so if this guy does turn out to be gay and is a villain on par with them, I'd be more inclined to call it progressive than detrimental. People of every persuasion can be dicks, my concern is that they're well-written dicks.

Again though, it's a bit early to judge if this character is even gay, let alone if he's a damaging portrayal of gay.

 

[Darksol]

Did I miss the backlash about

Spoiler

Ellie not being straight

?

Yes.

 

[SJRB]

I had to google "LGBT community" because I had no idea what that even means. I wholeheartedly disagree with pretty much everything in the OP. I also guess I missed some press release that confirms the villian is gay? I don't understand why his sexual preference is relevant whatsoever.

Did I miss the backlash about

Spoiler

Ellie not being straight

?

You could've mentioned that's a fucking TLOU spoiler.

 

[Neuromancer]

I would love to be proven wrong, but from here it looks like the villain is going to be a stereotype of a gay man. Into fashion and pink, dyes his hair blonde, is flamboyant etc.

I have a feeling you will be proven wrong. The clothes people wear and the way they do their hair don't make someone gay or not gay, obviously. He could just be a straight man with a different fashion sense than most.

However, if the character does turn out to be gay, but that's represented intelligently, I'll be fine with it. It's not my concern if homophobic people have a problem with it, and that shouldn't be your concern either.

 

[PROh1bited]

I love how some people jump to conclusions.

 

[Orayn]

Did I miss the backlash about

Spoiler

Ellie not being straight

?

I think you've profoundly misunderstood some peoples' positions if you believe there would necessarily be a backlash over that.

 

[T.M. MacReady]

Why are you questioning it? He was deliberately shitting up the thread anyway.

My one concern with the villain is that there are very few playable gay protagonists and that this game may have the unintended consequence of generating more hatred toward any prominent gay characters in gaming. Many gamers are unfortunately immature and anti-gay: if not openly homophobic in a horrible way, then at least in a "no gays or 'gay agenda' in my games" sort of way. A despicable villain who just happens to be gay? I can see that giving a segment of players more glee and motivation to put a bullet in his head. As the Watch Dogs thing demonstrated, there really are immature people out there who get a kick out of killing minorities and reveling in a twisted reverse-Django scenario.

For all you know, the protag is gay and the villain is a fashion obsessed psychopath with a wife and kids.

We need to stop looking for things to be upset about and reserve judgement until there is actually content to judge.


1) This quoted post is a Last of Us: Left Behind spoiler

Did I miss the backlash about

Spoiler

Ellie not being straight

?

2) No, just a few people on the internet being dumb/trolls. Some people can't look past that and realize the reception was overwhelmingly positive/indifferent.

 

[ab.aeterno]

I really can't do with this kind of shite so i'll let Stephen say it -

That's weird, I read the OP and didn't see him saying he was offended anywhere. In fact, he was merely expressing concerns. But don't let that stop you from finding an excuse to party that picture, even if it's not really addressing what they said. Why not post the Louis CK clip too?

You should probably also explain why you can't do with this shit, instead of just doing the equivalent of saying "that's dumb" and not explaining you think that.

I actually thought the character was great and i don't give a shit if he's ay or not. I honestly hardly ever pick up on this kind of shit that some of you do, probably because i'm not trying to be offended by the most ridiculous stuff.

Yeah, that's totally the only reason these issues come up.

Give me a fucking break.