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[Handy Fake]

It's odd that people are still trying to push the idea that Pepe is "just a cartoon frog" when it's been so politicized over the years be it by leftist exaggeration or the alt right tying it to so must racist shit and using it as a symbol to antagonise the left. The whole "it's just a cartoon frog" angle is laughable.

And you know what the best evidence of this is?; Look at the reactions when Pepe is banned. It's instantly seen as a political stance showing that Pepe is an icon tied to politics. I wonder how many people complaining here will also bemoan how politics should be kept out of gaming on other topics? it seems yet again that "Gaming should be politics free" is just code for "Gaming should be free of politics I don't like".

Look at how hilariously conflicting people's opinions are in this thread and in this one.

Exactly chief. People fucking about and politicising things that have no business being politicised, then moaning when they're taken away.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Personally I agree with this guy:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks for agreeing with me. We really do need less of this pearl-clutching affecting our products.

 

[down 2 orth]

Wasn't Pepe designed for this purpose in mind?

Man, that shit-eating grin... he doesn't seem too hung up.

 

[Tevious]

I don't really follow politics involved with the character, but isn't Pepe the frog actually copyrighted? Like, isn't the character from an actual comic series or something? If that's the case, then it's not very surprising. Just takes someone to report it.

 

[Alx]

I don't really follow politics involved with the character, but isn't Pepe the frog actually copyrighted? Like, isn't the character from an actual comic series or something? If that's the case, then it's not very surprising. Just takes someone to report it.

To be fair, the picture in OP specifically states "offensive or abusive content", not "copyright infringement".

 

[reconminicon]

Wait till your banned from PSN for been conservative or slightly lean to the right.

 

[Tesseract]

now make a clown, let's push this offensive shit all the way to oblivion

 

[Scopa]

I skipped PS4. I planned on picking one up late in the generation, but then started thinking maybe I’ll wait until PS5.

The way things are going, I think I’ll stick with my Switch and PC for the foreseeable future. Maybe pick up an Xbox if they get their act together next gen. But, I am not going to reward Sony with my money as they continue down this road.

 

[reconminicon]

I skipped PS4. I planned on picking one up late in the generation, but then started thinking maybe I’ll wait until PS5.

The way things are going, I think I’ll stick with my Switch and PC for the foreseeable future. Maybe pick up an Xbox if they get their act together next gen. But, I am not going to reward Sony with my money as they continue down this road.

I'm thinking of XBox for the first time ever. Sony has been making some worrying decisions lately. And to think its PlayStation that practically saved Sony.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I'm thinking of XBox for the first time ever. Sony has been making some worrying decisions lately. And to think its PlayStation that practically saved Sony.

The way things are going I will probably buy both, but move 3rd party gaming and online subscription to Xbox, keeping ps5 for exclusives and PSVR2. With the dramatic value loss of ps+, it won't be really hard to do it.

 

[Papa]

Oh please, any of the 3 platform holders would remove this when reported. Thank Hitlery for the clown world around this.

To be fair to Nintendo, they removed that trans flag for being a political statement, so at least they wouldn’t be biased if they removed a Pepe head.

 

[Psykodad]

actually, they banned the picture of a frog that has been adopted as a symbol by some, let's say, unsavory characters

of course that doesn't mean that every depiction of it implies something malign,but when you operate on such a big market share, being the least offensive for the least amount possible of people is in the job description.

that's why for a lot of time white, bald/shaved middle aged man were the most used stereotype for a protagonist..it was not because people liked that appearance, but because it was the appearance with less features that peple could dislike.

on one hand i can see why people think this is overreacting..but considering this is basically the internet we are talking about, it takes very little for things to go really wrong if you lower your guard..look at what happened when nintendo opened the stage bulder in smash bros..time an hour and it was filled with stuff that shouldn't have been there.

it's a bad situation for people into moderation..be lax and people would take advantage of it,be strict and people will complain you are overreacting.

unsavory characters?
You mean those who want to move away from censorship?

Not gonna point fingers to anyone without knowing the full story, but I agree with those who put this on the SJW culture and reports this particular creation probably received.

Western society truly has become that pathetic. Ridiculous.


It's basically another troll-face and whoever gets offended by it, has serious social-emotional issues.

 

[Three]

Maybe pick up an Xbox if they get their act together next gen. But, I am not going to reward Sony with my money as they continue down this road.

I'm thinking of XBox for the first time ever. Sony has been making some worrying decisions lately. And to think its PlayStation that practically saved Sony.

The way things are going I will probably buy both, but move 3rd party gaming and online subscription to Xbox, keeping ps5 for exclusives and PSVR2. With the dramatic value loss of ps+, it won't be really hard to do it.

Why, makes no sense.
Like you're going to get anything different on xbox. It's like people are ignoring the fact that they removed pepe the frog gamerpics too and banned the user from changing it. Or is it all those controversial games that won't even be released on xbox?
I don't get it. Do you think they are reading these forums and it's a threat or do you really plan to go somewhere where it is even worse?

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

Feels bad man.

How the hell did it take 13 replies for this to be said?

 

[Ar¢tos]

Why, makes no sense.
Like you're going to get anything different on xbox. It's like people are ignoring the fact that they removed pepe the frog gamerpics too and banned the user from changing it. Or is it all those controversial games that won't even be released on xbox?
I don't get it. Do you think they are reading these forums and it's a threat or do you really plan to go somewhere where it is even worse?

Tbh, it's the ps+ things that annoys me more. They increased the price by 10$ and decreased the value of the games offered by 80$+. I still have ps+ till April 2021, and I have intentions to get both consoles, so I have plenty of time to make a decision about where to have the online subscription.

 

[lyan]

Why is a frog considered offensive?
Can't people just see a frog as a frog?
So must stupid double and triple meaning placed on everything these days.

in the year 4000 everything will be offensive

 

[Ceadeus]

What is this frog? Any Story behind it?

 

[Geki-D]

Why, makes no sense.
Like you're going to get anything different on xbox. It's like people are ignoring the fact that they removed pepe the frog gamerpics too and banned the user from changing it. Or is it all those controversial games that won't even be released on xbox?
I don't get it. Do you think they are reading these forums and it's a threat or do you really plan to go somewhere where it is even worse?

lol
Don't bother, dude. This isn't cause and effect. This is already established effect looking for causes.

What is this frog? Any Story behind it?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepe_the_Frog

 

[Malio]

The butthurtary in this thread is delicious. GJ Sony.

 

[Mista]

Please explain what’s offensive in this? It’s a funny meme! Or is it related now to some kind of bollocks?

 

[Alx]

Please explain what’s offensive in this? It’s a funny meme! Or is it related now to some kind of bollocks?

You can't really reduce the Pepe phenomenon to "just another funny meme". It started that way but it's no secret that it's been appropriated by some political groups, to the point that the author himself tried to block those uses (while he didn't seem to bother when it was just a "feels good man" meme), and even officially "killed" his character.
Now one could wonder if that situation justifies censorship, that would consider any occurrence of Pepe as a political statement. Which is certainly not the case, but once most people know it as a symbol of the far right, there will always be a doubt.

 

[Mista]

You can't really reduce the Pepe phenomenon to "just another funny meme". It started that way but it's no secret that it's been appropriated by some political groups, to the point that the author himself tried to block those uses (while he didn't seem to bother when it was just a "feels good man" meme), and even officially "killed" his character.
Now one could wonder if that situation justifies censorship, that would consider any occurrence of Pepe as a political statement. Which is certainly not the case, but once most people know it as a symbol of the far right, there will always be a doubt.

Wait what? Pepe the frog is now used in political groups?! Please elaborate more if you got time. You got me interested

 

[Geki-D]

Wait what? Pepe the frog is now used in political groups?!

Welcome to 2016. I already linked the wiki page.

 

[Alx]

Just check the wikipedia page Geki-D posted above...

 

[Mista]

Welcome to 2016. I already linked the wiki page.

Just check the wikipedia page Geki-D posted above...

Whaaaat since 2016 too?! Sorry haven’t noticed the link. Gonna check now

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Here is how it works now:

1st: some 4chan troll post that a new thing is racist (let's say the rocket emoji represents extreme colonialism, this argument has been made against space exploration in general).

Then a bored BuzzFeed journalist reads it, makes an article about it, it gets some traction, people tweet about it.

The SPLC adds it to their list of bad things.

Sony censors everything that remotely looks like a rocket.

The troll has a good laugh and keep feeding the conspiracy theorists out there.

I think that you may want to forbid anything remotely looking like a just in case, you know, it could remind someone of pepe... Same for the OK sign (for those who don't know, it's considered as supremacist in some circles).

Obviously some will ring alarm bells when the American flag is shown, so that should be removed from everywhere as well.

 

[MayauMiao]

Someone quickly do the OK sign with Dreams. I really want to see Soyn pull the same stunt.

 

[zwiggelbig]

Why is a frog considered offensive?
Can't people just see a frog as a frog?
So must stupid double and triple meaning placed on everything these days.

Ur asking this in a time where the ok sign is now seen as a white male supremacy whitepaper hate symbol lol

 

[petran79]

The ridiculous thing is that they'd ban it even if it was titled "kermit the frog".

 

[Alx]

Come on guys, nobody really gives a shit about "the ok sign", most people know it for its original meaning and claiming otherwise is just trying to create controversy.
On the other hand if people create content in Dreams with the ok sign with the specific purpose of "rustling some feathers", then it could be rightfully censored, since it's meant to be offensive. That's the thing with symbols, it's not about what they are but the meaning of their usage.

 

[Chittagong]

PlayStation is a safe space, so they can’t have a cartoon frog because it would trigger people in need of said safe space, literally shaking rn.

What a time to be alive.

 

[Conan-san]

At long last. Racism is over or something.

 

[mckmas8808]

Oh please, any of the 3 platform holders would remove this when reported. Thank Hitlery for the clown world around this.

What's wrong with this Pepe the frog?

 

[Stuart360]

'For the players'

 

[deriks]

Pepe the Frog, the Hitler of internet

Spoiler

This is why we can't have nice things

 

[guggnichso]

Well, that stupid frog IS the default meme for trolls and the extremist right wing, and sure, it’s a fucking ridiculous one, but well, here we are. Symbols are symbols, the people who use them and the way they are used make them what they are, so here’s what you get.

This whole grandstanding about „uh it’s just a frog, look at how essjaydubyas are triggered lololol“ is just lame. Just as with the „uh clowns are now racist lololol“.

Yeah. This whole „uhhh it’s just innocent memes“ is asinine as fuck. Do you REALLY think people are that stupid?

 

[Tripolygon]

Good on them.

 

[thelastword]

I'm thinking of XBox for the first time ever. Sony has been making some worrying decisions lately. And to think its PlayStation that practically saved Sony.

Any forum-going hardcore gamer that has not bought a PS4 yet (not you in particular, just generally).......wasn't going to buy one anyway.....The gen is wrapping up as it is and we're fully blown into that next gen wind already......I personally believe all these "End of the world, doom-gloom, Sony is Evil" uprisings is only PR at work to usher in the new gen for other houses.....

Pretty much all the pitchfork subjects have backfired, Sony keeps marching on, selling more titles, putting ratios of 80:20 and the like.......Crossplay uprising? failed, Censorship uprising? failed, Low score to a Sony game for social engineering debates and stuff? failed.....Sony is anti-consumer? failed.........I'm sure there will be more uprisings as the new gen starts boiling hotter.....Remember, we've already had many articles on how Sony has no plan for next gen, MS is making all the right moves etc....Yes, the reason is that folk will say "oh, I'll run into the arms of another, I can't take this anymore"..........These type of PR and semantics will fail too........You know what wins......Around E3 time 2020.......GT7, Savage Starlight, Killzone Reboot, GOW, Horizon 2, Endless New IP's.....November 2020....That's what wins gens, not politics or kindergarten PR games you can see from a mile off.......

 

[Tripolygon]

The ridiculous thing is that they'd ban it even if it was titled "kermit the frog".

No they won't. Pepe is recognizably different from Kermit.

 

[mortal]

Idiotic and pointless.

 

[SonGoku]

 

[Stuart360]

Any forum-going hardcore gamer that has not bought a PS4 yet (not you in particular, just generally).......wasn't going to buy one anyway.....The gen is wrapping up as it is and we're fully blown into that next gen wind already......I personally believe all these "End of the world, doom-gloom, Sony is Evil" uprisings is only PR at work to usher in the new gen for other houses.....

Pretty much all the pitchfork subjects have backfired, Sony keeps marching on, selling more titles, putting ratios of 80:20 and the like.......Crossplay uprising? failed, Censorship uprising? failed, Low score to a Sony game for social engineering debates and stuff? failed.....Sony is anti-consumer? failed.........I'm sure there will be more uprisings as the new gen starts boiling hotter.....Remember, we've already had many articles on how Sony has no plan for next gen, MS is making all the right moves etc....Yes, the reason is that folk will say "oh, I'll run into the arms of another, I can't take this anymore"..........These type of PR and semantics will fail too........You know what wins......Around E3 time 2020.......GT7, Savage Starlight, Killzone Reboot, GOW, Horizon 2, Endless New IP's.....November 2020....That's what wins gens, not politics or kindergarten PR games you can see from a mile off.......

God you are so tiresome.

 

[GlassAwful]

Angering SJWs with fake symbols of racism is all good fun until actual hate groups adopt the symbol. At that point it's not really a joke anymore is it?

For instance, no one is flying the Swatsika for any other reason then to identify as a white supremacist yet the Nazis didn't invent it, they adopted it..

All these trolls accomplish is making jokes that are funny for five minutes but then we pay the price of making more things off limits to normal people.

I have no hope that SJWs will wake up from their conquest on freedom and I'm not going to laugh my way to a 1984 state of the union, sorry.

 

[Ivellios]

I really like Sony but they are making so many unecessary decisions lately...

I always use this meme because i think its funny, i never cared that some use it for political messages.

To be fair to Nintendo, they removed that trans flag for being a political statement, so at least they wouldn’t be biased if they removed a Pepe head.

There are plenty of trans maps on Smash, the one that got banned was probably due to mass report. I dont think this represents Nintendo censoring anything.

 

[petran79]

No they won't. Pepe is recognizably different from Kermit.

I meant if it had the same 3d image as in the OP but replacing pepe letters with kermit

 

[octiny]

Stealing this.

Any forum-going hardcore gamer that has not bought a PS4 yet (not you in particular, just generally).......wasn't going to buy one anyway.....The gen is wrapping up as it is and we're fully blown into that next gen wind already......I personally believe all these "End of the world, doom-gloom, Sony is Evil" uprisings is only PR at work to usher in the new gen for other houses.....

Pretty much all the pitchfork subjects have backfired, Sony keeps marching on, selling more titles, putting ratios of 80:20 and the like.......Crossplay uprising? failed, Censorship uprising? failed, Low score to a Sony game for social engineering debates and stuff? failed.....Sony is anti-consumer? failed.........I'm sure there will be more uprisings as the new gen starts boiling hotter.....Remember, we've already had many articles on how Sony has no plan for next gen, MS is making all the right moves etc....Yes, the reason is that folk will say "oh, I'll run into the arms of another, I can't take this anymore"..........These type of PR and semantics will fail too........You know what wins......Around E3 time 2020.......GT7, Savage Starlight, Killzone Reboot, GOW, Horizon 2, Endless New IP's.....November 2020....That's what wins gens, not politics or kindergarten PR games you can see from a mile off.......

Ah......much.....better......

 

[DeepEnigma]

What's wrong with this Pepe the frog?

Hillary on national stage during her campaign claimed it to be a hate symbol, and the NPCs followed.

Yes certain groups used it to troll, but here we are in clown world.

 

[thelastword]

Guys it simple, whatever it was before when originally invented, no longer applies.......It carries a different messaging now....So don't play Sony for banning it, blame the people who turn everything into hate and for political mongering...........After it enters the pit, it's no longer the same.....

 

[SonGoku]

Angering SJWs with fake symbols of racism is all good fun until actual hate groups adopt the symbol. At that point it's not really a joke anymore is it?

Yes because the angering comes after the symbols are adopted by supposed "hate groups" not before.

 

[zenspider]

actually, they banned the picture of a frog that has been adopted as a symbol by some, let's say, unsavory characters

of course that doesn't mean that every depiction of it implies something malign,but when you operate on such a big market share, being the least offensive for the least amount possible of people is in the job description.

that's why for a lot of time white, bald/shaved middle aged man were the most used stereotype for a protagonist..it was not because people liked that appearance, but because it was the appearance with less features that peple could dislike.

on one hand i can see why people think this is overreacting..but considering this is basically the internet we are talking about, it takes very little for things to go really wrong if you lower your guard..look at what happened when nintendo opened the stage bulder in smash bros..time an hour and it was filled with stuff that shouldn't have been there.

it's a bad situation for people into moderation..be lax and people would take advantage of it,be strict and people will complain you are overreacting.

Good post, but it illustrates the frustration here perfectly. It's absolutely true that corporations are not "woke", but are determined to take the path of least offense whenever possible.
The problem then become where and when do you draw a line when everything becomes possibly offensive?
Moreover, does offending people really matter as much as PR depts believe it does? I don't see any conclusive data on "get woke, go broke", or the positive effect of pandering/manipulating woke culture, but surely it's coming.

Personally I think it's going to be a wash, but the tilt will always favor the more predictable consumers vulnerable to messaging, and woke culture fits that bill. I predict it will live on in marketing way past it's expiration date in the culture at large, but for now, anthropomorphizing (thus politicizing) these kind of corporate decisions only makes it worse.