Resident Evil 5 not altered following trailer uproar |
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| BY Mike Wehner Jun. 5th, 2008 | More on: |
The Resident Evil series is no stranger to public controversy. Following the release of the first game, many groups got themselves into a frenzy over the amazingly “realistic” level of violence portrayed in the game against your enemies. After the first trailer for Resident Evil 5 was released it appeared that the tradition of scrutiny would continue. Some people felt that the trailer was a bit on the racist side, and given the fact that it wasn’t much more than a white guy shooting a bunch of black folks, I guess I can see their point.
Capcom, however, believes that it was a simple misunderstanding and the game itself was not in need of alteration. They have also just recently revealed that the protagonist, Chris Redfield, will have an ethnic partner who will be helping him through his quest. It may seem to some like damage control, but Capcom would be quick to shoot down that theory. In a recent interview with Kotaku, RE5 producer Jun Takeuchi noted that the game has “not really” gone under any overhaul as a result of the original trailer’s negative media.
“We wanted Chris to have a partner who was familiar with the environment. She’s been in there since pretty much the beginning,” he notes. “In terms of the reaction, we’re in the business of entertainment… We didn’t set out to make a racist game or a political statement. We did feel there was a misunderstanding about the initial trailer.”
This whole thing is, of course, a touchy subject for anyone to approach. I do, however, believe that the folks behind the RE franchise are just trying to mix things up, and the setting and supporting characters (read: zombies) are just part of that design philosophy. I also think that the approach the first trailer took was not the right one. You could tell by watching it that whoever put it together just wanted to show a certain level of violent gameplay to get the gamers psyched, without taking into account the fact that the game’s story probably makes those scenes fit together in a much less offensive way… at least I hope. How do you guys feel? A simple mistake, or something to actually worry about? Feel free to leave a comment below!
[See also: Resident Evil 5 gallery]
June 5th, 2008
at 7:44 pm
The location is Africa. So unless I’ve missed something, I don’t see why the argument ever came up.
June 5th, 2008
at 9:24 pm
Exactly. Rain
its in an African village where the virus has happend.
so its got african zombies in it.
if the zombies where all white and in a different setting? would people complain theres no ethnic zombies? and thats racist?
realy people tackle some real racism and real issues
and if this offends anyone. i truly feel sorry for there outlook.
June 5th, 2008
at 10:18 pm
I personally found the imagery in the trailers to be racist. In the same way that I found the imagery in Black Hawk Down to be racist.
Having said that, this game is looking amazing.
June 6th, 2008
at 3:00 pm
Ash how is it racist? Like Rain said the game is in Africa, and last time I checked there are black people in Africa. So in order to not be racist the game should have had white people. But then it would have been racist because there were white people in Africa. Its a never ending vicious cycle. If you have ever played an RE game or seen an RE movie you know what the virus does to people and they have not changed that.
EDIT: while I realize there are indeed white people in Africa, the vast majority of the populous is black.
June 6th, 2008
at 6:00 pm
As to why the trailer could be considered racist, N’Gai Croal does a better job of explaining then I ever could:
http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/04/10/newsweeks-ngai-croal-on-the-resident-evil-5-trailer-this-imagery-has-a-history/
I agree with him.
Here’s a hypothetical question, what if a game’s story was that a virus had been found in Israel, and the only people who could stop it were a team of highly trained German soldiers? Germany contains Germans, and Israel contains Jews so the violence is all in context; it’s logical, but does that make it ok?
June 7th, 2008
at 12:52 am
ok , more to what i said.
having read opinions elswhere and having them pick out certain shots envoking racist imagery or ideas rather than saying that the content and idea of the game being set there and ur killing black zombies to be wrong.
that i can understand.
but to many are drawn in instead of looking over the mishmash of possible racism here n racist imagery there. when the braoder picture is - its set in an impovarished village no dout touched by evil and the virus and some how i cant imagen them actualy presenting the habbitants of this village to fearfull of purly because of there situation location and race.
im sure thers a darker secret to the sceens where they dont seem to be zombies,and that there is a reason for such hostility they show in interaction with male character.
if there is no reason for the shots other than to say they are hostile nasty black people with intent to harm purly because thats what they are, then i will agree is a racist slant and has no need or place in such forms of entertainment and els where.
if however thers a reason for such hostile looking villagers ( like stages of possesion by the virus or somthing influencing them then there only wrong doing is not displaying that reason well enough in the trailer.
if thers no reason.
i would infact concider that very wrong
June 7th, 2008
at 12:57 am
pardon the grammar , my bad.