Resident Evil 5 – racist?

[Burbank]

I’m sure some people just look for racism when there isn’t any. If you’ve seen the awesome trailer for Resident Evil 5 you’ll know it looks to be set in somewhere in North Africa and so the zombies are of course Africans and so it’s a white man (Chris Redfield) shooting black zombies. However, it seems that some bloggers from the African American community have taken offensive to this game claiming the game depicts: “Black people as inhuman savages” (http://www.blacklooks.org/2007/07/resident_evil_5.html) The blog also claims that the game is targeted at young adults and children (which is debatable as I’m sure, like everyone resident evil game, that it’ll be rated as a 15 or above) and makes the statement: “Start them young… fearing, hating, and destroying Black people.” This is quite is a rather ridiculous claim, if it’s true then Resident Evil 4 promoted the fearing, hating and destroying of eastern Europeans farmers. The majority of the Resident Evil games have been set in North America and have seen the heroes of the game killing zombies of all creeds and colours – simply because they are zombies. The writer of the blog also seems to forget the fact that the game is made by a Japanese game developer with Japanese staff and not a North American developer populated with white people. The games trailer also shows other Africans fighting off the zombies and Chris Redfield saving living Africans. This is a really stupid, reactionary claim by the blogger who seems to want to see controversy where there isn’t any. Of course gamers have re-acted to this statement and most of them have made the points made above and have re-acted sensibly to the statement... however as always there are a few genuine racists out there.... http://gamepolitics.com/2007/08/03/b...acism-charges/

[MikePizzoff]

Usually people who claim others of a different race are being racist over something so stupid, such as in this incident, are racists themselves.

[acealive1]

geez,its a game. they focus too much on video games and not enough with real issues like people starving and and being killed worldwide.

[EvilNed]

Only thing that bothers me about western/mainstream generalization off Africa is that it's always a WHITE man setting things straight in Africa... It's never a black man. Isn't that kinda funny?

[MinionZombie]

Only thing that bothers me about western/mainstream generalization off Africa is that it's always a WHITE man setting things straight in Africa... It's never a black man. Isn't that kinda funny? Or you could turn that around easily to say that the white man screwed the Africans over in the game, because the white folk came and built a research facility to make zombies...then set about trying to contain it. Also, another way of looking at it is: so black people can't be zombies...surely that's racist, saying people can't do or be something based on race? Meanwhile, as has been discussed in the Games forum, what about the Spanish zombies in a previous RE? At least that's what someone said, I've never played an RE game. It's pretty pathetic these people getting into a "RESIDENT EVIL IS RACIST!!!" whinge over this, I mean come on, it just makes sense plot wise. It's set in a remote part of Africa, which is mainly populated by black people, much like America or Europe is mainly populated by white people. The white people who are there, are going to be employed by FOREIGN company Umbrella, therefore when sh*t goes wrong and the mess gets into the innocent populace (black native dwellers), it's the company who has to clean it up (white employee outsiders). Meanwhile, there's nothing wrong with white people being zombies...someone took the quote from the original complainer and replaced each instance of "black" with "white" (and vice versa) and it sounded absolutely ridiculous - meaning in it's original form it too is ridiculous. Why do people get so fussed, it just perpetuates a stupid problem, we are the HUMAN race, thank you very much. Some people have one colour skin, others have another colour, all down to where they live and genetics. Beyond that simple difference, we differ from CULTURE, not colour. ... Here in England apparently, some woman applied for a job and was the "wrong type of white" - i.e. White English, if she'd been White Welsh or White Scottish she'd have been fine...how retarded is that, since when should jobs be given out based on statistics and percentages? Surely jobs are supposed to be given to the best for the job - hence the obvious interview process. If it's just down to colour, why interview anyone? Why not just throw jobs at a load of people and see which ones stick where at random, because clearly being good at a job doesn't matter in that world, only politically correct statistics do...what a f*cking silly world...it does more damage than good and perpetuates the problem. Hey everybody - we're the HUMAN race already, sheesh! *sigh* Rant over.

[Burbank]

At least that's what someone said, I've never played an RE game. How can you be a fan of zombie films and never played and Resident Evil game!? Madness! Yeah, the statement about the game being racist is just daft. It a reactionary statement made by someone that hasn't thought around the subject area before making this statement. When the poster replies to comments with the statement along the lines of "all zombies should be white from now on" just makes them appear totally stupid.

[MinionZombie]

Unless the person was being sarcastic of course... But well, I've played some of Code Name Veronica, and I played the demo of RE2 a few times, otherwise just seen footage or someone else playing. I just don't like the survival horror style of game, I just don't dig the style at all. Dead Rising however - that I do own and have played. I'd say that is the zombie game must-have for a zed-head.

[Danny]

ugh, its frikkin' set IN AFRICA, of course the populace is gonna be, oh shock horror and surprise AFRICAN!, and yet another suprise the white bread american guy is dun-dun-duuuun, WHITE! its not a colour thing, its just not, the games set in africa, what more do you need to say?

[Andy]

I’m sure some people just look for racism when there isn’t any. If you’ve seen the awesome trailer for Resident Evil 5 you’ll know it looks to be set in somewhere in North Africa and so the zombies are of course Africans and so it’s a white man (Chris Redfield) shooting black zombies. However, it seems that some bloggers from the African American community have taken offensive to this game claiming the game depicts: “Black people as inhuman savages” (http://www.blacklooks.org/2007/07/resident_evil_5.html) The blog also claims that the game is targeted at young adults and children (which is debatable as I’m sure, like everyone resident evil game, that it’ll be rated as a 15 or above) and makes the statement: “Start them young… fearing, hating, and destroying Black people.” This is quite is a rather ridiculous claim, if it’s true then Resident Evil 4 promoted the fearing, hating and destroying of eastern Europeans farmers. The majority of the Resident Evil games have been set in North America and have seen the heroes of the game killing zombies of all creeds and colours – simply because they are zombies. The writer of the blog also seems to forget the fact that the game is made by a Japanese game developer with Japanese staff and not a North American developer populated with white people. The games trailer also shows other Africans fighting off the zombies and Chris Redfield saving living Africans. This is a really stupid, reactionary claim by the blogger who seems to want to see controversy where there isn’t any. Of course gamers have re-acted to this statement and most of them have made the points made above and have re-acted sensibly to the statement... however as always there are a few genuine racists out there.... http://gamepolitics.com/2007/08/03/b...acism-charges/ Un-Frickin-Beleivable.

[darth los]

Only thing that bothers me about western/mainstream generalization off Africa is that it's always a WHITE man setting things straight in Africa... It's never a black man. Isn't that kinda funny? Considering the rate of corruption, war and genocide the natives engage in in africa i would say they're doing a fine job of exterminating themselves without the white mans' help.

[MinionZombie]

I was gonna say the same thing. I have family living in South Africa now, and they've been there for several decades, they've seen the white government and the black government (it's a shame it's ended up being that cut & dry...or, if you'll excuse the pun, that black and white a divide from one to the other). Basically, the government in charge now is corrupt, inept and dangerous. It's nothing to do with colour, it's down to the simple fact that the people in charge are useless and dangerous...just look at freaking Mugabe (yes I know he's Zimbabwe, but he's a representative example of what's wrong with Africa today - the guy's a freaking psycho). I'm sure there was plenty wrong with "the white gubment", but I've heard it time and again first hand from family living there, that the country is definitely worse off now than it was before, dangerously so. So, not giving a crap about colour, the simple fact is that the current gubment over there is useless and dangerous...which has nout to do with colour, but the people...*cheeky grin grows*...I mean, just look at Labour, they're mostly white and they're f*cking crap! *runs away from Liam...sorry mate, couldn't resist* As for racism...I think it quite possibly, actually is retarded. HUMAN RACE, PEOPLE! GEEEEEEZ!

[Burbank]

Dead Rising however - that I do own and have played. I'd say that is the zombie game must-have for a zed-head I do want to play Dead Rising as it looks to be great fun, but sadly I don't have a 360 (at present...)

[MinionZombie]

I do want to play Dead Rising as it looks to be great fun, but sadly I don't have a 360 (at present...) One day my son, one day... I was in the same position once, but now I'm a SexBox whore.

[Maitreya]

They must not have played RE2, oh wow would they have flipped when that black cop turned into a zombie and Leon had to kill him! "OH NOEZ! BLAQUE PEEPLE R TEH ZOMBEHZ!" That said, I'm personally deeply offended by Capcom making common Spaniards look like crazed psychopaths in RE4. They make it seem like EVERY Spaniard has a parasite in their body that will eventually come out of their heads!!! It's a disgusting scar on my heritage, and I'm appalled. (sorry for the bump, but I had to do it)

[Cody]

Good point by saying the game is made by jap. A black zombie was killed in RE2. No complaints were made then. Spanish were killed in RE5. Just imagine if white people had "White Entertainment Television." riots.