The Escapist : Extra Credits : Race in Games
I created this here blog thing as a new platform to talk about random crap. How cathartic! After creating it, however, I found there wasn't a great deal I felt like writing about, probably because I was busy with more pressing issues; like making a buck to feed myself!
So here we are now and I wanted to start by covering a topic that's been on my mind because I've been dealing with a lot of bullshit lately. The topic is race and specifically race in games.
But before I get into this, I discovered that there are some guys that already tried to cover this topic on a show called Extra Credits. Overall, it's mostly a good show and it's doing a great deal to make gamers aware of how narrative, visual aesthetics, and hot button issues can push the boundaries of games and make them a better medium.
That said, here's my opinion of Extra Credits coverage of race in games. What a shitty episode! Seriously, the first thing they mention is that their artist, who's a woman, has a shoulder injury that will eventually affect her ability to draw if she doesn't get it fixed; but they STILL have her drawing the episode. What!?!?
Then, they jump into their coverage of race or race issues in games and the only game they can come up with that "pushes the boundaries" on race issues is L.A. Noire and its playable white character who both books a Jewish guy for killing an anti-semite right after World War II and stands by while a fellow cop beats up a woman. And these are somehow redeeming qualities!?!?!?
The entire episode sounded more like, "I relate to this character because I'm also uncomfortable with other races and women." A white character that does things that suggest he might be racist and or sexist in a game is not revolutionary guys! And don't say the main character was just following the law "regardless of context" when he booked that Jewish guy either, because that excuse was used in Nazi Germany too!
The episode above also suggest that race is just a small part of who we are. Yeah, if you're white!
This was terrible coverage. We'll tackle this issue much better than they did on this blog over, probably, several articles. So stay tuned!
I created this here blog thing as a new platform to talk about random crap. How cathartic! After creating it, however, I found there wasn't a great deal I felt like writing about, probably because I was busy with more pressing issues; like making a buck to feed myself!
So here we are now and I wanted to start by covering a topic that's been on my mind because I've been dealing with a lot of bullshit lately. The topic is race and specifically race in games.
But before I get into this, I discovered that there are some guys that already tried to cover this topic on a show called Extra Credits. Overall, it's mostly a good show and it's doing a great deal to make gamers aware of how narrative, visual aesthetics, and hot button issues can push the boundaries of games and make them a better medium.
That said, here's my opinion of Extra Credits coverage of race in games. What a shitty episode! Seriously, the first thing they mention is that their artist, who's a woman, has a shoulder injury that will eventually affect her ability to draw if she doesn't get it fixed; but they STILL have her drawing the episode. What!?!?
Then, they jump into their coverage of race or race issues in games and the only game they can come up with that "pushes the boundaries" on race issues is L.A. Noire and its playable white character who both books a Jewish guy for killing an anti-semite right after World War II and stands by while a fellow cop beats up a woman. And these are somehow redeeming qualities!?!?!?
The entire episode sounded more like, "I relate to this character because I'm also uncomfortable with other races and women." A white character that does things that suggest he might be racist and or sexist in a game is not revolutionary guys! And don't say the main character was just following the law "regardless of context" when he booked that Jewish guy either, because that excuse was used in Nazi Germany too!
The episode above also suggest that race is just a small part of who we are. Yeah, if you're white!
This was terrible coverage. We'll tackle this issue much better than they did on this blog over, probably, several articles. So stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment