Criticism of racial stereotyping in games
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 17th 2007 at 2:30PM }
A piece on BlackVoiceNews explores blacks playing and portrayed in video games. The two part piece (1 and 2) by Ricard O. Jones expresses his views on the harm to blacks by racial stereotyping and obsession with gaming. Based on a 2006 Kaiser Family Foundation study that revealed black youth play video games 90 minutes a day, 30 minutes more than white youth, that "it stands to reason that blacks are the most negatively effected" by the game media's portrayal. Jones uses the "poor self-images" from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to illustrate his point. In all fairness though, the first two GTA's had a generic white guy and an Italian mobster stereotype as the anti-hero. The question being: Would it have been better not to have Carl Johnson at all? Take-Two took a bit of a risk using a black protagonist nestled in the Cali gangsta' culture of the early-'90s.Portrayal of diverse characters in video games is a simple issue of marketing and numbers. Jones states this in the first piece's closer, "The video game industry is all about money. No one really cares about your skin color or gender if you are a well-trained video game designer or illustrator. The problem is that [black] youth and adult players see themselves as players and not designers or illustrators. Therefore unless they're motivated to get on the business end versus the player end of the video game phenomenon they will continue to be portrayed in a negative light and also miss out on a ten billion dollar a year industry."
The impact, influence and potential of minorities will certainly be part of the discussion at the Game Developers Conference's Diversity: The Window of Opportunity headed by Joseph Saulter. A similar session last year pointed to more blatantly offensive games like 25 to Life, which were crass compared to the more refined GTA: San Andreas.
See also: Jade is Latina, Asian, Black ... who knows?
[via GamePolitics]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
heretrix @ Feb 17th 2007 3:08PM
I didn't know that a Black guy that could drive any motor vehicle, use a jet pack, learn to fly a plane and infiltrate Area 51 fresh out of da hood would be seen as a negative...Out of the 3 GTA characters CJ is by far the most versatile....I get what the piece is saying and for the most part it's true, but people who bash on GTA:SA for the whole gangbanger sterotype clearly have not played the game for more than an hour, if at all...
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 17th 2007 2:47PM
Im latin (a very good looking latin :) ) and Im proud, and the stereotypes dont affect me. In fact, the ladys find me interesting. I play guitar here, en Laredo, Tx, and I have my own woman-fans :), but Im married :(
Slaziman @ Feb 17th 2007 2:48PM
Did you see an Italian gamer uproar for GTA Vice City? Or Mario for that matter?
mgroves @ Feb 17th 2007 2:57PM
San Andreas is merely reflective of "black" culture in general, especially rap music. Sure, there is positive rap music out there, but most of the mainstream stuff is gangs, drugs, women, drinking, partying, glorification of squalor, violence, etc. San Andreas is not the cause of these things, nor is rap music for that matter. It's simply a symptom of a destructive cultural element.
DWells55 @ Feb 17th 2007 3:01PM
@2. Slaziman
"Did you see an Italian gamer uproar for GTA Vice City? Or Mario for that matter?"
--------------------------------
Exactly what I was thinking, no one cried racism on GTA3 or GTAVC. I think making a big deal over something like this is only perpetuating racism where it probably wasn't intended in the first place.
Maylon @ Feb 17th 2007 3:03PM
This just seems weak to me, its just another angle to attack video games. See? the games are bad for the kids, not only are they violent, but they promote racist views. Give it a rest.
ZenGaijin @ Feb 17th 2007 3:03PM
See thats the problem people think that black culture is hiphop culture or more specifically "rap" culture. I haven't listened to a mainstream rapper in years mainly because of its destructive nature.
It's really annoying that whenever a game stars a black person it has to have Def Jam in the title, be about gangs or be a sports game. ITs like people are afraid to have a black or minority protaganist.
I would love if someone made a game starring a minority lead that wasn't so form of horrible stereotype.
grable @ Feb 17th 2007 3:07PM
I play way more than 90 minutes a day, so i should be more messed up than those black gangnbangers!
But im white so it doesnt affect me?!?
WamBam @ Feb 17th 2007 3:12PM
I think there is definitely a limit to how black people are generally portrayed in video games, but I really feel that's reflective of culture in general. Movies too, feature very few black people in starring roles and I think that game developers are simply following suit.
Sure, no one cried racism over the other GTA's but there is definitely an outcry among Italian-Americans over the general mobster stereotype that is pervasive in our culture. They've been battling (rightly or wrongly) tons of movies and novels featuring mafiasos all the way since the original Scarface.
There is definitely a good argument to made that much of contempary black culture - in the form of music and movies, especially - is mired in violence, misogyny and drugs. And I think this is a debate that the black community is itself engaged in. One only has to read through the contraversy Bill Cosby caused recently over comments aimed at calling out such elements in the community.
I would like to see the roles offered to blacks expanded in movies and other forms of popular entertainment and I would also like to see more diverse portrayels in video games not limited to gangster titles or sports.
Kevin @ Feb 17th 2007 4:26PM
This is stupid.
Stop complaining just because your black.
What if I complained about asian people being stereotyped in games and movies???
O wait, no one cares. STFU.
howardmoon @ Feb 17th 2007 3:18PM
being able to create a character... it can always be the same person, just adjust the model to fit your own ideal...
... or, or not.
I know that saints row went with this options, does that work for anyone?
ZenGaijin @ Feb 17th 2007 3:18PM
". @2. Slaziman
"Did you see an Italian gamer uproar for GTA Vice City? Or Mario for that matter?"
--------------------------------
Exactly what I was thinking, no one cried racism on GTA3 or GTAVC. I think making a big deal over something like this is only perpetuating racism where it probably wasn't intended in the first place."
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How quickly people forget the uproar that was created over the Sorpranos in which Italian Americans did indeed complain about racial stereotyping.
Gott @ Feb 17th 2007 3:21PM
Waaaaaa. Anyone else tired of black groups bitching about stereotypes? Give it a rest
Slaziman @ Feb 17th 2007 3:21PM
Black people no starring roles in movies? Whaddabout Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Eddy Murphy? There is a comedy marathon at one of my channels and it's Dave Chappele show, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Will Smith), Jamie Foxx show, Tracy Morgan show, Williams brothers, and South Park.
Out of six, five had black people starring, and South Park doesn't even contain real actors, so yeah they are everywhere!
webandgraphics @ Feb 17th 2007 3:26PM
GET OVErR IT!!
Stereotypes exist because they are REAL. lets think logically for a second... how else would American gangbangers be realistically betrayed? Why don't they use their time and money to work on changing the negative stereotypes withing their communities where the stereotypes come from. The media (in this case the games industry) doesn't make them up, they just use them to show the realities of cultures/sub-cultures!
MLK Jr. is probably rolling over in his grave over the disgusting CRAP that gets pumped out of the music industry...
in my humble opinion...
Slaziman @ Feb 17th 2007 3:27PM
Yeah Gott, my thoughts exactly, I said that before but it seems one of the mods here deleted that part of my post, oh well.
Dave @ Feb 17th 2007 3:32PM
lol@14 What stereotype are you following? Illiterate redneck? Ever heard of spell-check? Your grammar and spelling are atrocious. I'm assuming that either your first language is something other than English, you're only twelve, or you're retarded.
Rob @ Feb 17th 2007 3:33PM
@Dwells55:"Exactly what I was thinking, no one cried racism on GTA3 or GTAVC"
Incorrect. Remember the "Kill the Haitians" flap?
REUYL @ Feb 17th 2007 3:43PM
GTA:SA represents the street gangs of Los Angeles in the 90's. Those gangs are/were comprised primarily of African-Americans, and thus Rockstar copied that "stereotype" while they were creating the gang.
If most LA gangs were made of Asians, Rockstar would have made plenty of Asian gangs. I wish people would stop whining about this crap.
phil @ Feb 17th 2007 3:46PM
# 16 it`s one of the most clear example of a racist man...
Slaziman @ Feb 17th 2007 3:46PM
@Dave
What the hell is your problem? His spelling and grammar isn't so bad, if you expect perfect grammar and spelling on the internet, you are the twelve year old here. Firefox has built-in spell check, but for people that don't use Firefox, why would they use spell check? So some asshole on the internet doesn't flame them? Get real.
Geo @ Feb 17th 2007 3:52PM
Hey # 16 que te importa si el tipo del # 14 no puede escribir bien dale gracias que esta opinando, y el retrasado mental ere tu imbecil racista...
Dave @ Feb 17th 2007 3:53PM
Personally, I see nothing wrong with the various themes of the GTA series. I think they represent valid, albeit exaggerated, reflections of the criminal element present in the times and places in which they are set. That said, I'm surprised there weren't more neo-Nazi shaved-headed youths cooking up crystal meth as they fondle their sisters visible in the trailer parks outside the cities in GTA:SA.
Ant @ Feb 21st 2007 8:58AM
People Rap music isn't real. I can say that as a black youth(15) who lives in Brooklyn. Everyone knows that these rappers don't do these things or at least after they made money its to get people to listen. So you cant say fix this and that within black culture when you don't know what goes on. And if Caucasians were the minority you would want to see yourself more on Tv and other media. Stereotypes are made by people who don't know anything about others and don't care to try so they make stuff up. So #14 If every time someone is kidnapped or gruesomely murdered I am to instantly assume that its a white person right? Some people get others don't some just need to go somewhere they are the minority and see what it feels like As for the Gangbangers thing the few that realize its stupid and leave. So basically music or games don't make someone do something people do what they truly want to. Cause if it was the other way around 15 year olds would be running around in the suburbs with grills and starting their own gangs cause they are the majority that buys rap albums.
Maylon @ Feb 17th 2007 3:59PM
lol@16, ah, rednecks, the last safe stereotype. Yes, it is a stereotype, thinking that anyone from the south is illiterate and a racist. Its ok to portray us that way because we all fit that mold, right? Anyone see anything wrong with this?
LaughingTarget @ Feb 17th 2007 3:59PM
I can sum this entire racial debate up in a simple cliche: damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Make a game where an enemy is black, you get screamed at for racial stereotyping.
Make a game where the main protagonist is black, you get blamed for pandering to the black community (this is FROM the black community mind you).
Make a game with no blacks, you get hit with racism claims.
Make a game where everyone is black, back to the pandering.
Get the picture?
The real problem is places like BlackVoiceNews and people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton that make EVERYTHING out to be racist. The biggest reason is if there were no racism, or percieved racism, they'd be out of a job. No racism means BlackVoiceNews is out of business. Because of this, places like BVN will invent racism wherever possible to keep the money flowing.
Racism is a major problem, but these activist groups are diluting the issue and makes people think there really isn't a problem. Maybe if they'd stop and focus on the REAL issues, we'd be more prone to taking Jesse Jackson seriously. Instead, they come off as paranoid groups along the same lines as a Montana militia that stockpiles weapons because they think the government is out to kill them.
Dave @ Feb 17th 2007 4:02PM
#19: Your second sentence is a run-on.
corn_fest @ Feb 17th 2007 4:07PM
So it's A-OK to have a white guy as a bad guy in a video game but if you have a black guy as the bad guy then it's RACIST!!!!!!!!11! OH DEER!!
Captin Shmit @ Feb 17th 2007 4:08PM
My all-time favorite stereotype...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Bernoulli
ZenGaijin @ Feb 17th 2007 4:16PM
How is it out of the question to have a game where you are a black person and aren't a gangster or sports star? You're just a person that takes on a role that is not a stereotype.
But of course thats being unreasonable.....
LaughingTarget @ Feb 17th 2007 4:18PM
@27 - Bernard is my hero. :D
Truth be told, the ones that are the quickest and most frequent to claim racism or bigotry tend to be the worst racists and bigots. The worst of them are the reparation groups. These individuals somehow believe that ever single person with white skin is responsible for their problems. Never mind that half of the people living in the United States showed up after we eliminated racism or that large numbers of people living here prior to the Civil War (like my family for instance) were long time opponents. I can trace family members back that opposed slavery as early as the 1600s in colonial America as well as those that actively debated completely eliminating slavery from the United States during the revolution. Yet, find one of these groups and they'll point at me saying it is my fault they're living in squalid conditions and somehow it was my fault their ancestors were in shackles. One of my ancestors that got run out of town and later murdered over his anti-slavery views say otherwise.
Racism is the biggest self-perpetuating problem we have in our modern society. I understand there are racial disparagies in income levels, but the problem is the Jesse Jacksons of the world tell them it isn't their fault and to wait around for someone else to fix the problem. This perpetuates the image that "The Man" is holding down the black man and perpetuates the image that blacks are somehow inherently lazy since large populations are asking for someone else to fix their problems.
The fastest way to stop stereotyping is for these disparaged groups to just ignore these greater leaders of the NAACP and fix things themselves. They'll realize there isn't some giant white-man conspiracy trying to keep them down and the rest of us will notice that blacks aren't lazy. Can't stop all of it, there will always be those on both ends of the spectrum that hold onto prejudices, but this will make certain those individuals are viewed as insane and shunned instead of taken seriously.
Dan @ Feb 17th 2007 4:21PM
People are going to focus on race either way. GTA 3 and Vice City had white protagonists, and what if the third in the series had one too? People would have called Rockstar out for discrimination for 'never' having a black main character.
So are they going to have an Asian woman as the next main character? There would be complaints, then, too. There will be complaints in the next game if the main character is not an Asian or a woman.
The thing is that the character just needs to fit the game. CJ fit into that time and setting. Claude fit into Liberty City, and Tommy fit into Vice City. Having a black main character in Claude's position or an Italian guy in CJ's would not have worked.
ZenGaijin @ Feb 17th 2007 4:27PM
All I know is that as a black man you can't win. If you try and fight the stereotypes then you are outcasted by your own culture. If you stay within what is accepted by the culture society is ready to label you with stereotypes. Its either all or none. There is no middle ground for this arguement. I think alot of you are insensative to other cultures because you've never been where they are.
I deal with this daily having to defend all of black culture because if I don't nobody else around will. Then when I do I get pegged as whining about this issue. Again, you can't win.
So for now I just do what I know is right is to try and show everyone that blacks aren't just stereotypes that are broadcasted across the media. I do this by myself being a exception to the stereotypes.
Ifs funny to hear that people can trace back to the 1600's about people that apposed slavery and such. Because as a whole Black culture cannot be traced beyond the slave trading days. If I look into the past I can only go so far before I hit a dead end and that is, about 200 years back which in family time isn't very long.
Yeah, it sucks that as black people the most outspoken of our culture are usually the most ignorant. But the challenge I've found is that when you get the chance to sway someones opinion you let your voice be heard.
D TRUB @ Feb 17th 2007 4:34PM
Wow "Laughing target" WOW....
Goldspire @ Feb 17th 2007 4:37PM
I'm a white male, and I think it's racist to have all these white males portrayed in such violent manners in video games.. gimme a break.
Goldspire @ Feb 17th 2007 4:38PM
that being said, games like 187: Ride or Die can't be helping any stereotypes.
Maylon @ Feb 17th 2007 4:43PM
All italians or 'noodlebenders' eat lots of pasta and are in some way associated with the mafia.
D TRUB @ Feb 17th 2007 4:45PM
" understand there are racial disparagies in income levels, but the problem is the Jesse Jacksons of the world tell them it isn't their fault and to wait around for someone else to fix the problem."
Wow.... I can't really say anything about this statement... This is what majority of White americans believe.... Unbelievable....
Slaziman @ Feb 17th 2007 4:52PM
@25
Bah! Bah! Bah!
Crazy Xbox Lady is shooting you down!
Maylon @ Feb 17th 2007 9:20PM
@37. I have to agree with you on that, sadly. I feel the first step to racism disappearing is to first admit you are a racist, which many people on both sides seem reluctant to do. I know so many people that will say they are not, when in truth they are, based on their words and actions.
WamBam @ Feb 17th 2007 5:08PM
@ 32
Well said. Thank you.
jettoki @ Feb 17th 2007 5:44PM
I just want to take this opportunity to say that Rainbow Six: Las Vegas totally eschews stereotypes and does a fantastic job of infusing its diverse cast with unique, interesting personalities. Other developers should really take a page from Ubisoft's book in this case.
James @ Feb 19th 2007 12:04PM
I understand what they are saying. If the media only shows black criminals then everyone assumes they all are.
I certainly don't like a lot of the dumb ass white man but smart women ads that have been released by everyone over the last few years. I also don't like how my place of employment is now actively seeking out people that are "minorities" to hire so they have a more realistic cultural diversity.
Racism is often perceived as being malicious but the developers mean well. The same issues have happened with women as sex symbols in games. The majority of game developers (outside of Japan) are white males. They have no reason to create a game about a black stock broker who needs to save his sons school. They take ideas from their life and create characters that they can relate to. That said maybe more games should have a "Race" selection in the options screen so this is a non-issue.
Steve @ Feb 17th 2007 5:52PM
Movies are racist. TV is racist. Video games are racist. Toothpaste is racist. Anyone else tired of the "Chicken Littles" in the race industry calling everything racist?
I don't know what it's like in the rest of the world because most other countries are smaller and more homogeneous than the US, but here in the US the race industry is flat out mindboggling. Southwest Airlines can be sued for racism because a stewardess sang "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" (Didn't know that was racist? Neither did anyone else), but things like the BET: BLACK Entertainment Television aren't considered racist. Racist pigs like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Louis Farakhan are actually promoted as the next Martin Luther King Jr. It's such a joke.
Basically something is racist if it has lots of money and is perceived as being vulnerable to a negative public relations attack. It was only a matter of time for this new industry to start receiving attacks. I like Budweiser beer partly because they stood up to one of Jesse Jackson's blackmail campaigns by digging up dirt on him and prepared to go public on it. Jackson moved on to exploit another company.
James @ Feb 19th 2007 12:04PM
I understand what they are saying. If the media only shows black criminals then everyone assumes they all are.
I certainly don't like a lot of the dumb ass white man but smart women ads that have been released by everyone over the last few years. I also don't like how my place of employment is now actively seeking out people that are "minorities" to hire so they have a more realistic cultural diversity.
Racism is often perceived as being malicious but the developers mean well. The same issues have happened with women as sex symbols in games. The majority of game developers (outside of Japan) are white males. They have no reason to create a game about a black stock broker who needs to save his sons school. They take ideas from their life and create characters that they can relate to. That said maybe more games should have a "Race" selection in the options screen so this is a non-issue.
Finalboss @ Feb 17th 2007 6:03PM
@24. LaughingTarget where's your example of a game that 'panders' to black people? In this day and age, what game would 'pander' to 'blacks' so much like opening a black museum? Can't find an example? Yeah I know. 187: Ride or Die, 25 to Life, Saint's Row, the Def Jams, Narc, True Crime:NY, GTA:SA... they all portray black people as ruthless. Not always villians (though villainous), or always acting as the lone race, but never the multifaceted hero. Just 'ruthless'.
Why couldn't there be a black Phoenix Wright-style character? Do Western developers understand how to make a game that challenges the player outside of situations conducive to violence? Could that even make it to the publisher past the conception stage? I'll give the Internet forum posters and bloggers the benefit of the doubt, meaning they wouldn't flip out when the game is announced.
Don Cheadle was just on a second ago. Don Cheadle was in Ocean's Eleven, Hotel Rwanda, and Rush Hour 2. Think about the differences between those movies. Racial stereotyping is just a diminutive circle of the relatively larger Euler diagram of issues "labeled linearity in video games."
James @ Feb 19th 2007 12:04PM
I understand what they are saying. If the media only shows black criminals then everyone assumes they all are.
I certainly don't like a lot of the dumb ass white man but smart women ads that have been released by everyone over the last few years. I also don't like how my place of employment is now actively seeking out people that are "minorities" to hire so they have a more realistic cultural diversity.
Racism is often perceived as being malicious but the developers mean well. The same issues have happened with women as sex symbols in games. The majority of game developers (outside of Japan) are white males. They have no reason to create a game about a black stock broker who needs to save his sons school. They take ideas from their life and create characters that they can relate to. That said maybe more games should have a "Race" selection in the options screen so this is a non-issue.
one armed bandit @ Feb 17th 2007 8:06PM
I agree with 37. " understand there are racial disparagies in income levels, but the problem is the Jesse Jacksons of the world tell them it isn't their fault and to wait around for someone else to fix the problem."
does seem to be the general sentiment of a large segment of the American population. Its an incredibly wrong assessment of current socio-economical trends in the African-American community, yet one which remains overwhelmingly prevalent. Its sad but its true. The common perception of black males hasn't much evolved in the past 2 decades. I don't think the media's entirely to blame. To say black males never appear in positive roles on television or are all portrayed as gangsters would be as ridiculous as saying the disparities in income between members of a certain can be attributed to laziness.
On to my point: I don't think attacking a game such as GTA:SA as racist will produce any positive results. As many of you've pointed out, the GTA series isn't picky when it comes to stereotypes. As an artform and an entertainment outlet, videogames should be allowed to express their creators' vision regardless of his/her opinions. I think the only way to promote diversity in a fair way is to have a diverse group of developers.
Slaziman @ Feb 17th 2007 6:33PM
A black Phoenix Wright? ... I just can't picture that
The1 @ Feb 17th 2007 7:12PM
3. San Andreas is merely reflective of "black" culture in general, especially rap music. Sure, there is positive rap music out there, but most of the mainstream stuff is gangs, drugs, women, drinking, partying, glorification of squalor, violence, etc. San Andreas is not the cause of these things, nor is rap music for that matter. It's simply a symptom of a destructive cultural element.
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You must be a FREAKING MORON. GTA SA has nothing to do with BLACK CULTURE. This is what the article is strictly focusing upon morons like you who know nothing of BLACK CULTURE except for the negative media hype you see and play. Therefore, most of you people on this site think you know something about people of African descent; and therefore you are the authority.
Now in Crackdown I find that to be offensive because of the negative sterotypes of Mexicans as DRUG dealers. Are we to assume this because it's in a game?
This is why people in the Middle East Hate Americans because of their stupidty.
When a wasted Zygote makes a Stupid response, I must respond.