Ubisoft apologizes for 'lesbo' use in Scrabble DS

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 2nd 2007 at 10:10AM }

Ubisoft has apparently apologized to customers after the word "lesbo"
was discovered as a proper word to use in Scrabble 2007 for the Nintendo DS. Although the Belfast Telegraph got all uppity about the issue and Ubisoft apologized, the simple fact of the matter is that "lesbo" is an official word in the Chambers Official Scrabble Dictionary. In the game there is a "junior" version that omits offensive words, but lesbo is not considered an offensive word in the Scrabble dictionary. Ubisoft merely apologized if offense was caused, they are not pulling the game.

Ubisoft just seems to be running into language issues lately. Back in June they pulled Mind Quiz over the use of the word "spastic." In case you're wondering, many, many derogatory words are official Scrabble words and therefore make perfect sense as allowable in the game. That's the funny thing about a game based on language, they aren't all going to be happy-shiny fun nice words. ~~Besides, a skillful player would wait until they received the extra "S" for "Lesbos," an island in the Aegean sea.~~

Update: Faux pas, you can't use Lesbos because it's a proper noun. Fine, then just say it's a plural of the derogatory word, that way it's still kosher, but then you become that pluralizer Scrabble player.

[Via EuroGamer]

Tags: apology, lesbo, scrabble, ubisoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

coryellkelsey @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:16AM

Yeah but Lesbos is a proper noun, so I don't think you can use it in scrabble

ck @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:16AM

And not just an island in the Aegean sea, but a ladies-only bar - Les Bos.
"This isn't crazy, this is LESBOS!"

FOXHOUND @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:20AM

"Maybe if you scissor or something..."

AlternateVerifier @ Oct 2nd 2007 12:47PM

Yarrr, scissor me timbers!

Nick Dunn @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:21AM

"Besides, a skillful player would wait until they received the extra "S" for "Lesbos," an island in the Aegean sea."

Except that a skillful player would know that in Scrabble you cannot use proper nouns. So that would only be a viable word if you can pluralize lesbo with an s at the end.

Lyrebird @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:26AM

I know I won't be the last to point it out--maybe I've already been beat to the punch--but proper nouns, such as "Lesbos", aren't acceptable in Scrabble.

Alex @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:34AM

If you are offended then F you :)
It's YOUR problem that YOU are offended, not everyone elses!

Negativecool @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:43AM

Well that was brilliant...

Negativecool @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:44AM

Seriously what else do they have in their Scrabble game??!! I wasn't even aware of their scrabble game until now. Now I want to see if I can fill the board with dirty words! Brilliant marketing Ubisoft!

Charron @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:45AM

"...but then you become that pluralizer Scrabble player."

Which is almost as bad as being the guy who bids a dollar more than the highest bid on The Price Is Right.

Crono (NDF - French Taunting from Holy Grail Ring) @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:54AM

I always hated that guy.

Donald @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:56AM

Their editors must work overtime editing out all the times the other contestant yells "FUCK YOU" when that happens (cf; Family Guy)

Charron @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:22AM

Every now and then you see small fights over it. I know I've seen someone shove that guy before. Sure it would have gotten rougher if it weren't nationally televised.

baby sea tuna @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:46AM

"In case you're wondering, many, many derogatory words are official Scrabble words and therefore make perfect sense as allowable in the game."

I'm still guessing that "wolfbagging" hasn't made it into the official scrabble lexicon.

Cal @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:54AM

i saw someone use the N word in yahoo literati once and it worked!

jpn @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:58AM

I thought it was Mario Party 8 that got pulled in Europe b/c of "spastic"? Maybe both...

BPM (FDF - Hypno-Toad) @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:34AM

Yep, it was both.

32_Footsteps @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:01AM

If you really want to be that guy, try pluralizing one word while getting a Bingo (aka, use all 7 letters) on another word. Like playing "singing" and using the S to also pluralize "lesbo", thereby getting a bonus 50 points in addition to making The Indigo Girls.

Donald @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:07AM

I should never read this site while working, I just about burst out laughing in the middle of a phone call.

Sean @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:55AM

Most excellent.

cybereality @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:26AM

Thats pretty lame considering I got banned from Kotaku for using that L-word. But if Ubisoft does it, its E for Everyone.

blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:27AM

well kotaku is fucking gay

Crono (NDF - French Taunting from Holy Grail Ring) @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:43PM

Kotaku is gay. They seem to get some great enjoyment from banning people by always putting up reminder "Don't forget to nominate your friend that you're pissed at for a banning".

Maybe if they did their fucking jobs moderating their own comments, they wouldn't have to ban so much. Also, if they weren't such tightwads.

Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:55PM

For some reason you can get banned more easily in Kotaku than Gamespot.I have 2 accounts banned from Kotaku and 1 running the thing is that I don't visit Kotaku anymore since well is effing g*y and Kotaku editors are Furf*gs but the true reason is that they rarely have something important to say most of the time their news are about dog crap that looks like Mario, some hentai game or some crazy Japanese crap and if the have anything related to gaming it was on Joystiq a day ago hell even Destructoid and QJ.net are faster than them not to mention their Rumor control sucks ash (yes ASH).