Eurogamer notes racism in its Resident Evil 5 hands-on
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 5th 2009 at 9:00PM }
The RE5 hands-on concludes that all the mainstream media needs is an image of Chris Redfield stomping on the face of a black woman, "splattering her skull," to have a field day. Yikes!
Gallery: Resident Evil 5
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
ShadowXOR @ Feb 5th 2009 9:03PM
Wow, a reference to Avenue Q, never thought I'd see that on Joystiq.
Wiinterfang @ Feb 5th 2009 9:08PM
The Internet is for porn.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 5th 2009 9:17PM
Grab your dick and double click, PORN PORN PORN!!!
Vegnagun bwf @ Feb 6th 2009 1:06AM
It's Alexander Sliwinski. What did you expect?
Wiinterfang @ Feb 5th 2009 9:07PM
[OOPS, due to my completely inappropriate comment I've been banned. Shucks!]
BananaBoat @ Feb 5th 2009 10:10PM
Not cool....
Foetoid @ Feb 6th 2009 1:55AM
LOL @ BAN!
Megadanxzero @ Feb 6th 2009 4:48AM
I miss him already :
Lord Negatron @ Feb 6th 2009 9:21AM
Hope it was worth it. At least you can "read" the posts...
fred @ Feb 6th 2009 9:54AM
funny... I remember not liking him but now I cant even remember why.
Do bans erase people's memories of you??? DON'T BAN ME PLEASE
PSN: slycooper_rocker (The Agent of Orange) @ Feb 6th 2009 6:14PM
NOOOOOOOOOOO!
wiinterfang, why? :(
WINterfang @ Feb 6th 2009 8:25PM
It's ok Sly, I learn my lesson and won't do it again.
What hurts me is not the banned but that nobody got the joke =(.
shinhyesung11 @ Feb 8th 2009 5:54AM
I must know what he said.....I must!
I know it is a waste of time and I am probably setting myself up for disappointment but I NEED to satiate this immense inexplicable hunger to know what got him banned O_o some please tell me.
WINterfang @ Feb 8th 2009 3:20PM
I use the term
I can't wait to shoot some zombies!!! but replace it with a racial slur that sounds just the same, in the end it was too vague to get the joke and sounds inappropriate.
and not it wasn't the N word.
Yourself @ Feb 5th 2009 9:09PM
Well considering that the best way to perpetuate racism is to consciously divide the races, I'd say Eurogamer and the media are doing a great job ensuring no one will ever get over these petty accusations.
Playing the RE5 demo, it seemed like a lot of the would-be zombies were white. I didn't look that close, but it the game's gritty look made it a bit difficult to distinguish. It was hard to tell whether I should feel totally within my rights killing them or like a hate-mongering racist criminal.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 5th 2009 9:11PM
Yeah, it's obvious Capcom changed the skin tone to many of the Zombies so they could avoid being called racist.
Apparently it didn't work.
zuburi @ Feb 5th 2009 9:53PM
It also made it look forced and ridiculous.
Night Elve @ Feb 5th 2009 10:20PM
Meh you know what's racist?
Killing fucking white zombies for 5 Resident´s! God damn that's racist!
umm....hello??? @ Feb 5th 2009 11:22PM
@Night Elve-
according to one of my african-american cultural affairs teacher in college, that would be known as REVERSE racism. whoever invented that term though is a fucking retard. racism is racism, no matter which race it's directed at....
...but I digress. the whole argument is laughable. can't wait for the game to come out so I can play it--zombies are zombies.
lasersanchez @ Feb 5th 2009 11:39PM
Reverse racism is a term that only normalizes regular racism. It's a shitty phrase.
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ Feb 6th 2009 1:00AM
Reverse Racism is a terrible term. it doesnt mean anything. Rascism is not just white vs black, it's any race/color treating another race/color person differently because of their race/color.
either way, im not a RE fan so i wont be playing it, but im sure i'll hear plenty about it in the news. just wait til Al Sharpton gets a whiff of the game's existance....(i tell ya, i'm black, and i despise that guy).
Foetoid @ Feb 6th 2009 1:59AM
@ umm....hello???
Um, in case you're one of the poor sods who missed out the RE4 (Wii edition is the best one), or you've been living under a rock, or both, RE5 does not have zombies!. Zombies cannot talk, cannot work in groups, cannot use firearms, can't light dynamite.
sjenky @ Feb 6th 2009 4:37AM
Like most media-induced racism 'scandals' it'll all blow over once they've got their interview with Al Sharpton and Capcom apologizes to him publicly.
If they would get sued, any lawyer, judge and jury can see that they had no racist intent. Capcom could probably benefit from all the publicity in the end.
It worked for GTA San Andreas.
Lionbacker steamID: detfan1957 @ Feb 5th 2009 9:09PM
I'm scared to click on that link because I read it on a video games blog comments section.
Do you see spammers? Your whole world is flawed!
Yourself @ Feb 5th 2009 9:11PM
And actually, maybe I'm more out of touch with Hollywood then I thought, but Sheva seemed much more like a misplaced British stereotype than a black one.
Gavin @ Feb 5th 2009 11:09PM
I guess she would be less of a stereotype if she were an over weight single black woman, who's a mother of two, high school educated, socially conservative, but a strong supporter of the democratic party?
Oh wait, I've gone and made it WORSE! :(
BoBoTheChimp @ Feb 6th 2009 9:47AM
@Gavin
Ziing!
finaldarklord @ Feb 6th 2009 12:16PM
High School educated?
I keed, I keed.
Josh @ Feb 5th 2009 9:13PM
Fuck, this is so stupid.
Cameron @ Feb 5th 2009 9:16PM
Boohoo. I can't stand all of this racism crap. How is it racism to kill a black person but not racism when killing a white person? If anything that sounds like it's racist towards white people. Why is it that black people can call me cracker and whitey and honkey but I can't call them the N WORD. Oh no! Don't mention the N word, their ancestors will hear it and channel their anger through the black people of the world today.
Shut up people. Also, stop calling them African American. I have a riddle for you:
You see a black man walking down the street. He says to you, "Hello, would you consider me an African American?" Do you say yes or no?
If you said yes, you're an idiot. He's from Britain.
Xta Large (Formerly Fatass) @ Feb 5th 2009 9:24PM
There's more to it than that, bro. If you actually feel the need or even the urge to call someone that, you're an asshat.
Xta Large (Formerly Fatass) @ Feb 5th 2009 9:27PM
OrganicJerk posted a reply to you further down that you really should read. The comment system had it's way with it, if you're wondering.
Monkeydog @ Feb 5th 2009 9:29PM
And it is your assumption that calling someone an asshat should be allowed?
I agree with Cameron.
This totally wouldn't be an issue if Chris Redfield was black and killing a white, asian, latin, or middle eastern person.
Hell, if it was the latter, people would probably be praising it.
Cameron @ Feb 5th 2009 9:29PM
And it's perfectly fine for black people to call me insulting names? I went to a 70% black school. I got every insult known to black people thrown at me because I was white. Guess what I said back?
Nothing. Because had I said ANYTHING, my ass would have been beat. Why do black people have this power?
PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Feb 5th 2009 9:38PM
Grow up in the south, then come talk to me, gat damn right its racist
Maverick Saturn @ Feb 5th 2009 9:48PM
Calm down people, calm down, I've been called racist names too, in fact I get it every day, but hey, it doesn't have me hating, I love who I am and I adore other races. I did wonder at first why Mr Radfield was over in Africa of all places blasting Africans, like they don't have enough with Mr Mugabe to worry about, was a bit distasteful, but the inclusion of a black girl makes me feel a bit easier, althought the storyline better be damn good as to why hes there, and I'm sure Capcom have thought of that, he wouldn't be there for no reason.
My only issue is that with the current situation going on in Africa, I find it slightly distasteful to have shoot out games there, but as a counter arguement, its nice to see other countries depicted in games besides the usual ones we always see. Africa this gen seems to be popular, and in a sense its brings not a lot, but at least a bit of culture to gamers.
The Dark Wayne @ Feb 5th 2009 10:01PM
you know what's racist? When the Joker and Penguin call me a rodent! Bats arent even rodents! Do you have any idea how much that makes me just want to go to the batcave and cry?
Xta Large (Formerly Fatass) @ Feb 5th 2009 10:03PM
I'm not disagreeing with you, I don't view this game as racist. I'm saying that it isn't as farfetched as y'all are making it out to be to see the game as racist.
Also, way to show that ya don't realize the racist and historical undertones behind that word. It's not something that can just be thrown around. Certainly not something comparable to 'asshat'.
"And it's perfectly fine for black people to call me insulting names? I went to a 70% black school. I got every insult known to black people thrown at me because I was white. Guess what I said back? Nothing. Because had I said ANYTHING, my ass would have been beat. Why do black people have this power?"
Sounds like a power shift, considering that non-Black folk had this power for, oh, around two hundred years
I'm not trying to justify it. I think all that shit, insulting based on race, is retarded bullshit. Going either way. If someone calls you a name based on your race, your default shouldn't be to do the same back, because that's stooping to their level. That's the message I was trying to convey.
Andrew @ Feb 5th 2009 10:09PM
People are up-voting the guy who said "why do black people have this power?"
So let me get this straight...because kids in high school are doing the group-think bully thing that kids in high school do, this means that black people everywhere have some "power? This is indeed what you up-voters are endorsing?
I'm sorry, but to me having that attitude just screams maladjusted.
Lord Negatron @ Feb 5th 2009 10:12PM
I can understand your frustration, with the "issue" and your point. Moving from NY to Dallas,TX at 16 where i finished highschool was a mind boggling experience.
I went to a pretty big school, mostly white, but had plenty of hispanic(mexican) and black people. Growing up in NY is so different for the racism exists of course but it wasn't out there as in Dallas, specially for my age. NY: Lunch room, we all do normal teen things, talk shit, make jokes, racial jokes etc. yet it was never an issue.
Lets jump to Dallas now, Lunchroom, all the tables segregated, spanish, white, black,
preps, trouble makers, jocks (no specific order). Talk about awkward, "white boy this white boy that", caused me to raise a curious brow. Like why?? For me it used to be "whats up Alex, Raheem, Chris, Donnell". Until i straightened up, you could find me hanging at preps house party, or chopping it up with gangbangers. I had fun where ever i was. Teased or praised whoever deserved it. All that rambling aside i am still puzzled to this day, at the mindsets of people. Something no one person besides, time itself can solve
youngblazin17 @ Feb 5th 2009 10:21PM
LOL. Cameron, I feel you. I'm black and I have to agree with you. You hit it RIGHT on the nail, like if this was golf, that would be a hole in one.
But the stuff they sayin isn't necessary...They shouldn't even brung this up, really.
First of all. If the game is in Africa, who do you really expect to shoot in the game? Koren people? But if a game doesn't portray a black person well enough or TOO well, then we start to hear complainin from everywhere. Let it go and don't bring up nothin that is worth bringing up.
PSN: slycooper_rocker (The Agent of Orange) @ Feb 5th 2009 10:19PM
seriously! i'm a brown person and every time i talk to black people, they always yell "terrorist! run! go back to iran!" and i say "thats a totally different part of the world" and they yell "now he's mad! RUNNNN!" and i can't say anything back because "that's racist". i can call my white friends pale albino cocksuckers whenever they do something stupid but if i say anything with a possible racist connotation to a black person, they yell "RACIST!!!"
it's sick. if white people can take it, and brown people can take it, and mexicans can take it, then damn it, so can black people. all racist or no racist take your damn pick. at least if you're all racist, you're not a fucking hypocrite.
Psycho300x @ Feb 5th 2009 10:49PM
@ OP
Very well said, and no I wouldn't call them "african american" first off because I know people who are actually offended by that term, because they are black, but are from places like Jamaica, which isn't africa...
Maverick Saturn @ Feb 5th 2009 10:49PM
Thats cos they are uncultured idiots, you'll find that with every race with and without wealth and education.
Without culture, you are empty really, culture is a great thing, there is nothing wrong with all races learning new things from other cultures, its facinating, so take no notice of the prats who notice you for the colour of your skin rather then who you are as an individual.
t_m @ Feb 6th 2009 3:36AM
Is it always racism to kill a black person? No.
Is it never racism to kill a white person? No.
It depends on the motivation of the killer. It depends on the situation. But its certainly true that a lot more black people have been killed due to racism than white people.
is it racist to show the killing of a black person? That depends on 2 things. The motivation of the creator, and the perception taken by the viewer.
If i make a movie where a white guy goes around shooting black guys while shouting racial abuse at them, would it be racist? I think everyone would say yes.
If i make a movie where the same guy goes round shooting black people, but i edit out the racial abuse. Is it racist? Is the implication important? Or my motivation? Or the impression that the viewer takes away?
Switch the situation around. A movie where a blackk guy goes shooting white guys. If he isn't shouting racial abuse, what would people think?
I'd guess they'd be less likely to percieve racism, as there is less of a history of racism. Like it or not, history and past representation comes into play.
If a movie maker grows up being told that blacks are scary and violent, he'll probably portray them as scary and violent. Which perpetuates the idea that they are scary and violent. Is that racism?
Thats probably the situation here... the japanese view of black people is mostly formed from the US media.. and very few of those representations have been positive.
Anyway... i'm just saying that the old "but why isn't it racism to shoot a white guy" question is mostly missing the point, and largely irrelevant. It isn't the action in isolation, its the contex, perception, motivation and history.
Phildahustla07 @ Feb 6th 2009 11:23AM
Cameron, you're right to some extent. If you got the balls to say it and don't mind getting punched by the random black guy that hears you say it, go for it. I'm black and my GOOD white friends can say it around me. But if you're saying the N-bomb with the "er" at the end, you're getting my foot so far up your ass you can floss with my shoelaces.
Vandell @ Feb 6th 2009 7:10PM
If I were American and they were living in America, I'd just call them an American.
Mistikdrifter @ Feb 5th 2009 9:17PM
It would have been so much less racist to fill the setting, an African village, with white people.
...
-mistik
zuburi @ Feb 5th 2009 9:59PM
Thank goodness you signed your name. I would have had no way to tell who wrote that otherwise.
Maverick Saturn @ Feb 5th 2009 10:04PM
Thats why hes mystic :D