Forthcoming Resident Evil 5 Draws Ire from Black Community
Critics Say Game Perpetuates Racist Stereotypes
Naturally, wherever the Umbrella Corporation was fought, or spin offs of its research were found, the local natives were effected, transforming them into zombies, or in the case of Resident Evil 4, parasitically mind controlled minions of a religious cult leader. So far in the series zombies have come from every walk of life, from the poor, to the rich, to the police, to the scientists, to the prostitutes, to the government officials and special forces operatives, and of almost every race, including whites, Asians, and Latinos.
However, Resident Evil 5, due out in 2009, has already resulted in a flurry of protest from the black community, calling it a racist and stereotypical depiction of blacks, igniting racial furor.
According to popular blog Black Looks, the game is "problematic on so many levels," decrying it as an attempt to supplant racism in children. "Start them young... fearing, hating, and destroying Black people," says the author Sokari Ekine. This is of course decidedly false, as the game, like each of its predecessors, is expected to be rated M by the ESRB, meaning that only persons over the age of 17 are able to buy the game in the United States.
Prior to the grotesquely violent Manhunt series, controversy surrounded the highly violent Resident Evil games, which often times depict graphic displays of killing large quantities of zombies, who themselves kill as indiscriminately and horrifically as in any George Romero movie. But the wild success of the games translated into a trilogy of poorly received movies.
Jason Ellis, of Resident Evil 5, while decrying the "Blackface on HD TVs". Nevertheless, Black zombies are not unique to the video game series, as they also appear in Resident Evil 2, when a Black police officer becomes a zombie before the player's very eyes.
Nevertheless, the calls of discrimination and stereotypes persist, neglecting that just as many stereotypes exist for Latinos and Spaniards, who were portrayed as similarly mindless, shambling, zombie-like creatures.
Although Jason Ellies cites George Romero's masterpiece Night of the Living Dead as an example of Black empowerment, it's important to note that one of the primary protagonists, a Black man, likewise becomes a zombie at the end of the film.
Response to the notion that Resident Evil 5 is in any way racist has been mostly cynical and negative, as most commentators on the blogs angrily disagree with the cries of defamation and stereotypes.
Sources:
http://microscopiq.com/2007/07/blackface-goes-hd/
http://www.blacklooks.org/2007/07/resident_evil_5.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil_5
http://www.residentevil.com/
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/adventure/residentevil5/index.html?q=Resident%20Evil%205
Published by Chadd De Las Casas
I was born in Valencia, California in 1987. It's ironic that I turned out to be a writer, since my first exposure to it was an essay about why I hate writing. I am also the owner of the Content Producers Wiki. View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentI'd like to ask for some statistics there buddy. This notion that all heroes are overwhelmingly white with no representation is absolutely absurd. Of course, that thesis of yours is equally absurd, since it has nothing to do with the racism this game is accused of. And to answer your question, no it wouldn't have been idolized as the best - for the same reason it's not idolized as the best right now. It's the worst of the series.
Just came up on this topic, so sorry I'm late.
As a black man I've observered that its never so much what race the "villans" are as it is what the hero is. Many people have made the credible point that the highly acclaimed RE4 had us happily shooting spanish people, and many never raised a fuss. I think the problem I see is that while the role of the villans in many games enjoy a relatively diverse representation. The heros of the game are almost ALWAYS white. Hence the problem is usually not that blacks, hispanics, etc are portrayed negatively, but that no matter the race white people are killing everyone. This creates alpha-male/top of the food chain image of white people (white men mostly) that doesn't sit well with many people of color that observe it.
My question to you guys: Would RE2 be as idolized as the "best" in the series if the officer, Chris, was black? If your HONEST personal opinion is yes, then you need not even worry about this discussion.
I don't understand why anyone would be angry at Capcom for Resident Evil 5. Anyone who thinks games are racist is just being ignorant.
So ridiculous. Good article.
wow i play it and i am not racist t all and wow spider lady get a life
vvv Thats a good point vvv - I haven't followed RE5 very much but isn't the game based in Africa? How would it look if there were 1000's of white zombies in Africa? Not very realistic...That was NOT a racial statement but seriously - just think about it. I think people get to serious over this stuff. The point about if the game was super popular..and there were no colored zombies..they would probably wonder why they weren't in it.
Very good article. I like how was written, as well as the controversy within it. The Resident Evil series has been out for over a decade, however now it's deemed racist when a black person turns into a zombie? If blacks weren't included along the line I can almost guarantee, if the Resident Evil series were to become even MORE popular (think Halo-hype), then blacks would cry that they're not in the game. That's just my take.
This is the problem with racial-arsonists. Real issues are by the way side. Stating that zombies are stere-typical of African Americans should be suspect in of itself. The notion is preposterous. Have you ever heard a rapper ask-so what's up my Zombie?
Ridiculous isn't it?!
Spider Lady say you a write a good article.