Racial Stereotyping in Video Games

[wraggster]

via kotaku (http://kotaku.com/gaming/race/racial-stereotyping-in-video-games-237379.php)

Writer Richard O. Jones has a lengthy article up at Black Voice News, where he discusses the dangers of racial stereotyping in video games. Citing examples like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, he contends that young Black and Latino children who constantly see themselves portrayed as thieves and killers are more likely to emulate them.

"If Blacks and Latinos are always portrayed as the villains, or as the victims who get killed often and easily, that is code for powerlessness," said Kansas State University psychologist John Murray, who's studied violence and stereotypes in the media for the past 30 years. "These image persist because too few minorities are in the industry."

It is a very good point he makes. The US video game industry is 80% Caucasian, and let's face it, white people tend to program white characters, mainly because it's what they are familiar with, but I suspect also out of a fear that if they portray a Black character they'll get it wrong, or offend someone. Just look at Barret from FFVII.

Jones goes on to suggest that the solution lies in more young Black and Latino children stop playing the games and start making them, and I agree completely. Not only would it help with their own self-image, it could help everyone understand each other a little bit better.

[F9zDark]

If white children don't emulate their video game counterparts in violent acts, why would black and latino children do it?

Where is the scientific evidence to back up this claim? Is preposterous to think that the video games portray facets of black and latino society that already exist?

Stop blaming video games for all the world's problems.

[mastersho]

it's just a flippin' game mates! there's no reason to get all worked up and play the "race Card" . you gotta save that card for when your in court because one of your dumb friend can't hold on the Wii-mote and breaks his 42" LCD TV for which he blames you for! Just gotta relax, have fun, and buy more wiis(which has nothing to do with anything in the thread...sorry people!)

[Gredler]

I completely agree with this article.

Gears of War, a hugely mainstream game, is another fine example of stereotyping in games, which surprises me that it hasn't been mentioned. Cole Train, who apparently is home on the rails, is a professional atheletentop of a bloodthirsty lower ranking officer in the gears. Listen to any of Cole's ebonic laden dialog and you can see where the current state of minority representation there is in American game development. On top of the Cole Train, OMG LOL Soul Train, wow. Clever. Also, look at his character, unique or generic design? That is up to debate for sure, but in reality Cole Train albiet helarious is another excellent example of how games stereotype minorities.

I do also agree that what people see and experience effects how they think and act, if you never quote a movie, find yourself using your friends nomiclatures, and so forth, perhaps you could agrue that what you repeatidly expspose yourself too does not effect how you act. However I doubt this is the case with the majority, birds of a feather you know.

[Veskgar]

Yet another person with the old race card up their sleeve. I'm really sick of it. Everything is about race but yet ethnic or minorities have it better than ever. At least in the U.S.A. nowadays.

What people of race don't understand is that we are no longer living 400+ years ago. It is 2007. If you want more respect or a certain portrayal in entertainment & media, you need to have all people of said races or ethnicities step up to the plate and earn it.

I don't owe you any special treatment just because you are of a certain ethnicity. Time to rip that race card up.

[jstush04]

thank goodness I'm white. Now I don't have to worry about being brainwashed by video-games!

[LAW666]

I completely agree with this article.

Gears of War, a hugely mainstream game, is another fine example of stereotyping in games, which surprises me that it hasn't been mentioned. Cole Train, who apparently is home on the rails, is a professional atheletentop of a bloodthirsty lower ranking officer in the gears. Listen to any of Cole's ebonic laden dialog and you can see where the current state of minority representation there is in American game development. On top of the Cole Train, OMG LOL Soul Train, wow. Clever. Also, look at his character, unique or generic design? That is up to debate for sure, but in reality Cole Train albiet helarious is another excellent example of how games stereotype minorities.


erm... no dude... im 99% sure the Cole Train was based on Terry Tate from the reebok office linebacker ad campagn... look it up... his 'ebonic laden dialog' was more or less the same... now ur not gonna tell me reebok were stereotyping minorities are u?
or are you just jumping on the bandwagon cos its just a stereotype of a bloodthirsty black ex quarterback... and theres no way it could be in anyway influenced by a character that already exists... who in turn may actually be based on a black guy that is actually like that...

but of course not... its just racism... lol

the whole thing is just scapegoating games as usual...


If white children don't emulate their video game counterparts in violent acts, why would black and latino children do it?

Where is the scientific evidence to back up this claim? Is preposterous to think that the video games portray facets of black and latino society that already exist?

Stop blaming video games for all the world's problems.

i agree with that 100% such a valid point... boiling everything down to race...
ppl are just trying to get along with all the equality and stuff... and people like this keep dragging it back and trying to make black a seperate entity from white...

[kaffie]

What You Think, That You Become.

[Deathnix]

Why the hell do you get these idiots shouting "Raceisum" when ever they can?
Black/white/what ever, there all humans, I think black kids can make there own minds up just as well as white kids.

And any way, his GTA argument is stupid, before SA, all the main charecters were white, so, yeah, this is just retarded.

[mastersho]

Race has nothing to do with anything with this issue. It all boils down to that person's ability to keep the stuff that happens in the "game" world and the "real" world apart. I'm black and just because i see C.J. walk up to some guy's car and toss him out of it doesn't mean I'm gonna try it. If anything I think that age would be a far greater factor in this issue than race.(by the by i was ranting before...sorry guys!)

[Gredler]

erm... no dude... im 99% sure the Cole Train was based on Terry Tate from the reebok office linebacker ad campagn... look it up... his 'ebonic laden dialog' was more or less the same... now ur not gonna tell me reebok were stereotyping minorities are u?
or are you just jumping on the bandwagon cos its just a stereotype of a bloodthirsty black ex quarterback... and theres no way it could be in anyway influenced by a character that already exists... who in turn may actually be based on a black guy that is actually like that...

but of course not... its just racism... lol

the whole thing is just scapegoating games as usual...



i agree with that 100% such a valid point... boiling everything down to race...
ppl are just trying to get along with all the equality and stuff... and people like this keep dragging it back and trying to make black a seperate entity from white...


The fact is who you choose to emulate in your game, would you see a character like Condoleezza Rice or the Linebacker in the role of a black character? And don't tell me that there wasn't a place for an intelligent black woman in that game, because there was a 'intelligent' (andever so ironically well endowed) woman character in the game, which could have easily been based off of Condoleezza Rice an intelligent and good role model for young black children.

Sure, they may have based their athlete off of a specific one, but fact of the matter is there are enough black athlete rolemodels out there, however few may be good, and to keep shoving the fact that black people are athletes down the youth's throughts will only further their idealogy that they most likely need to be professional athlete to make it big.

So is the game racist? no. I never said it was racist, at all, I love the game and have played through it a bunch of times, but the fact is that

Cole train is a horrible stereotype to place as the main black character in a mainstream game

regardless of whom the character is based off of.

[Makaveli777]

The article is right about there being no black heroes in games. Just villians or criminals. Only black hero I think I saw was the green lantern on justice league.

But they wrong about the violence. Why must videogames be blamed for everything.


PEOPLE ARE RACIST AGAINST VIDEOGAMES LOL!!!!
How bout we just blame President Bush instead.

[LAW666]

The fact is who you choose to emulate in your game, would you see a character like Condoleezza Rice or the Linebacker in the role of a black character? And don't tell me that there wasn't a place for an intelligent black woman in that game, because there was a 'intelligent' (andever so ironically well endowed) woman character in the game, which could have easily been based off of Condoleezza Rice an intelligent and good role model for young black children.

Sure, they may have based their athlete off of a specific one, but fact of the matter is there are enough black athlete rolemodels out there, however few may be good, and to keep shoving the fact that black people are athletes down the youth's throughts will only further their idealogy that they most likely need to be professional athlete to make it big.

So is the game racist? no. I never said it was racist, at all, I love the game and have played through it a bunch of times, but the fact is that

Cole train is a horrible stereotype to place as the main black character in a mainstream game

regardless of whom the character is based off of.

thats just it tho... theres so much "it doesnt matter what ur skin colour is" so why the hell does it matter if suitable role models are black or white? the whole equality thing doesnt mean an equal amount of black and white role models, or ppl in power or whatever, surely its about realising were all the same?

i see what ur saying about Coles character following certain stereotypes to a certain extent... but whats wrong with the way he is portrayed? and whats to say those stereotypes arent real in some people?... would it be better if he was a dark, moody, bitch beating, gun toting foul mouthed gangster rapper? like someone mentioned earlier about 50cent... hmm... whats the better role to follow?
'stereotypical' athlete (nothing wrong with being a loud athlete) or a violence condoning pimp gangster rapper? hm....

and saying that it "will only further their idealogy that they most likely need to be professional athlete to make it big." is just wrong... games are NOT the only source of media... even if every single black character in every game EVER was an atheltic stereotype, there would still be black role models arising in other areas... for example your very own Condoleezza Rice... the gangster rappers... countless other black musicians, heading back thru disco, soul, mowtown, jazz... i mean shit, hendrix was black... political leaders like mandella, martin luther king? not really up on my black role models atm sorry, but u get the point...

games are entertainment... cole train entertained me and my black friends alot, noone was offended at any stereotyping or felt like they wanted to be an athlete... in fact it actually made my mates wanna spark up... (not great for athletes...)

lol sorry for the rant... that wasnt supposed to be so long!

[LAW666]

The article is right about there being no black heroes in games. Just villians or criminals. Only black hero I think I saw was the green lantern on justice league.

But they wrong about the violence. Why must videogames be blamed for everything.


PEOPLE ARE RACIST AGAINST VIDEOGAMES LOL!!!!
How bout we just blame President Bush instead.

war machine was black... storm is black... bishop is... lol probs loads more i dont know or cant think of...
what about METEOR MAN!!! but yeah there arent many...

[F9zDark]

Really now, why should this even make a difference? I love how stereotyping is so wrong, yet whats makes stereotyping effective and dare I say hilarious, is because its ALL TRUE.

And lets face it, no matter what the devs do, they'll be in a world of shit when it comes race. Lets analyze:

Company A produces a game where blacks are stereotyped as thugs, gansta rapper wannabes and their talk and dress is inspired from ghetto life. Devs get shit on for stereotyping.

Company B produces a game where the black characters are portrayed as being "white" aka, proper dress, language, attitude etc as would be commonly seen amongst blacks living in upper class neighborhoods. Devs get shit on for portraying blacks in a way that dilutes their ethnicity.

Not only that, lets think of it like this, if you were a black teen, would you want to play a game where the black characters are portrayed in a way that goes against what is generally accepted as a racial quality? Wouldn't it make the game less fun for playing as a character you could not relate to or relate to those you aspire to in your life?

Ebonics isn't considered a legitimate language because its spoken by a minority of black people... In fact, I'd put my money on the notion that 90% of african-americans speak ebonics.

The point of all this? Lets stop with the race card shall we?

[ShoShoKid]

This is stupid.

[gdf]

WHO FREAKIN CARES! characters will always be stereotyped. it makes no difference to me, of course i don't think all black people go about shouting things like "yo muu****u" and "'Sup my nigga'"