What real world harm comes as a result of "cultural appropriation" in video games?
well, that depends on what you mean by 'real world harm.' in this specific example, a video game business is taking the iconography of peoples who have a legacy of things being taken from them and sold for money. the 'harm' may not be physical, and the degree might not be severe- but it nevertheless perpetuates the history-based attitude of we-can-take-whatever-we-want-from-whomever-we-want. i would hope most agree that it's kinda fucked up that this is still a thing.
the pharrah skin isn't a grave insult that irrevocably tarnishes the activision-blizzard name- but it does make them look fairly crass and unmindful.
putting a respectful native american in a game is fantastic idea- putting all that heritage and associated baggage in a blender and applying it as a costume for an egyptian- not so clever. it would be equally as stupid if they gave D.VA a samurai costume (given the historical context of japanese/korean relations).
I don't want any culture to feel appropriated of uncomfortable (and I'm a white guy, so I know nothing about how that feels) but I feel like it's maybe an overreaction to call a costume in a multiplayer game offensive. If someone from that culture thinks it is, then that's that, but I feel weird about this panel of Americans talking about this subject when I don't really think they have a horse in that race.
uh- if you're referring to the ongoing discussion of the pharah skin- americans DO have a horse in that race, and it's called 'The History of Settling America, or: How We Tried to Undo a Continent's Worth of People."
between naming our sports teams classy names like the redskins, casting johnny depp in a disney film as a walking stereotype, and then the actual Trail of Tears- there's a rich and storied tradition in america of taking what we want from indigenous people without considering or caring for consequence.
i'm not saying blizzard has committed a mortal sin here (it is just a skin, and it isn't actively slandering)- but as an american company with presumably american artists on staff, one would hope they would either a) avoid using native iconography without considering context or b) if they really must use it, give it the due respect it deserves and give it its own identity (as opposed to just a superficial skin for an EGYPTIAN).
@mellotronrules: Blizzard will catch a lot of shit, deservedly so, if things earned with real money were suddenly changed.
i guess- but i'm saying replace the weird skins, not just remove without something to offer in its place. yeah, there is likely to be a portion of pissed people that for whatever reason are super attached to an egyptian flying around looking like something from a 'cowboys and indians' cartoon- but if blizzard can maintain good will after closing the real money d3 auction house (thereby devaluing everyone's 'assets'), i would wager they can manage this.
kinda glad they drew attention to the uncomfortably culturally appropriated overwatch skins. the first time i saw pharah's native skins my brain essentially blue-screened trying to find a reason that an egyptian was being portrayed as culturally equivalent to the indigenous people of north america.
they should just take those out and replace with something more fantastical.
snooze. i'll keep an eye on it, but i don't think we'll be wanting for star wars games ever again, and i'd rather respawn worked on something original or a titanfall spinoff. suppose it'll keep the lights on, though!
Love the art style and it's great they've modeled the actual artists but... I've literally never heard of any of these bands. I guess they havent really made it big outside of the US or something? Oo
they're defo not top 40, but a big chunk of the lineup (chvrches, purity ring, health) played at this year's or previous coachellas.
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