@rick_deckard said:
@Mr_Scumbag: For me it is. I think people just get offended to easily. Just take a look at the whole trailer debacle a while back.
That's fine. I can't tell you're wrong to not be offended. It the rest of the statement that I, and many others take issue with. It's the part where you and others infer that because they aren't offended, those who are must be either easily offended or looking to be offended. (Allow me to stress the rest from here on in is not directed to you specifically) Of course there are always people who are either easily offended or itching to to take offense to something, but the statement is both arrogant and dismissive or can at least be interpreted that way.
I think the fundamental difference between those who are and are not offended is the way they look at the issues. Those who aren't offended may be looking at it in a personal sense. Those who are, I think, are typically looking at the issue in a much broader sense. The effects it has on society, how gaming is perceived at large, and to how people may be affected on a personal level.
It's when those differences are ignored that the discussion takes a turn for the worse. I can't speak for everyone, but this is why I am offended:
Because for a company to come out with things like this, it normalizes the sentiments and behaviors portrayed in the marketing material. Maybe people already think it's acceptable, but to those who are neutral, it gives a sense of acceptability if it is condoned and even spread by a big, well-known company. To anyone who uses the defense "Well, it's about a game where you have to murder people, and you're getting offended NOW?" There is a large difference. That being that the game world and its objectives exist in its own form, in its own little bubble of the game world itself. Bringing it out into the public and allowing them to (on a purely social level) call each other out for having "small tits" or "red hair" takes it from being a game into something far different, and thus open to different criticisms. As an aside, I also take extreme issue to people saying along the lines of: "There are so many other things to be offended about but you choose this?" As if people are only allowed to focus on one thing at a time. This is either grossly disingenuous at the least or unbelievably small-minded and jouvenile at worst. It's dismissal, and it helps no-one.
Secondly, I have a sister who has been the target of internet bullying and I am personally aware of multiple teenagers who have actually killed themselves over harassment. No, the app didn't explicitly PROMOTE internet bullying but it enables it and provides a pretty good way of going about it. It's irresponsible. At some point you just have to ask yourself, "Was there a better way to promote the game than this?" If your answer is no, then you need to do some self-reflection.
Thirdly, I've been a gamer most of my life and like most gamers I've suffered negative stigma (many have looked at me as immature simply because I play video games) and the general attitude that games aren't to be taken seriously as a form of entertainment or story telling. It's frustrating because I know this is not the case. It doesn't help at all when there seems to be a disproportionately high amount of generally bad practices and behaviour on all levels of gaming. It's things like this app and nuns in latet which do nothing but affirm people's beliefs that gaming is a juvenile pastime for the emotionally immature. It hurts gaming and prevents it from growing up. It holds it back, and it's up to people to voice concern when we see these things rearing their ugly heads time and time again. It's how progression is made and it's seen throughout every medium throughout history.
In conclusion, it's fine to not be personally offended by anything but handwaving the whole issue by saying that those who are are oversensitive is to ignore the entire issue (in an unbelievably arrogant and condescending way) as if it doesn't really exist when there is clearly a problem. There are surely examples of these problems all over society and in the past a lot of this stuff has been normal, but times change and so do attitudes - usually for the better. If you love games, gaming culture and want to see it thrive and evolve you owe it to yourself and other gamers and to civilised society to say enough is enough when these things crop up.
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