Resident Evil 5 Trailer Racist? You Make The Call!


	» Random Thoughts Current Archive [an error occurred while processing this directive]

April 15, 2008 - Resident Evil 5 Trailer Racist? You Make The Call!

Article highlights:

Racism may be apparent in the trailer; either way it's almost surely not intentional

One's experience, or lack of, with the Resident Evil series will greatly affect how they view it

The game makers shouldn't be held accountable for other peoples' actions or world events

The game makers should however be sensitive to others' feelings and concerns

Resident Evil is, and always has been, about killing zombies. Don't make it something else.

I predict a media firestorm and public outcry when it's released in the US

I'm not black

In my attempt to make occasional insightful commentary on current controversial moral topics within the video game industry, I've noticed two main topics emerge as the most controversial: violence and sex. I most recently touched upon the taboo of sex in my piece on the Mass Effect pornography issue, and I've dabbled in commenting on video game violence in the past. One such controversial topic that hasn't made too many headlines in video games over the years, though it has made a few (Barrett from Final Fantasy VII anyone?), is the issue of race in video games. Though a staple of interest and concern in most all other forms of mass media entertainment, race isn't usually a big deal with video games. When your main goal is to defeat King Koopa, get better than a 1:34:00 lap time, or acquire every last item, you're not much concerned whether a Caucasian, Arab, Asian, or Elf sells it to you. That said, with the continual evolution and advancement of video game graphical, audio, and story telling capabilities, the potential for a character's race to become a point of conflict increases with every pixel per square inch. Resident Evil 5, the latest game of the venerated survival horror series created by Japanese developer Capcom, has ignited a spark within the game community, and now seeing its way into the mass media, that could become a full fledge inferno by the time the game hits US shores. Here's why.

A Little Resident Evil Background

Resident Evil 5 is the 5th main game in the series (though technically it will be the 15th with the RE moniker) that will rejoin us with Raccoon City cop Chris Redfield as he uncovers and exposes Umbrella Corporation's evil plots for world domination via the infamous T-virus. If you're unfamiliar with the Resident Evil series, check out its Wikipedia entry for some catch up. Basically it's the series that created the "survival horror" genre, and at its core involves you running/walking around creepy locales shooting zombies and other dead things partly trying to stay alive and partly trying to uncover who's behind all the mayhem. Lot's of B-movie-ish/horror/action fun for sure.

What's The Deal with the Trailer?

Straight up, the reason this debut trailer is causing a big hullabub in the community is its portrayal of a decidedly black African/Caribbean population and locale that, though zombified (part of the apparent problem too), elicits potentially very painful and damaging racial stereotyping and morbid ethnic disparagement that is unacceptable in any form of art or entertainment. Though I can't know all the factors that would contribute to how you feel about what you just watched, I do know that your exposure to the Resident Evil series, or non-exposure, and to video games in general will greatly affect what you thought about it. Is it a disturbing composite of racism gone appallingly rampant as the "heroic white man" kills the evil dark people? Or is it a popular video game simply changing it's location in dealing with an evil corporation and zombie virus that cares not for skin color or social class? As I said, you make the call.

What's Your Resident Evil Experience Level?

       I think understanding the previous iterations of the series is important in assessing how you feel about 5. If you're aware of Resident Evil's general premise ("kill every zombie creature you see and get the hell outta wherever you are") then, apart from the race issue (which may not even be an issue for you), watching this trailer will simply reiterate what you've known the series to always be; just on a next generation platform with better graphics and enhanced gameplay. If you've never played a RE game or even know about it, chances are you're going to think this trailer a bit racist to some extent. If you're sensitive to either current world affairs, especially in some African nations undergoing genocide and other heinous ethnic wars, or just racial tensions between blacks and whites over the oh past few hundred years, then you're probably really going to have issues at how the "locals" are portrayed in this trailer. Of course these are stereotypes and presuppositions in and of themselves, but I'd guess they were correct for the most part.

What Do Other People Think?

       Recently, respected Newsweek gaming journalist N'Gai Croal (an African-American) had some comments about the trailer found here in which he share his thoughts, and concerns, about the trailer's content. Comments are found below.

"Clearly No One Black Worked On This Game" (KOTAKU.com)

Many readers firestormed his comments at Kotaku.com (popular video game blog) and a lot of racial tensions ensued. Just read some of the 1,271 comments to get a taste. Clearly the issue divides. A lot think the game goes over the line. A lot think it doesn't. Some think even bringing up the issue is moot because it's just a video game. Others think its imperative to bring up the issue. Others have no problem with the scenario/setting, especially in light of past Resident Evil games. Some think making this an issue elicits a double standard that marginalizes the ethnic groups previously vilified in past Resident Evil games; especially the rural Spaniards in Resident Evil 4. It's definitely an issue where it's hard to be on the fence. Yet that is ironically where I find myself to be.

What Do I Think?

       First here's a couple thoughts that I think have been misrepresented or not thought of by those that have expressed their opinions on the game:

The trailer is only a few minutes of what is sure to be a tiny portion of the game. Taking a hard stance either way is the epitome of "judging a book by its cover". Perhaps after playing the actual game, the setting and tone will make sense and not feel racist at all. Perhaps though we'll realize Capcom for the racist bastards that they very well may be. Who knows - or better yet, who can know at this point?

Capcom is a Japanese company. There aren't very many minorities, especially of African descent, living in Japan, let alone working for Capcom I'm sure. That's just an obvious circumstantial fact. That said, it wouldn't give Capcom the right to disparage any particular ethnic group.

Resident Evil has always been about Umbrella Corporation and the T-virus. As mentioned above, the T-Virus cares not for skin color or ethnic background - heck even species (zombie crows, dogs, etc.)

Despite Capcom being Japanese and whether there was nefarious intent or not, what did they really expect the reaction would be in the politically correct West, especially in the United States where race relations are still very tense? Claiming ignorance ain't gonna fly on this one.

So yeah, I am on the fence. On one hand I would agree with N'Gai in that despite the developers most likely benign intent (race-wise), the images will evoke certain emotional feelings for many people whether Capcom likes it or not. This will be especially true for people that have no knowledge of the game or video games in general. And opposed to many of the readers' comments, I think it is important to be cognitive of your audience. I'm not really talking about censorship�but more like just old fashioned common sense. It reminds me of that scene from Die Hard With A Vengence when Bruce Willis is in downtown Harlem wearing a sign that say's the N*word and other hateful things towards blacks (trying to stop a bomb from going off of course). I mean that's just plain stupid and you're asking for it despite any creative needs you may have. There is a common grace and sensitivity to others that I think should be held by a corporation concerning their products.
On the other hand though, it is only a game and a very short trailer. There could be a plethora of valid reasons, within the Resident Evil mythos, why the main character Chris, who happens to be white, is gallivanting through a zombie infested, poverty stricken, black population somewhere in Africa.

Could this elicit negative or hurtful thoughts? Yes it could, and already has�but any association an individual would have towards the game and real life is not the fault of Capcom. That'd sort of be like getting on id Software for a survivor of the Holocaust being personally offended by Return to Castle Wolfenstein or something (perhaps like Call of Duty to be more realistic). They may be stupid for creating this content, but it doesn't mean they should be held responsible for any real life crimes against humanity. That said, I don't think that disassociation should give the right for anyone to make anything, regardless of its social or religious context. I do believe in absolutes and moral decency. But again, from what we've seen of the trailer, my opinion is that Capcom has no ill intent concerning the African/black race in general; its just this particular people group, just as the particular people groups in past games, are the unfortunate hosts of a really sucky virus engineered by a really nefarious and evil corporation called Umbrella. Chris Redfield isn't shooting at impoverished black Africans, he's shooting at T-virus infected zombies just like he always has since Raccoon City.
       If I were Capcom would I have chosen this people group and setting for Resident Evil 5? Probably not because of the aforementioned potential sensitivities. Though if I did I release that one, I would've released a more explanatory trailer than this less than flattering one. Too many speculations, mostly negative, are possible with the one they released and that's where they made their error as a company. I think Capcom should have explained within the trailer because it has too much potential as-is to be construed as disparaging and racist, especially from outsiders to the Resident Evil series and video games in general. For that I give Capcom the dunce hat.

What's Going To Happen?

       Well my prediction is that by the time this game is set to appear in stores here, there's gonna be some, if not a lot, mainstream press covering the issue, GTA "Hot Coffee" style. Especially because this is such a AAA title. I wouldn't find it hard to believe some sort of ban on the game from major outlets like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. even. There will be special interest groups up in arms I think once they get word of this - unless Capcom changes something or explains themselves a bit better. I think a lot of the anger will be justified, but also a lot unfounded. Either way, I do think there will be pitchforks and torches. Though in light of Resident Evil 4's resounding successes, I do think RE5 will be an amazingly game from a technical and gameplay standpoint. Solely for those reasons, and its overarching storyline with Umbrella, I'm very excited about its hopeful release.

"I'm Not Black" Disclaimer

       It would be audacious of me to tell someone of color how they should feel watching something portraying their race. I admit and know that. That said, it would be audacious of someone else to think that I don't know what it's like to be marginalized, stigmatized (perhaps not for color, but other reasons), and even persecuted. In that light I do have some rights to make more general comments regarding this issue. Victimization does not necessarily equal a moral exclusive. Just because one hasn't gone through an atrocity of some sort does not mean they cannot identify it as such an atrocity. Personal victimization may make one more acute to or aware of that particular immorality though. Either way I think it comes down to being compassionate and sensitive to any victim or group of victims and respecting their viewpoint; and even their wishes if they fall within moral and ethical reason (ergo the need for moral "absolutes" in a stable society�but that's a whole other article�).

UPDATE: Resident Evil 5 creator explains things�sorta

       It's a longish video, and doesn't reveal a ton new, but if this article has interested you up to this point, it'd probably be worth watching - even just for all the cool technical stuff.

Resident Evil 5 Interview Confirms Africa Setting, Explain Why (KOTAKU.com)

EbbWorld.com is maintained by: Keith Wojciech