By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Microsoft Vetoed A Black Woman On Cover For Fable II

Jumpin on 13 May 2016
StarOcean said:
I'm sorry, but I would have to agree with MS on this. From a financial point of view it makes more sense to have a white dude on the cover versus a black woman. And its unfortunate but at the end of the day MS wants to sell a product and using a white guy on the cover is safer and ensures money than taking a risk

Do you have any evidence?

I'm not going to judge your own personal biases and prejudices, but bias/prejudice looks like the basis for your assumption on it being risky to put a black person on the cover.

Looking at the top selling movie and top selling game of all time: Avatar has Zoe Saldana on the cover. Wii Sports has 3 black males, 1 white male, 1 Asian male, and 1 Asian female. In other words, actual sales data shows the opposite is true.



I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.

Around the Network
Aeolus451 on 13 May 2016
Jumpin said:
StarOcean said:
I'm sorry, but I would have to agree with MS on this. From a financial point of view it makes more sense to have a white dude on the cover versus a black woman. And its unfortunate but at the end of the day MS wants to sell a product and using a white guy on the cover is safer and ensures money than taking a risk

Do you have any evidence?

I'm not going to judge your own personal biases and prejudices, but bias/prejudice looks like the basis for your assumption on it being risky to put a black person on the cover.

Looking at the top selling movie and top selling game of all time: Avatar has Zoe Saldana on the cover. Wii Sports has 3 black males, 1 white male, 1 Asian male, and 1 Asian female. In other words, actual sales data shows the opposite is true.

The evidence is all around. Companies wouldn't be spending countless millions on marketing towards the majority within their respective market if it didn't lead to higher sales. From a business standpoint, it has nothing to do with racism or social issues. If the majority in a market is white or whatever then that's what the marketing will be primarily focused on. For example, companies that sell skin whitening products focus their marketing on asians because they're the ones who are likely to buy that kind of product.  Which groups of people do you think Nascar, BET or Penthouse should market towards? Should Penthouse focus on marketing towards women? Should BET market towards asians? Should Nascar market towards black people? 

The consumers in the worldwide gaming market is mainly whites and asians.  Some games are tailored more towards one of them over the other and the marketing reflects that. Fable is a game made for western gamers and they are predominately white. The marketing will be focused on them. Having a black female on the cover makes no sense. 



the_dark_lewd on 13 May 2016
Lawlight said:
Jega said:
This is why there is a lack of fresh new games and innovation.

I suspect it is not just at Microsoft, probably happening at other major publishers.

What the eff, let the creators effing create.

That doesn't make sense to me. How does the character race bring in freshness and innovation?

It doesn't. But the general attitude of always playing it safe and conforming to established formulae probably does.

Look how Mass Effect, Resident Evil and Dead Space were all "shooterized" slowly over time. That's probably the publishers doing.



StarOcean on 13 May 2016
Jumpin said:
StarOcean said:
I'm sorry, but I would have to agree with MS on this. From a financial point of view it makes more sense to have a white dude on the cover versus a black woman. And its unfortunate but at the end of the day MS wants to sell a product and using a white guy on the cover is safer and ensures money than taking a risk

Do you have any evidence?

I'm not going to judge your own personal biases and prejudices, but bias/prejudice looks like the basis for your assumption on it being risky to put a black person on the cover.

Looking at the top selling movie and top selling game of all time: Avatar has Zoe Saldana on the cover. Wii Sports has 3 black males, 1 white male, 1 Asian male, and 1 Asian female. In other words, actual sales data shows the opposite is true.

Its mainly just off of stuff I learned in a few business courses Ive taken. 

If Im wrong, let me be wrong -Im fine w/ that. Show me Im wrong and I'll be glad to be wrong since I dont think its morally right. But your examples are a bit weak. Zoe is covered by a ton of CGI to the point she could pass for almost any race. For Wii Sports, in the US it came with the Wii so the data there is a bit obscured.