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

Forums - Gaming - Why do 99% of videogames pander to white (especially American) audiences?

LongLiveTheBeatles on 10 July 2008
Pristine20 said:

NOTE: PLease, no racist jibber-jabber that would get the thread locked. Only intelligent, well thought out responses needed.

I was talking to a guy today and he mentioned that there was a Pakistani mod of Couterstrike on the internet. In the mod, you get to play as a Pakistani soldier, defending Pakistan from a US assault. As you can imagine, the game generated nasty responses from Americans.

Yet, there are tons of popular games like COD4 where you kill Russians and Arabs and Ghost Recon where you kill Mexicans. The main heros are usually always American or just plain white. Russia has been the scapegoat villain country for years yet I haven't heard their complaints.

He asked me to name a popular gaming character that wasn't white. I thought for over 10 minutes and I couldn't think of even one. Mario=Italian, Cloud=blond hair,blue eyes, Samus Aran=bond hair blue, eyes, Link=blond hair, blue eyes, Snake=Half japanese/Half-white even though he looks 100% white, etc. And these games originate in Japan not even America!

I finally thought of a main character that wasn't white though. It's Ryu Hayabusa. Perhaps thats why his face is never shown?

Is the problem the fact that white people need to be ego fed or they won't buy games? Whats your opinion?

Thanks in advance for the intelligent and thoughtful input.

 

 

 

You God Damn Commy! You're Just angry because the good old U. S. of A. is always right! That's why we are the protagonists in every game... stupid... you. As for why the Japanesse feature white people in their games. After a little war called WW2, we jammed it in their heads... twice, and now they too recognize that Americans are always right. Next on our list is Iraq, Iran and Mongolia... damn Mongolians.

AMERICA, FUCK YEAH



http://www.bungie.net/stats/halo3/CareerStats.aspx?player=Jezusandfriends&social=true&map=0

Around the Network
thetonestarr on 10 July 2008

It comes down to three major factors.

(1) America tends to influence all popular culture. Really, "pop-culture" practically originated in America! With that said, most everything is influenced by Western ideas/concepts. Like being white or American, or both.

(2) Most gaming companies are American, and of those that aren't, a lot are at least in white countries. Of those that aren't, most are in countries in which point #1 applies rather heavily.

(3) The largest gaming market is America, and between America and Europe/others, most gamers are white.

It's pretty simple. That's pretty much it.



 SW-5120-1900-6153

CaNCeRthecrabus on 10 July 2008

If developers could make any game they want, with any type of character... I'm telling you that it would be a different story. Why? Because the Execs that right the checks for us to make games make the rules the majority of the time. I know this first hand (and I am a white male).

I pitched a game with only females as characters - Response -> "Nobody will buy that..."

I pitched a game taking place in Mexico, with nothing but Latino characters - Response -> "There's not a big enough market for that"

I pitched a game about how Canada breaks up into Islands (with monsters and shit) - Response -> "Does it have to be in Canada? Can't it happen to L.A. or somewhere else like that?"

Funny, if it weren't true.



appolose on 10 July 2008
rocketpig said:

 

Honestly, I doubt there would have been much talk about it at all.

After all, the first RE games took place in the USA. I doubt the protagonist's skin color would matter one bit to most gamers.

OT: I think we see an overwhelming majority of white protagonists because of the industry. Historically, video games have been made by white people for white gamers. This is definitely changing but until there are a significant amount of non-white programmers and game developers, that probably won't change much.

It's not really racist, people just have a habit of gravitating toward what they know IMO.

 

That really is the most reasonable explanation, I think.

 



Okami

To lavish praise upon this title, the assumption of a common plateau between player and game must be made.  I won't open my unworthy mouth.

Christian (+50).  Arminian(+20). AG adherent(+20). YEC(+20). Pre-tribulation Pre-milleniumist (+10).  Republican (+15) Capitalist (+15).  Pro-Nintendo (+5).  Misc. stances (+30).  TOTAL SCORE: 195
  http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=43870 <---- Fun theology quiz
viewtiful_jon on 10 July 2008

Im sure if your in Japan the percentage is not so high, to be honest I dont think the percentage is anywhere near as high as you make it out anyway. I think its just the type of games your playing maybe FPS - America starts the most wars and gets publicity on its wars more than Wars between african nations. So when making a game the publisher makes what it has the most information on I guess.



Around the Network
ocnkng on 10 July 2008

There are two probable causes that are coming up in the opinions expressed by most of everyone.

1) Overwhelming majority of western/white people involved in the manufacturing of video games
2) Biggest markets being in the west.

I think both the factors work to create this outcome.
Personally I don't get that bothered that I have to play as white/westerner. I identify with my characters and feel for them.
The games that bother me are the ones with a hidden political/social/military message that I don't agree with.
Crackdown disturbed me incredibly and I don't like Tom Clancy stuff coz his message just seems like picked straight off from Bush and Co. With the prevalence of these big military shooters though I was really galled when I saw some neo conservative riling against an Arab video game on t.v one day. I think that reeks of double standard



 

It is better to die on one's feet

then live on one's knees

fagarcia75 on 10 July 2008

video games were made by and for nerds; which are mostly white! lol.



Kasz216 on 10 July 2008
Pristine20 said:
shanbcn said:
Assassinscreed is the best selling new IP this generation and guess what? The main character is Arab! PoP series main character is Iranian.

Altair is only technically Arab. He looks white and you can barely even discern his features with the hood he has on. PoP is a similar case scenario. Also Persia is only technically Iran. Do you really think the PoP series would be as popular if it was called Prince of Iran?

 

Why would it be called Prince of Iran when it takes place when it was Persia?  That'd be retarded.

 



Kyros on 10 July 2008

LOL, the gaming market is currently ~75% Europe+USA and 25% East Asia (Japan, Korea ...) So I think its not very surprising that 90% of all heroes are targeted at Japanese and white guys. People buy games if they can identify in some way with the hero.

Besides that is not even true. There are quite a few games that have arabic hero. Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed, Alladin, a couple of old RPGs situated in 1001 nights.

Its simple: These are the stories people know. We grew up with Cowboy, Knight stories, later police stories and action movies in America and Arabic mythology. So these are also the stories and heroes we get in games.



Kasz216 on 10 July 2008
Gamerace said:
In related news in RE5 you will get to play as a black female (at least some of the time) which, come to think of it, may be a first for video games.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/887/887351p1.html

At least I assume she's black since she's African.

Yeah.  She's in the Trailer... sounds South African despite the game being set in east Africa.  They also recolored a lot of the zombies white.  So you get to see a bunch of white guys with minifros.