Penny Arcade Suffers Backlash for PAX Panel Against Sexism/Racism Controversy the Gaming Industry

Remember the rather disgusting controversy on Dragon’s Crown art? It’s one of the many that have been going on for a while around the gaming industry, where game creators and publishers are constantly being criticized for anything a journalist or some members of the community happens to interpret as sexist or racist.

Looks like some Journalists from Australia and New Zealand had enough of that, and they're planning to discuss the topic in a panel at PAX AUS. Unfortunately not everyone thinks they should be allowed to.

[fsfsxii]

Man, i wish i was that skull.
OT: People should grow up, because its a fucking game.

[Bimkoblerutso]

You're right...people should grow up. The sad thing about the "controversy" these games garner is that regardless of the side, people need to grow up.

Because there is indeed sexism and racism in the industry...just like there can be anywhere. It would be ridiculously naive to suggest that it simply doesn't exist. But not EVERY sexy lady is a product of sexism. Not every black character that is killed in a game is a product of racism.

So in that way, things just go round and round. You have people on one side stubbornly ignoring any evidence submitted by the other, as if this is some kind of competition. People begin ignoring reason and logic in favor of picking a team.

[HammadTheBeast]

Still, almost every movie has the black dude killed first lol. For proof, look at every war movie, every scary movie etc.

[palaeomerus]

Part of growing up is not expecting to never be offended or assuming that anything that offends you is evil and must be locked up, sued, or destroyed. Another part of growing up is realizing that appeasement of aggression generally begets more attacks.

It's more important to be right than to be liked even when people can't really agree on what is right and wrong. Stand up for yourself or you encourage others to try to knock you down. Penny Arcade backed down on dick-wolves and have been "challenged" as if they were "pro-rape"ever since by people who think they smell weakness.

Sick jokes are not crimes. Neither is going a little bit erotic or raunchy. There is nothing positive about people with an odd grievance, and the mendacious temerity to accuse you of things you haven't ever done, ganging up to self righteously attack anyone they don't agree with because they claim is serves some positive utopian purpose. It's just an attempt at intimidation.

If it works they won't praise you. They'll just come back and push you around some more because now they know they can beat you because you want people who hold you in contempt to like you. Mobs of self righteous bully's aren't making a better world. They just build a chill resentful silence that eventually turns into a backlash. THEN they claim to be victims of an uncaring society.

Aesop once told a fable about a boy, and old man, and a donkey. That's all this is: People wanting to arrange a boy, and old man, and a donkey no matter the consequences to them. Let the boy and the man make their own decisions about how they will work with the donkey.

[RavageX]

I have to say with gaming I haven't noticed a lot of flat out racism.

The stereotypical stuff...plenty and that gets plenty old. It's always nice when a game differs from the "norm".

Sexism, yeah there's some of that. I often find it to be the stereotypical stuff too.

What I'm saying is I don't really see how either of these can truly offend.

Annoying, tiresome, frustrating? Yeah. So bad that you put the game down in disgust? No so sure...but this is just how "I" feel about it.

To be honest, most of the racism and whatnot I've encountered has been from other players rather than the games themselves.

[pixelsword]

As far as sexism, make the woman look like Ripley (Aliens) instead of some DD hooker and give her a mind and make her tough (but not butch), and maybe older than the 18-25 age range and that will kill that.

As far as racism, Sure, make the main enemy race any race you want, just don't be stereotypical.

Since this penny arcade guy wanted to bring race up anyways, why is just about every main character in every game the same race? I think that's the reason why the enemies are the same race (if they want to go "there", that is).

[ShinMaster]

Sexism, misogyny, idealism, objectification and something that is plain sexy or titillating.
It's become a fad to just throw the first two around to accuse anyone who has somehow hurt their fragile emotional selves.

[Blacktric]

Here's the quote of one of the tweets;

"B.Honey @BloodyBHoney

.@winterkewl @cwgabriel @NicholasFolsom Oh yeah. Real interesting panel to wine about how hard being a white dude is. http://bit.ly/11Q7mEK"

I love how they're still clinging dearly to the "white male shaming/check your privilege" bullshit to prove that they're right while bringing nothing noteworthy or particularly new or interesting to the table.

[Mutant-Spud]

Yeah Pixelsword but the gaming stereotype has swung to opposite and equally stupid extreme, the military shooter fire team with the wisecracking Hilbilly Sniper, the Asian intel expert, the gruff Black machine gunner and the tortured White sergeant is a stereotype in it's own right, look at Fuse or Binary Domain or any military shooter.

[Muffins1223]

We should grow up?!?! What about the developer who made huge tits on the half naked girl??

[fsfsxii]

Its called art, and he is free to draw whatever he likes, you like it, buy the game, you don't, then shut up.
God, people are killing creativity with their moaning (Not talking about the tits, talking about the whole art style of the game, the tits are just add om)

[titletownrelo]

what do people have against this game? Yeah, they intentionally made the characters sexy...so what? It's not sexism, or any -ism to be completely honest, it's just a form of art.

If you don't like it, don't play it. More importantly, don't impose your beliefs onto everyone else as if it is fact...

same goes for religion. (yeah. I went there)

[doctorstrange]

This article misses the other comments CW Gabriel made that have been seen as transphobic. Those are what're making people angry.

[Abriael]

Those comments were made *after* the whole hoopla. And probably in response to it. They also don't include any explicit relation to the issue.

[Arai]

Who are you to deny greatness?

[NihonjinChick]

How does the top of her dress stay up? It literally defies gravity. She has no straps.

[NioRide]

double sided tape.

Works wonders.

[zen_hydra]

Magic, duh.

[SilentNegotiator]

Abra, Kadabra, Alaka-wonderbra!

[DragonKnight]

She's a sorceress. Also, wires maybe?

[HammadTheBeast]

You drink a few dozen mana bottles, that happens to you.

[ThatKanadianKid]

Journalists suffer backlash due controvesry
Journalists report on backlash for traffic
Sad

[Abriael]

Yep, you're right, we should all be silent and report on the next call of duty DLC.

... Or not.

[ThatKanadianKid]

Do you really think you're doing something good for them by reporting on an issue that you're just trying to gain traffic on and blow out of proportion? You're the only site I've seen report on this, and it's not like the writers from the site are having enough trouble on Twitter already.

And at least the next Call of Duty dlc is related to gaming so yea you probably should report on that.

[Abriael]

@ThatKanadianKid: the fact that game creators are blasted over every *perceived* sexism/racism issue in their games is very much related to gaming, just as much as the fact that people can't dare to speak up against that without being blasted by an angry mob of pundits.

[DragonKnight]

ThatKanadianKid: First of all.. CANADA WOOOOOO!

Second, you're wrong on this one. See, feminists and manginas use this issue themselves to gain attention. This article seeks to call that out and put a different kind of attention on people like Anita Sarkeesian, i.e. the kind of people that would say "Thank you Microsoft for not showing a single game with a female protagonist at E3" sarcastically.

The point is, the feminazis and manginas are ruining everything for EVERYONE. They think they're doing a service towards women's rights, but they completely ignore the unrealistic portrayal of men and the damaging effect on creativity their agenda would have on the industry.

Games should be about fun and escapism, not social change.

[Wingsfan24]

@DragonKnight,

Technology in general forces a social change though. The world is a much smaller place because of it. The amount of blabbering shit I hear online in just about any game I play, be it Call of Duty, or Madden, people are just downright nasty to one another online. Sexism is the same way too, more often than not, I play a game and the second you hear a girls voice the idiots come in and start asking for pics and all this other crap. It's sick, and that's the view of the gaming community for some people.

This panel, probably a good thing. These issues need to be talked about, but as a thread on NeoGAF shows me, this is the general consensus.

"All this shit makes my head hurt. Let's just talk about video games. "

That's just sad, and while I don't know that persons age or whatever, this is why issues don't get solved. Whether Dualshockers reported on this or not, I don't really care.

[DragonKnight]

@PockyKing: People in general are idiots. There will be no resolution. Just incessant complaining until a censorship board is created and then gaming is ruined thanks to the feelings of a few people who don't have the understanding that people in general are idiots. Especially when they feel that nothing can happen to them for being so.

You want to affect social change? Then start with society. That's where it will permeate into culture and drive deep rooted changes that will last. What Anita Sarkeesian is doing, and what all the Twitter/Tumblr feminists and manignas are doing, is not going to work and is simply going to piss off more and more people to the point where sides will be chosen and incessant fighting will go on and on and on.

Gaming should be about games. Not to cater to someone's feelings.

[MaverickStar7]

Thats actually not a bad idea for a panel, unfortunately it goes way beyond gaming. Its in every corner of our news and media today. From games to politics, to movies, and sports. For every person that does something offensive, there is another person being overly offended and causing a issue where none exists.

[Abriael]

Exactly. There should be more panels like that, and in bigger venues, not less.

[mitchell1188]

I've already reserved dragon's crown. I have enough games that are not sex appealing and God forbid they make one that is.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

Sexism and Racism exist.
BUT
I'm not convinced that this is a case of that-

IF it is-
Then many TV shows, Soap Operas, Romance Novels, Magazines (from Cosmopolitan to Penthouse), Movies, Internet, Plays, and Operas need to be Censored too.

If we are to be fair- since I know this will never happen because they are just picking on an easy target (an industry that is described as male dominated)-

I suggest those people turn their ire toward a wider scope.

I would like to see realistic characters male and female. Maybe have people of same sex or race consult(?)–

But this is part of society too –
There is a reason your Television and Movie screens are filled with more pretty faces than Real Life.

[mochachino]

Whatever happened to artistic license.

Also, there's nothing sexist about showing sexy characters in scant clothing. Might be bordering on explicitly sexual but sexism is discrimination or it's attitudes, conditions, or behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender.

Sexual objectification of either gender isn't sexist per say. Unless you imply that its a womans role to be a sex object it's merely objectifying. Always needing to rescue Princess Peach is more sexist than a bikini clad Princess Peach rescuing Mario for example.

The entertainment and advertising industry is largely based objectifying both males and females. It's not necessarily sexist though. It's not necessarily sexist having a half naked girl in an advertisement but it is sexist to always having a conservatively dress woman in cleaning commercials. Ones objectifying the other is sexist, sometimes it's both.

Get educated yo

[bakagaijin78]

Bubbles my friend. Bubbles.

[Hicken]

Good that somebody talking about this. Far too much of this "Let's latch on to any display of sexuality or race and call it racist" going on, period.

[Bercilak]

I just like boobs.

[Bercilak]

Wait. Someone on here doesn't like boobs??

[smashcrashbash]

It was never meant to be a realistic depiction any way so why all the fuss.Notice no one is mentioning the unrealistic depiction of the men in then game.That is okay.any unrealistic depiction of women and it's the devil to pay.Making unrealistic depictions of men in media is okay.It is okay to make us look over grown, stupid, incompetent and everything else.If a woman is depicted with scant clothes or huge breasts it's a scandal.'But what about the guy over there with the small head, giant over grown muscles barely wearing anything but a loin cloth? No that okay.How is that okay? It just is'

[ado908]

God why are people born stupid

[ShaunCameron]

Well, this is what happens when society allows liberals and Marxists to run it.

[Nevers0ft]

I'm not in favour of sexism in games but trying to get the panel shut down and simply silencing dissenting voices achieves nothing.

These people need to get off Twitter and save all of that bluster FOR THE PANEL instead of sticking their fingers in their ears and screaming "That's sexist" hoping somebody listens. If you want to debate equality in gaming, don't start by culling anybody who doesn't agree with you from the debate.

[palaeomerus]

I don't care. Games are games. Entertainment. You can buy them or not buy them as you please. Pretending they pose some special threat that must be dealt with by angry pseudo intellectuals who want censorship and who associate art content they dislike with the character of the artist is absolutely stupid.

[MrBitch]

I went to go read some of mikes tweets, they are angry at him for defending the right to speak?

[310dodo]

People are too soft.

I respect women.
But I refuse to ignore my Male instincts
If I see a beautiful girl shes getting checked out.

[soniqstylz]

PAX has a panel on how screams of racism and sexism are often blown out of proportion.

Negative tweets blow the whole thing out of proportion.

Well done, internet.

[PrimeGrime]

So sick of these articles, what is wrong with games representing the truth about the real world around us? How is tackling gaming going to change sexism?

Dumbest shit ever. All this free porn everywhere, adult video stores around every corner, strip clubs everywhere, escort services everywhere... and you guys think gaming is the problem.

Then you have these fucking KY and Trojan commercials playing daily literally selling vibrators and sex lube on national television for tons of children to see, literally practically showing people rolling around in bed with each other... and yea gaming is a problem...

Seriously get the fuck out of here with that crap and I hate to be so vulgar with the language but man this is stupid already. Huge pet peeve of mine is people worrying about the most petty stuff then ignoring every bigger issue out there..

[lukeb4dunk]

It's funny, because I was just having a conversation a couple weeks ago talking about something like this. I was pointing out how we would have never seen commercials like this 10-20 years ago. Not just KY and Trojan, but even some of the pharmaceutical ones.

Games are bought and enjoyed by individuals. If they want to look at scantly clad women/men, then that's their prerogative. Period. I'm tired of games being a focal point or a target to push one's agenda. Violence, sex, profanity? Television and movies trumps games on those fronts all the time. I mean, you'll never see a game where a pregnant woman gets stabbed in the stomach several times, like Game of Thrones. If that happened in a game, do you know how damned that game would be on all the news networks?

I know I went off subject, but rant is over

[HonestDragon]

Here's the thing, people attacked the artist of the fighters for the bombastic way he drew the sorceress. Is it stupid that she is that big and fighting against other characters with power? Well, yeah, but at least they aren't making it a selling point (something that pisses me off when companies sell sex to gamers). It's exploitation at best. There's a clear difference. Also, busty women exist in real life, people.