A Weighty Debate: Discussing Fat Princess

Kotaku's Leigh Alexander write:

Perhaps it would have been naive to assume that Sony's Fat Princess could have surfaced without stirring controversy, but as the media's picked up on a few dissenters in the blogosphere, we now have a little issue on our hands.

We've covered a bit of the reaction against the game, a strategy title that's a little bit capture-the-flag - except in this case, the "flag" is a very fat girl, made difficult to move because her captors are tasked with feeding her cake. Reactions have ranged from the constructively mild - Feminist Gamers wonders why fat chicks are considered "cute" and suggests a heavy treasure chest instead - to the bilious.

[OgTheClever]

would you prefer her to be an anorexic princess?

[Lifendz]

but these are probably the same people that are offended at how women are portrayed in gaming (see Soul Calibur for example).

I would ask these people to take a long hard look in the mirror and ask themselves why Fat Princess offends them. And I would say don't liken it to something involving race because that's just how you're born. So comparing it to something racial doesn't fly.

Let's say Fat is a condition. If this game offends you, then maybe you should take the steps to change that condition for the better through diet and exercise. Easier said than done, I know but it's better than sitting around and bishing about a game because it maybe forces you to acknowledge you're not in the best of shape.

[SixTwoTwo]

http://www.filehurricane.co...

[Tmac]

Lol.. aw.. Priceless.

[NathanGra]

Okay. The first article concerning the controversy over this game (the feminist outcry) was humurous and entertaining... but now it's just getting ridiculous.

The article intro says that the developers were naive to think that this game would not be met with criticism? I think that's absurd. Political correctness has taken over every field of media now; it's unwarrented. This game is not making fun of anyone or any demographic. It's clever, cute, and original; I hope the developers never issue a single letter of apology. They don't need to.

There are far worse games out there. Games that INTENTIONALLY touch on stereotypes, violence, religion, etc. This is the least of anyone's worries. Just another reason to pis$ and moan.

1st day buy here, if the game lives up to what the previews are promising.

[Maedhros]

I think it's wrong to assume the developers believed there wouldn't be any controversy. What's more likely is that they anticipated that any controversy would make good publicity for the game (look at all the news stories!) and count for little else. The set of people who would complain about Fat Princess is a very small subset of an already small subset of gamers, and while loud enough to get attention, lacks the capacity to get anything actually meaningful done here.

All this is is noise, all it'll ever be is noise, and the only good it'll do is for Fat Princess' sales on release.

[NathanGra]

Truer words ne'er been spoken.... erm, written.

[LevDog]

Why does there always have to be some anal group always anal about something?

Why cant people just relax.. I mean Fat Princess is made by a girl.. A girl came up with and helped dev the game..

[Alexander Roy]

As someone who was fat, I take offense in this very degrading game. NOT.

If you are overweight, that's your thing (unless it is caused by a disease of course). Nobody forces you to eat. Nobody forces you to not exercise. Nobody forces you to stay the way you are.
Overweight and have problems with it? Eat healthier, move yourself more - it may take some time, but you will feel better.
Overweight and don't have problems with it? Cool, but don't blame people for making fun of it.
Either you have the metaphorical balls to say "Sh't, I like myself the way I am!" or you don't. If not, don't cry because you lack self confidence and are insecure.
I lost 80 pounds, I know both sides.

[NathanGra]

On the comment, the bubble I'm giving you, and the loss. keep it up. And off.

[buckethead_X]

Seriously. I'm not giving any more of these stories any more hits >_<

[PSWe60]

here we go

[spectyre]

anyone has a right to not be offended?

[rogimusprime]

have a bubble.