Post #1935838

2026-04-30 22:43 UTC

The reason I brought this topic up was because in some cases, it *isn't* easily addressed. One example that I think is often misunderstood is an interview with the developer of Battlefield V, being asked about the inclusion of female characters. The interview response generally targeted overt sexism and women-hatred that came online as a result. The response was long, but ended with the statement: "You have two choices: either accept it or don't buy the game." Yet, I saw this quote being forcefully pushed into a *lot* of other contexts, as though this was EA's response to everything from general historical accuracy criticisms, gameplay issues, pricing problems, etc. There was a small crowd of overt misogynists that could pull a lot of people to "their side", and weaponize the conversation, by making the general playerbase of the game feel like they were "being attacked". I saw the quote used by many people that I knew generally didn't care about avatar genders. Many afterwards never even came to realize there was a wave of Gamergate-style "Your body my choice" sexism, or desire by female gamers to be represented, in response to Battlefield's off-history inclusion efforts (hence the "no one even heard of the robbery" part of the example) So my point is these distractions generally are *not* as easily addressed as you believe. In many real-world allegories to the sample, the metaphorical culprit behind the orphanage robbery is never actually put in jail since the proper response would require societal reaction, but the actual reaction has built up two "sides" that are of equal size.

Replies (1)

@DomeGuy@lemmy.world 2026-05-01 13:49

EA including women in a video game, saying "accept it or don't buy the game", and anyone continuing on after that *is absolutely perpetuating a societal ill*. Anyone who doesn't see that, and gives even rhetorical space for pretexes like "historical accuracy" or "gameplay" or "games journalism", is perpetuating that same I'll the same way white "moderates" who argued the civil rights movement shouldnt actually do anything. I know this sounds harsh, but the *ordinary* response to a game you don't like is to just not buy it. If you don't like the gameplay or the graphics, or the voice acting, or the labor practices of the developer, or whatever, simply not paying for it and not playing is the best and primary way to signal that. I didn't suggest that this kind of bad behavior is always easily addressed. I said and will say again that when assertions of bias are not easily addressed, the ongoing bias is literally more important than anything else that could be addressed. When a Nazi sits down at your table, either kick him out or accept that you're a Nazi.

Open ##1935839