Watch Dogs is one of the most racist games I’ve ever played

Racism is a problem everywhere, and Watch Dogs is a great example of how it permeates the top of the games industry.

[Neonridr]

Hmmm.. I didn't get Racist from the game. But some of the invasion situations or conversations that you overhear when hacking people's phones is very questionable. Ubisoft didn't hold anything back when it came to very strange situations involving sex..

[logan_izer10]

I didn't get why they did that. To me they aren't even funny. Just incredibly immature and they come off like a desperate attempt to take a page out of GTA's book. IMO, they should've kept a more serious tone and ditched all the immature sex jokes.

[blakstarz]

I guess if you think about, some of the conversation you hear and intercept in the game is sadly what are really on some people's minds in real life. Its sad but also a scary reality of life itself.

Racism will never die unfortunately and its funny how we view other countries as inhumane and savage, but look how some of us as Americans act towards one another.

[Anthotis]

This is one of the most racist articles I’ve ever read.

[AgentSmithPS4]

Because nobody is immature in Chicago. The TMNT say hi.

I'm sort of curious why this bothers you. Is it based on religion, other people in the house, sensitivities caused by life experiences?

[logan_izer10]

It isn't so much that it really bothers me. I mean, I do have 2 kids in the house but that's not it. I just feel like I've grown out of sex jokes after high school. It's more of a lost opportunity to me. Actually having witty or original content in the hacked conversations and videos would've added to the game, the current ones do nothing for me and only take away from the liveliness of the game. Hearing about 2 guys talking about blowing their loads isn't funny to me.

[aliengmr]

They likely used sex as a way to accentuate the idea of invading one's privacy.

Yea, at times they did it for laughs but I think overall, they really wanted you to feel guilty for "peeking".

[MrDreadnought]

I have to agree with blackstarz, just because you ignore it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I think Ubisoft did the right thing, this is our reality, and tis one of the many qualities of the game, and they should be commended to take such a real point of view in the game which touches many sensitive topics.

[AgentSmithPS4]

"Actually having witty or original content in the hacked conversations and videos would've added to the game"

I agree but I'd rather have all of it in the game to make it more realistic. Just like it sucks that NPCs don't run away from a burning car right next to them. I really don't get how they can test their game and not notice some obvious problems that make them look lazy.

[morganfell]

Well racism is everywhere...even in places where it doesn't really exist. If you want to see it there, you are going to see it no matter the reality.

[Copen]

Exactly...Racism is completely dependant upon ones perception. What may be racist to you may not be something that's racist to the next person. And if you look hard enough you truly can find racism in just about anything.

[user1439414]

Racism is never good in video games even when the slaves are being treated well and not abused it still should not be in the game. Someone needs to draw the line and say enough is enough and stop this from happening. I saw a lot of it in Assassins Creed and also in GTA.

[Copen]

You can see racism in anything if you carry a negative view of the world. It's not up to games or movies to suppress reality and to give a false representation of how people are. You see racism? You see a negative portrayal of your race or someone elses? Stop griping about it stop looking for sympathy and go do something to try and change perception. It's up to YOU not someone else so I mean seriously get up off your @$$ and help change perception but stop passing the blame around seeking sympathy for a cause you yourself can help change.

[Shnooze]

If you need coddling you shouldn't even be playing these games.

[Dolf045]

Didn't at all get a racist vibe either, but I think the questionable nature of the hacked conversations/peeks was in line the point they were getting at. The world is a weird place and people have some pretty messed up sh1t going on behind closed doors. Look through that window in real life you might find they're not too far off the mark

[The_Blue]

What about the Trayvon Martin reference as a know drug dealer.

I did enjoy the game but it does not lack cultural stereotypes but I guess that for the entertainment or ubisoft suffering from cognitive dissonance.

[Copen]

Chicago IS the murder capitol of the US of A and whether you like it or not Africa Americans are the biggest part of it. They kill each other rape and treat women like the slaves the African Americans once were. Why should Ubisoft hide these things and sugar coat reality? They portrayed the minorities exactly as they are and it's an accurate portrayal. If you don't believe me I invite you to go visit the worst parts of Chicago and see it for yourself. If you're not careful you yourself just might end up being a statistic. Racism is all about ones personal perception what you may find racist someone else may not that's the truth. If you don't like the way your particular race is portrayed get up and do something about it make a difference and help change perception don't blame a movie or a game for giving an accurate portrayal of what really is.

[n4rc]

Crap like this makes me sick..

Its idiotic views like this that keep racism alive.. So what if the main character is white?

So what if there is a black gang? They do exist ya know? But your OK with Iraq portrayed as a black criminal, but he wasn't the main criminal so that's wrong!

Not every story told needs to be some PC bs to keep everyone's sensitivities in mind

[mcarsehat]

It's all just a homage to The Wire anyway, was The Wire racist too?

Iraq was undoubtedly the smartest character in the game so i can't see how that was a bad thing.

[InTheLab]

I agree and disagree with you. I'll get the disagree out of the way....

Racists and bigots are what keep Racism alive. Calling out Racism does nothing to perpetuate racism. Yes there are people like the author who fantasize about how we minorities are portrayed in everything, but that doesn't mean we should sweep all acts of bigotry and racism under the rug. Ignoring racism keeps it alive.

Now what I agree on is that you don't have to force diversity into every game and you don't have to artificially prop up every minority if it's not in your vision. While I do believe Ubi screwed up with Farcry 3 making Vaas a sub boss or throwaway character in favor of some random ass White guy who runs an entire Island of brown people and making the main character the generic White kid who saved all the brown people, I don't feel like that's necessary in a game like Watch Dogs.

Mainly because of how Chicago really is. I've lived in Chicago and Detroit and I can tell you that some of the worst things that happen with the gangs in Watch Dogs don't come close to the actual bulls*** that goes on in those two cities. It's a fairly accurate portrayal in my opinion. People get kidnapped or raped all the time back when I lived in those places. Kids walk around with guns. I've been shot at on 3 separate occasions. The store I ran was robbed twice. All gang s*** in those two cities.

I swear I can take you and everyone else reading this to some of the worse hoods I grew up (and thankfully escaped from) in and you'd thank Ubi for taking it easy on how they portrayed scum.

So no it doesn't bother me that the cast of Watch Dogs are mostly White with no real minority representation. Look who the devs are.

[jmc8888]

Actually when people create a fake 'racist' rationale they give credence to there being a dividing line in the first place.

There IS racism all over the planet, but it's not like how we American's think of racism. American racism and worldwide racism are two completely different things. We're concerned about what races are shown often, or some team name, or affirmative action. All these small time issues.

In some countries, you are outright killed or suppressed into oblivion, not because you were a slave brought from another continent, but happen to be simply a different race/color/creed in a land that might have been your ancestor's home for hundreds, if not thousands of years, but aren't the dominant one in it.

We have REAL issues to deal with, and we should start dealing with them before they kill or destroy ALL OF OUR LIVES, regardless of race.

Like Congress wasting time on the Redskins issue. It's nothing. If it's changed, ok, but it's a Pyrrhic victory that actually gains nothing and fills the populist tank with fake 'achievement' so people can go back to doing nothing having felt they 'made a difference'. When we focus on fake issues, we are literally playing the fiddle while Rome burns.

What's really sad is no one can even point the finger that this is the case. They're for or against it, rather then calling it out as a distraction, and worse yet, the ones pointing it out as racist and wasting everyone's time with it, are the ones who are actually creating and fomenting racism. Worse yet, they support these people creating actual racism. How hypocritical.

Look at Obama. My fellow Democrat is an absolute loser who plays racial tensions like a drum, trying to be on the 'PC' side, while no one bats an eye at his support for Al-Qeada against a sectarian, Christian protecting, Assad. Not a great guy, but better then the terrorists we gave up all our liberties to fight.

Or how about causing the whole Ukrainian situation, which is now a civil war, with Obama's Ukrainian Nazi's (and they ARE actual, Nazi's) killing those who are not ethnically Ukrainians on Obama's behalf.

So Obama doesn't support 'Redskins' but does support Al-Qeada and Nazi's.

This is what we get when we focus on fake racism, and forget the REAL RACISM.

Not to mention all the real issues, like spying, droning (American citizens no less), Wall Street fraud, etc, etc, etc.

So who cares about Redskins and Watch Dogs? Because obviously having too many white people in games is more important then real people getting slaughtered.

People need to start noticing this, or we're screwed. But hey, at least we'll have a Washington football team named Hogs or something. What a nice consolation. :puke

[Cherchez La Ghost]

IDK about racism. But one Privacy Invasion scene really got to me is when the guy calls his father on the cell phone and he was dead on the floor. His father's cancer recessed and he was dead beside the dining room table. He called and told him that he wanted him to stay with him and it wasn't a problem. That choked the hell out of me. Took a minute to hold back a tear. But that is life.

[L-DOT-_REAPER_]

i truly agree with you on that one

[SpinalRemains138]

This is the real problem.

You're finding racism where none exists.

If you're upset that the main characters are white dudes, then there is racism, albeit your own.

This game is not racist at all. This is just as absurd as if a person were to accuse San Adreas being racist because it made white people play as a black protagonist. No racism. The main character cannot be 5 different races, in an attempt to appease everyone with thin skin.

Move along people

[uth11]

And if you make the protagonist a different race, and someone finds an issue with the portrayal.. Then the game is declared racist anyway. Can't win.

[Software_Lover]

LOL. People act as if these types of people don't exist in real life. They do. That's why they are in video games.

[SpinalRemains138]

Right.

Franklin in GTA speaks the way he does because he sounds like every single gangsta alive. This isn't a revelation or a stereotype. Gangsta is as gangsta does.

The problem with that, is that the author of the article wants to play as a gangsta, but not ever show a black man in a stereotypical light. You can't have it both ways. If you play as a bad guy, then you get the whole package.

Its not like everyone who plays this game is going to base their thoughts about black guys based on Watch Dogs fictitious portrayal of them. Come on lol.

We need more black protagonists, but plz don't make them "too black". That's what we have here. Well, if you prefer one race over another, it must be because they're different somehow....hmmmmm.....

[djplonker]

I do remember scanning a black guy and his info box said "hiv positive" but they are just randomly generated lol

but even that holds more weight than this pathetic argument XD

[ArtificiallyYours]

Suck it the hell up, social justice warrior.

[Dirtnapstor]

I kind of agree with the sexualization overkill. It may be a reality, but that's not why I play games.

Social Justice... humanity's downfall. The expectancy of Caucasians having to apologize for being white is so tiring. It's articles like this that prolong an age old issue. Racism didn't begin or won't end with a white flesh tone.

[tekkentag2]

I agree that the race card is called way too often for nothing. Racism does exist but it does for all races. But common... even though white people shouldnt be acounted for those things that other white people have done in the past, racism really did start with a white flesh tone.

[Dirtnapstor]

@tekkentag2

Right on!
But I respectfully disagree concerning origins...check into world history.

[tekkentag2]

I'm white myself but really dude? Slaves did exist before already if thats what youre getting at. But racism really did start with our white forefathers. There's just no denying that.

[uth11]

I don't follow his complaints...

"The game makes no effort to appeal anyone else, and actually manages to alienate every other audience by adhering to the dullest racial stereotypes around."

"The sad fact is that the most intriguing character is the one African-American character, Iraq. Iraq was a military veteran who begins a life of crime after being honorably discharged. He is a hacker, whose talents rival any of the other characters"

Black Elite Hacker- That's a dull racial stereotype? huh?

"Jordi Chin, the Asian character, is completely unnecessary to the plot."

ok, I haven't finished the game yet, but Jordi has been pretty central to the plot so far..

[D3ATH_DRIV3R_777]

'Watch Dogs is one of the most racist games i ever played'

This person must've not played GTA V.

[sungin]

not only they downgrade everything from the game,also downgrade respect for the community.

[AAWELLS09]

I get so sick of people desperately looking for things to bitch about. If we are always complaining about everything then games will just turn to shit as the devs will be to afraid to do anything for fear of shit like this. Don't play the game then its as easy as that.

[Clown_Syndr0me]

Stupid over sensitive bull like this creates racism.

My child came home from nursery singing "Baa Baa Rainbow sheep" the other day. What is happening to the world?

[Man_Marmalade]

Well, then don't play the game anymore if you have sensitivity issues...
Racism and violence will always be present in the world. You can't just hide people from it.

[King_of_Nothing]

Garbage article

[Jamiex66]

Having played Watch Dogs over 50 hours, I really didn't get the racism that he says was here. It seems to me those who believe there are racism about, are the one who are the most racist. If you want everyone to be treated equally, like I do, then does it matter which race is consider a hero or a villain?

They are all the same, so look past their race and look at what the game is showcasing, good and evil no matter who they are.

[ovnipc]

Stop crying!!! For the author and all weak cry babys!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?...

[mcarsehat]

you've objectified those central game characters by the colour of their skin, you are a racist yourself.

[LightningMokey]

Racist... no stereotypical... yes

[GW212]

The reality is stereotypes exist for a reason. Are there exceptions to the rule? Of course.

Author of this article is naive at best. I think he's pulling the race card for clicks - a far more nefarious motive than naivete.

[Psychotica]

It's exactly the way these groups are portrayed in the movies so is it really that much of a surprise it happens in a video game?

[vork77]

I saw nothing wrong with the game its just a game

[aliengmr]

I really think the game suffers more from poor writing than from racism. That "may" be a an element to it, but really, the poor character development and disjointed narrative are the real problems.

Yes, they could have given Iraq a much bigger role, he was an interesting character. But this happened with most characters. The writing for Clara was a travesty, at least Iraq had a purpose.

I really think Watch Dogs has potential as a franchise, but not if they can't get a team of writers that craft a decent narrative for this type of game. Its really hard to tell if its racist or sexist because the writing was so bad.

Its fair to bring up the point about racism, everyone has their opinions. However, that title is a horrible way to present that point. Its hard enough for people to take these arguments seriously even without the click-bait title.

[DanielGearSolid]

STFU

[smashman98]

As a Puerto Rican male I can say your wrong

[cfc83]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz

[Ghost_Nappa]

Wolfenstein has a settng for foreign languages only to b subtitled. This causes subtitles to appear wen your irish partner speaks in english with an irish accent.Racist?

[Phoenix76]

For the author's next article the title should be 'is Zelda one of the most sexist game series ever?' After all, the princess always needs rescuing!!
I personally am like most people again and against racicim and have many friends who are ethnic. All the while people keep playing the raciest card, we will never be rid of it sadly.

[D-riders]

Yeah game is super racist but what I like is it shows how the police fuck with minorities

[wannabe gamer]

lol the author of this needs to get out more and stop believing that the world isnt naturally full of all these things. wrong or right black or white its just the nature of things and is oh too bad so sad that all the white knights cant save all the princesses....booohoooo

[windblowsagain]

Couldn't careless about Racism in games or otherwise.

Sick and tired of hearing it, either about games,or just in general.

Not all races get along, it will always be that way.

But i don't really listen to the conversations in WD.

It's just about the explosions are sh^t for me.