Overwatch tries to pander to gender diversity activists and fails

[veehro]

[MOD SNIP]

We can do this without the advertisement. Read the thread title and think of Zerya then discuss away.

[Dald]

I'm pretty sure that self-promotion of this nature is not allowed.

[Deleted]

Rather than just posting a 17 minute video can you maybe recap the main points?

[veehro]

He's upset because the female character isn't the typical twig with large breasts.

I'm upset because this was allways blizzards thing, they always had diverse characters. Diablo 3, world of warcraft , starcraft etc.

Kotaku is acting as if this is the first, just proving they don't play blizzard games or they would of known that this isn't something new.

Also in the forums people are still complaining saying that the character is still bad. SHowing that you can't please gender activists as they will allways complain

[Marquize]

[MOD SNIP]

Shameless click-bait self-promotion, please go away

[Detheavn]

So your main gripe is with Kotaku, not Blizzard?

[Speaker]

He's upset because the female character isn't the typical twig with large breasts.

Absolutely untrue. Maybe try watching the video? He disagrees with the article on Kotaku, who worded the article as if blizzard games are not diverse, and that blizzard only added the character because of community response. He's basically saying Kotaku is using propaganda to promote their views.

[veehro]

So your main gripe is with Kotaku, not Blizzard?

Yes I am very pissed off at Kotaku who are trying to use blizzard and overwatch as a tool to promote their propaganda when it has nothing to do with them. Blizzard has ALLWAYS been pro diversity and had different characters and accents into the mix

As for the gender activists even if kotaku says blizzard tried to change they are still unhappy as they are calling this "an offensive steriotype" as she is a russian woman that is strong

[The One Percent]

Kotaku is one of the most annoying websites on the internet right now. I put it up there with Stormfront and the extremist sides of tumblr. Total trash that no one should pay attention to, let alone click any links from.

[Selah]

Absolutely untrue. Maybe try watching the video? He disagrees with the article on Kotaku, who worded the article as if blizzard games are not diverse, and that blizzard only added the character because of community response. He's basically saying Kotaku is using propaganda to promote their views.

I would watch the video if I could understand what is being said. That being said Kotaku has always been a shit site, don't sweat what they have to say.

[Detheavn]

As for the gender activists even if kotaku says blizzard tried to change they are still unhappy as they are calling this "an offensive steriotype" as she is a russian woman that is strong

But why would Russian women not be allowed to be portrayed as strong individuals? Just because one Russian woman is portrayed as a tank, which role she actually fulfills, why would that mean all Russian women are built like that? Do these people even have access to Google? Just follow your average adult link and search for your Russian women. But by god no ... that would be fair as well, because those women clearly are thin because of the industry they work in

I would watch the video if I could understand what is being said. That being said Kotaku has always been a shit site, don't sweat what they have to say.

Kotaku is full of trolls, both the 'editors' and their fanbase.

[Vanaline]

I'm upset because this was allways blizzards thing, they always had diverse characters. Diablo 3, world of warcraft , starcraft etc.

Kotaku is acting as if this is the first, just proving they don't play blizzard games or they would of known that this isn't something new.

Also in the forums people are still complaining saying that the character is still bad. SHowing that you can't please gender activists as they will allways complain

No they haven't

Not clicking your shit video, agenda is clear as a day and it reeks of fedoras.

[veehro]

But why would Russian women not be allowed to be portrayed as strong individuals? Just because one Russian woman is portrayed as a tank, which role she actually fulfills, why would that mean all Russian women are built like that? Do these people even have access to Google? Just follow your average adult link and search for your Russian women. But by god no ... that would be fair as well, because those women clearly are thin because of the industry they work in

These people find reasons to be offended in everething. So I am not shocked. And the fact that they credit anita sarkeesian for the creation of this character is more baffling.

The fact that kotaku is considered by many a respectable gaming website that can be credited on wikipedia, is shocking to me

- - - Updated - - -

No they haven't

How is this character any different to the female barbarian, if they have not? -_-
Do you even play their games?

[Deleted]

I would not say Blizzard has always been about diversity. WoW is fairly good about body type admittedly, races like Tauren and Dwarves do not have stereotypical bombshell women. But in general I think WoW fails on the diversity front. And certainly Overwatch was announced with a cast of rather homogenous female character designs. There was some small variation but the difference between Pharah and Widowmaker was much smaller than the difference between Torbjorn and Hanzo.

[Kaleredar]

You see this thread right here?


This is why we can't have nice things.




No one should bitch about "lack of diversity" in a video game (especially with such pointless metrics as usually exist.) If you want an "adequately" diverse video game, make your own damn video game. On that same token, however... no one should bitch about "the existence of diversity" in a video game. You want a non-diverse video game? Well, guess what, make your own damn video game.

I'm of the mind to let developers do what they see fit.

[KrazyK923]

There's a difference between adding in Token characters and having legitimate diverse characters, though.

This seems more like, 'Eh fuck it, what's a stereotype? Buff Russian lady? sold, do it!"

"DIVERSITY!"

Difference: Character like Sera or Dorian in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Fully fleshed out characters who just happen to be some kind of minority. Zarya? Female Russian Bodybuilder stereotype, which has been done in a few different mediums and seems to be one of the few non-Barbie bodytypes that gets used ad naseum. And seems to literally been included because of Blizzard wanting to fill some quota sheet. They flatout say that she's added in for "Body diversity" in her announcement. How about make an interesting character and then afterwards make them some kind of minority and, better yet, don't make that the defining feature of the character.

Its like them suddenly making Catwoman bisexual recently. All it serves is for scenes where she's mackin on other chicks, so the comic can go, "Look she's bisexual! Look how inclusive we are!" Barf. As a gay person it'd be nice to see more characters like Dorian or Sera or Veronica from New Vegas over these kinds.

But this thread is little more than the OP advertising his video, which is against the rules, so...

[Pengalor]

You see this thread right here?


This is why we can't have nice things.




No one should bitch about "lack of diversity" in a video game (especially with such pointless metrics as usually exist.) If you want an "adequately" diverse video game, make your own damn video game. On that same token, however... no one should bitch about "the existence of diversity" in a video game. You want a non-diverse video game? Well, guess what, make your own damn video game.

I'm of the mind to let developers do what they see fit.

Pretty sure that's exactly what the OP is arguing for...Diversity for the sake of diversity is a terrible idea and just leads to token bullshit. Diversity because it makes your game better and more varied is awesome but only if you really want to do it. If you feel forced to do it then it's going to come across just that way, forced. Devs shouldn't make their games by checking off a list until they've included something for everyone. They should just do what feels natural to the story and compelling. If people want to see more diverse characters then encourage more diverse writers and developers, try and get more awesome minority writers and developers to share their views and add to the cauldron of ideas. These demands for diversity where it may not be wanted by the people making the game are only going to hurt the artistic merit of the genre, not help it.

[Deleted]

I was so sure they would add a character like that when these people kept asking diversity questions at the Overwatch Blizzcon panels. I don't even have anything against the character, but the fact that it only exists to pander to these people makes it crap.

I actually like taller women, or taller female characters, but it just feels unnatural. Take for example the female Vrykul in WoW or the female Barbarian in Diablo 3. It feels much more natural there, because Vrykul are based on Vikings and the Barbarian is supposed to be a taller, more muscular character. But this Overwatch character feels forced.

I don't think that they thought about diversity when they created the female Vrykul or the female Barbarian, because they probably just thought about "ok what race makes sense for Northrend" or "ok what would a female Barbarian look like". But here, the thought was "how can we please people that want more diversity".

It's hilarious, because the female Vrykul and the female Barbarian are proof that Blizzard doesn't even have a problem with diversity.

[Kaleredar]

There's a difference between adding in Token characters and having legitimate diverse characters, though.

This seems more like, 'Eh fuck it, what's a stereotype? Buff Russian lady? sold, do it!"

At that same time, every character in Overwatch is a "stereotype." And that's probably by design. Buff russian chick? Well, now we also have "high-noon cowboy," to go with "plucky british girl," "angry german hulk," "intelligent manimal," angsty hooded death guy" and "mechanical dwarf man."



The only thing I take issue with in these sorts of "debates" is when people blindly ignore the reality and just choose one point to bitch about.

[KrazyK923]

At that same time, every character in Overwatch is a "stereotype." And that's probably by design. Buff russian chick? Well, now we also have "high-noon cowboy," to go with "plucky british girl," "angry german hulk," "intelligent manimal," angsty hooded death guy" and "mechanical dwarf man."

I agree entirely. And just goes to show how lazy Blizzard is with characters.

The only thing that is actually annoying about Zarya is people circle jerking (Apparently not Kotaku though?) about her as if she's the best character ever because she's a female character who isn't a Barbie Doll.