“Perhaps Everyone Around the World Should Just Wear T-Shirts and Jeans”
Video games are subjective unless of course, somebody interprets something as objectively offensive. Things get weird from there, and game devs will tell you that development is hard enough without worrying about a cultural backlash. Apparently, the fear of causing offense has kept Tekken 7 director Katsuhiro Harada from a few creative challenges. Not anymore.
Harada recently met a fan on Twitter who asked whether or not we’ll ever see a Viking character. “I’d like to challenge such a theme design,” wrote in a post. “However, the time has come when the challenge is very difficult. Because there are people who complain about characteristic design as “This is a stereotype!”
I’d like to challenge such a theme design.
However, the time has come when the challenge is very difficult.
Because there are people who complain about characteristic design as “This is a stereotype!” (Continue)…https://t.co/darD05shg5— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) March 5, 2019
Harada then went on a mini-rant about the hurdles of character design. There’s always a worry, like walking on glass, that somebody will find something offensive about the design. The only way to be safe, he argues, is to make the wardrobes plain and have every character wear the same thing. “If there is a design, it could offend someone somewhere, right?”
The individual (or culture) identity will become homogenized. Perhaps everyone around the world should just wear T-shirts and jeans. The shirts should be plain, with nothing on it. If there is a design, it could offend someone somewhere, right? (Continue)https://t.co/ZjBlLSpKos
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) March 5, 2019
I’ve become quite tired of trying to avoid causing potential offense issues.
lol
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) March 5, 2019
Tekken 7 sports a dynamic roster with dozens of characters. Thanks to cosmetic variety, every character has multiple alternative designs. That gives the game plenty of leeways to stir the pot with appearances. Fortunately for Harada, his posts garnered an outpour of support.
Yep thanks.
I got tons of reply about this. Don’t worry, we will do what we want.https://t.co/vx66KgClFL— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) March 5, 2019
Harada’s words came at an interesting time, right after the launch of Dead or Alive 6 which has received its share of flak for raunchy characters in the past. In the end, Team Ninja couldn’t please everyone. What do you think of his comments?
SOURCE: Twinfinite