Overwatch is the target of the outrage police once again — an occurrence both common and inevitable around a game enjoyed by millions of fans who just want to game in peace.
Now the hubbub arises from perceived cultural appropriation of some of the unlockable skins, or alternate character costumes. The issue came to a head when Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, released a statement calling on Blizzard to remove Symettra’s “Devi” skin.
Controlling and manipulating Devi with a joystick/button/keyboard/mouse was denigration. Devi was meant to be worshipped [sic] in temples and home shrines and not to be reduced to just a “character” in a video game to be used in combat in the virtual battleground.”
This is not the first time Zed has called for censorship of video games. He castigated Hi-Rez Studios for featuring playable Hindu gods in their game SMITE, a League of Legends-type game where you battle gods from different mythologies against each other.
But Devi is not the only “problematic” skin in Overwatch. People are whinging about Pharah’s Thunderbird and Raindancer skins, as they depict iconography from different Native American tribes from across North America.
Zenyatta’s Djinnyatta and Ifrit skins are accused of offensive Orientalism. According to Shahryar Rizvi of Kill Screen, the baggy pants are too over exaggerated to be politically correct.
Roadhog’s Pacific Islander themed Toa and Islander skin are getting grief because the tattoos are Maori, while the shark tooth hook is more Hawaiian. And depicting Polynesians as fat got the new Disney film Moana in trouble a few weeks ago.
Part of what makes Overwatch great is its international aesthetic. The game brings a diverse cast of characters from different world cultures to violently murder each other in the name of moving a cart from point A to point B.
And with a diverse cast it is only logical to use distinctive cultural dress. At least they committed to making a diverse game. Maybe next time they just won’t to avoid the inevitable cultural appropriation whining.
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