"Hindu Leader Wants Blizzard To Drop Symmetra's Devi Skin From Overwatch"

Link (yes, it's Kotaku, but that's not important)

Thought it could fit here since I found it an interesting discussion.

What are your guys' stances on this?

I currently don't think the skin should be removed from the game. If anything, change the name and skin tone and maybe some of the accessories. Of course I can't say that I understand where the person is coming from in saying it's a trivialization of religious beliefs, but if series like Final Fantasy have depicted figures like Shiva the way they have for decades, I don't see how this skin is all that bad (not that I think Shiva's that bad either, but again, I'm not in the same mindset...)

I've also read other people's thoughts about the topic, stating that it shouldn't be changed because "it's art inspired by culture" rather than being posed as a depiction of that culture. And other people bring up that the game SMITE has had many similar situations, though I don't recall how Hi-Rez Studios responded to complaints.

 

These kinds of things just irritate me to be honest. Just because a skin of a character is made to be based off a culture, or to resemble a culture as a whole or a singular person of said culture, or even just ends up looking like it in any way shape or form, someone has to speak out claiming that it "offends them and their beliefs". For crying out loud, it's not really hurting anything, and there are always going to be people that don't agree with skins in this kind of game. I haven't played SMITE, but I know those people are based off myths, and it doesn't seem to get as big a deal out of this.

Now, I don't follow news related to this kind of stuff, so I wouldn't know much about it, but it is silly if you ask me. However, if the game companies are going to worry about every little complaint about their games and had to change it, it wouldn't really be "their" game anymore, because it wouldn't be how they had imagined it.

 

I feel like this is the least of their worries and it's only being publicized because it's Blizzard/Overwatch. But yeah this is a supremely difficult fight to win, based on a lot of things you mentioned already. If anything is done about it, it would have to be a good-faith gesture on Blizzard's part, which I will say is not impossible. As for whether it's justified, I really have no dog in that race. I see where they're coming from, but like I said (like you said, Marushi), if that's what they're concerned about they have plenty of better places to start.

 

I haven't played Overwatch myself personally. So I don't know the idea/culture of the game.

BUT to my knowledge Shiva has different forums in many cultures. Shiva Of Destruction, Shiva of Ice and Snow and so worth. Greek mythology has been taught/revamped/pursued in MANY forms. (stories, video games, movies etc). And (personally) they don't come off offended that we utilize their, idk, past/history/ology. (I know we use other forms, not just this. Like Chinese/Asian/European 'ology too)

BUT, Hindu believers are different to me. :/ I'm not mad/offended they want something changed in a video game (or removed like in this case). It probably means more to them, then to us. An it could be for many reasons. Maybe they just don't want this character being portray in general. Just trying it understand their point of view vs shaming them into "whats the big deal, this shouldn't be a problem". Sometimes religions outside the U.S means more to the people then we think/know.

 

It's one of those things, do you do whats safe or stand up for creativity? And while it stops conflict to keel over we don't break down walls and redefine standards, hopefully the developers will be un-phased and people can ask weather or not it should be really Taboo in this modern day and age.

First post yay.

 

I know very, very little about Hinduism, but in cases of appropriation in general, I don't think it's really the place of people outside the culture in question to define what is appropriative of the culture and what's not. They're the ones whove been immersed in it, who have the experience, the cultural ties, and the most intimate knowledge of the various forms and varying significance these elements have in their culture.

This is a really similar issue JK Rowling is having with regards to the North American Wizarding history, and the backlash from native/indigenous people on it. I think in general there needs to be a lot more research on the part of creative heads, and more of an effort to actually consult with people from the cultures they want to include to present the elements they want in a respectful way. There's a difference between celebrating a culture and appropriating it, and the only way to get to celebration is committing more to better methods of research and incorporation.

 

Its all context. I never claimed such a thing.