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[MrToughPants]

Maybe they can introduce a safe space patch.

 

[Mine01]

Being a mexican myself i think you are overreacting op, It's a new word for you (and a lot of people here) and think it is some hateful thing, but as some people have already said, most of the time is used among friends and could be taken as "Dont be a bitch" or stuff like that.

 

[rubes7844]

Being a mexican myself i think you are overreacting op, It's a new word for you (and a lot of people here) and think it is some hateful thing, but as some people have already said, most of the time is used among friends and could be taken as "Dont be a bitch" or stuff like that.

Yep. We call each other maricons and putos, etc. good times.

 

[Xe4]

I think it's wierd that it was only used in spanish (that I know of). I have no problem with having demeaning insults thrown at the player in an open world RPG. It happens in real life too. I'm just weirded out that "faggot" isn't said in english as well in the game.

Also, is this on the wrong side, or am I crazy?

 

[Disxo]

Yep. We call each other maricons and putos, etc. good times.

In other countries of latin america that takes...other connotations.

 

[Shanlei91]

I think it's wierd that it was only used in spanish (that I know of). I have no problem with having demeaning insults thrown at the player in an open world RPG. It happens in real life too. I'm just weirded out that "faggot" isn't said in english as well in the game.

Also, is this on the wrong side, or am I crazy?

Spanish happens in real life too.

 

[rubes7844]

In other countries of latin america that takes...other connotations.

It's also a rice cake lol

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

I think it's wierd that it was only used in spanish (that I know of). I have no problem with having demeaning insults thrown at the player in an open world RPG. It happens in real life too. I'm just weirded out that "faggot" isn't said in english as well in the game.

Also, is this on the wrong side, or am I crazy?

It's been used in English by GTA and others.
San Francisco is multicultural.

I guess this is more of a Mark Twain argument. At what point do you want realism, fiction and cultural norms to play in.

 

[The Omega Man]

In other countries of latin america that takes...other connotations.

The face when I had to explain my Mexican friend that Puto meant a totally different thing in Venezuela

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

The face when I had to explain my Mexican friend that Puto meant a totally different thing in Venezuela

Voy a cojer... Is also different in Mexican Spanish and European Spanish.

One means "to get (Spain)," the other, "to fuck."

 

[Disgraced]

Well, to be fair, recently at gaming side there was a thread about a person who was shocked at the levels of asshole Cid from Final Fantasy 7 is and couldn't believe he was meant to be one of the good guys.

So some people seem to only be able to handle that level of hamfisted characterization.

What if I told you characterization is sometimes "hamfisted" because the majority doesn't always have time for a lot of nuance, if ever at all? They need a message that's clear not complicated.

I'm surprised at the number of people who seem offended that I might have found something offensive. Like, legitimately upset.

I'll admit I'm upset there are people suggesting this kind of thing should never be in a game with no exceptions and little reasoning. That's toxic, in my opinion.

But all that said, I wouldn't opposed to stronger warnings on the box or in-game, or even better: an option to turn content like this off.

 

[Robaperas]

I never said it was used in a "positive way". I only said it was used in other ways.

Of course, it was just to clarify it's common uses here.

 

[And_Gignac]

Being a mexican myself i think you are overreacting op, It's a new word for you (and a lot of people here) and think it is some hateful thing, but as some people have already said, most of the time is used among friends and could be taken as "Dont be a bitch" or stuff like that.

Are you gay? Do you identify as a Homosexual? Have you endured your whole life with the burden of being called a "maricon", "joto", "puto"? With hearing those words as a questioning of your masculinity, even your worth as a human being?

Of course the privileged will come in droves to defend this and be oh so offended because someone else may feel upset at a word. They don't have to deal with the consequences of this application of language.

I am not crucifying the game tho. Just this outrage at legitimate outrage.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

Being a mexican myself i think you are overreacting op, It's a new word for you (and a lot of people here) and think it is some hateful thing, but as some people have already said, most of the time is used among friends and could be taken as "Dont be a bitch" or stuff like that.

They mean that shit. it's an excuse.
Mexican culture is highly anti LGBT.

 

[flintstryker]

The mere fact that you got no response in the official thread was proof enough you're overreacting

 

[Disgraced]

Are you gay? Do you identify as a Homosexual? Have you endured your whole life with the burden of being called a "maricon", "joto", "puto"? With hearing those words as a questioning of your masculinity, even your worth as a human being?

Of course the privileged will come in droves to defend this and be oh so offended because someone else may feel upset at a word. They don't have to deal with the consequences of this application of language.

I am not crucifying the game tho. Just this outrage at legitimate outrage.

What if games including language like this helped privileged people learn about the consequences of said language?

 

[Granjinha]

you're definitely overreacting

To get you pissy, apparently. There are several other threads for you to read, dear.

he has a point, tho

 

[Rumblebones]

If you were really curious, you might have taken the time to read the thread and my responses instead of trying to make the same point that's been made repeatedly.

Perhaps I'm asking because you haven't made much of a coherent argument.

No, those use it with a point, or else they're ignored as being trash, which is how games should work if we want it to be art. Unless being called a fag or pussy in another language ties into the plot and progression in a way OP hasn't seen.

This is a poor comparison because of the way these mediums focus on characters and worlds. In a movie you're going to be following a precise character along a fairly linear progression. Everything you see will have had a very specific point to it. So the use of "fag" or such would need to be pointed to have any remote artistic merit. Here it's just kind of casually said and seems to be part of creating a nasty or "raw" urban ambiance. There's a big difference between the two.

I think the thought that there "has to be a point" to the use of certain words in terms is precisely missing the point.

Games are art. Art reflects reality, and in doing so often shocks sensibilities.

The reality is that there doesn't need to be a point to why people can be so hurtful to each other, and if there is one, it's not always going to be obvious. A lot of the time it's just ignorance, a lot of the time it isn't, but people use hurtful words and terms liberally and casually.

Don't forget this is a world where describing something as gay is still something people consider funny. That the word nigger is still thrown about without care of thought by prepubescent teenagers that don't even comprehend the weight of meaning of it. Where men will call each other faggot just because.

I apologise if this comes across as condescending and/or patronising, but the point I'm trying to make is that the world is a shitty, shitty place, and often times people do shitty things without there being an obvious point to it, which is why games like Watch Dogs that aim to reflect that shittiness should never have to justify reflecting the world we live in.

 

[AppleSeason]

It will be used as a slur for almost any occasion (specially men watching football, or that's where I used to hear it the most). And I don't mind an NPC calling it to me, as long as I get to beat him to pulp. What I wish I could do IRL every time it has happened tp me on the street but I'd end getting sued.

 

[Ganzlinger]

Yes, you're overreacting. It's part of realism, there are assholes in the streets. If the game is properly rated, I don't see the problem.

 

[Count Dookkake]

That's what the ratings are there for.

There are a range of options more suited to your tastes and sensitivities.

 

[Angel_DvA]

It's an open world game in an urban environment with an M rating.

You're definitely overreacting.

.

 

[Mr. Robot]

Well, while maricon = faggot in spanish, it reminds me of the south park episode where kids use the word fag to describe obnoxious people and they don't relate it to gay persons, but of course, it all depends on your experience with the word, i would say to not be offended by it, it's just a game, and in reallity people use the word to state something, even when they dont mean to judge sexual orientation, of course that doesn't mean its ok.

 

[-MD-]

Don't you kill people in this game? A slur is where they've taken it too far?

 

[Budi]

Never play Mafia 3 OP.

Yes, you are overreacting.

Edit: Though there could be interesting discussion about words and how they are seen in countries that don't speak certain language as native. For example the word thug, from my understanding it's not allowed in Gaf to call african americans thugs in any situation (I think I've seen people banned for it). While in Finland when we translate the word, it has no relation to people of color. It just translates to gangster, tough guy, criminal etc.without specific ethnicity.

Edit 2: I don't mind people using insults in movies, games, books. I would condemn such behaviour in real life.
Im not in any minority myself, but I've been bullied by my weight when I was a kid. So I do know something about getting insulted for who I am. And before anyone else comments on it, yes I know it's unhealthy. But that doesn't justify verbal abuse.

 

[BattleMonkey]

From Puerto Rico, people say maricon constantly, it's essentially used as the Spanish version of "asshole"

 

[FStop7]

I am the OP and I haven't replied much to the circle jerk about me being offended because the people posting those replies don't seem to actually care to have a discussion, they just want to complain about people having feelings or being offended.

You mentioned this is your third attempt at a disucssion about it so it obviously does bother you. Maybe to a degree you're not willing to admit.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Being a mexican myself i think you are overreacting op, It's a new word for you (and a lot of people here) and think it is some hateful thing, but as some people have already said, most of the time is used among friends and could be taken as "Dont be a bitch" or stuff like that.

Yep. We call each other maricons and putos, etc. good times.

You guys are ridiculous. You guys are saying "don't act like a gay person". Just because your culture is super anti-gay doesn't make it acceptable. Lots of people in South Africa were cool with Apartheid too.

 

[Frodo]

Don't you kill people in this game? A slur is where they've taken it too far?

The equivalent of "But there are people starving in ________" of the video game world.

 

[Takuan]

You responded with lead, I assume

 

[Budi]

The equivalent of "But there are people starving in ________" of the video game world.

No it's not. They are still talking about what is okay to be in a game.

 

[NoMoreTrolls]

You guys are ridiculous. You guys are saying "don't act like a gay person". Just because your culture is super anti-gay doesn't make it acceptable. Lots of people in South Africa were cool with Apartheid too.

And while you're free to think it's unacceptable, others are free to think that OP is overreacting. I don't think I've seen a case where people claim that maricon is a good word. I've simply seen people explaining that it carries a different weight with certain cultures.

 

[Kinyou]

The equivalent of "But there are people starving in ________" of the video game world.

I'm not sure about that considering they appear in the very same game.

 

[d00d3n]

Yep. We call each other maricons and putos, etc. good times.

Can pendejo be used in a friendly way as well?

 

[Frodo]

No it's not. They are still talking about what is okay to be in a game.

Both are dismissing something that is being discussed diminishing its importance completely because there are other issues. It does nothing to improve the discussion. If those posters think killing people in video games is an issue worth discussing they should open a thread about it and discus it, instead of coming here and trying to moderate what the discussion should be about without even addressing what OP wrote.

 

[malingenie]

Watch Dogs 2 came out recently and as I was playing it, I was called a "maricon" by a character on the street. That's essentially the same as calling someone a "faggot". I posted about it twice in the OT for the game and received 0 responses.

Doesn't this strike anyone else as odd?

I'm from Venezuela and it is very common and not meant to offend. I'm sorry we are so not-PC.

You guys are ridiculous. You guys are saying "don't act like a gay person". Just because your culture is super anti-gay doesn't make it acceptable. Lots of people in South Africa were cool with Apartheid too.

Cultural relativism is a thing. Gay people in Venezuela say these words. It may not be as evolved as the safe space haven that America is, but I would hardly consider it more homophobic.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Yes, overreacting. Don't watch any R movies, op

 

[Frodo]

I'm from Venezuela and it is very common and not meant to offend. I'm sorry we are so not-PC.

It is still a derogatory homophobic slur regardless of the meaning to offend. Because it is common it doesn't mean it should be accepted or normalised.

 

[Budi]

Both are dismissing something that is being discussed diminishing its importance completely because there are other issues. It does nothing to improve the discussion. If those posters think killing people in video games is an issue worth discussing they should open a thread about it and discus it, instead of coming here and trying to moderate what the discussion should be about without even addressing what OP wrote.

Or someone could give counter argument why killing is okay but NPC:s saying slurs is not

 

[Fury451]

Bioshock Infinite's world suffered for not using racial slurs.

Yes. It delegated a serious issue to a weird footnote.

 

[Frodo]

Or someone could give counter argument why killing is okay but NPC:s saying slurs is not

You are still shifting the discussion to a point no one is trying to make, if you haven't noticed. Basically, you are suggesting that people should focus on having video games completely free of killing BEFORE someone can legitimately question the use of homophobic slurs on a video game, and that is delusional and not how things work. Besides, I haven't seen one single person here saying "killing is okay, but calling someone a faggot is not". You are just reaching.

 

[Lakershead22]

I think you are completely overreacting. I dont think you should be offended by the use of the word by the way you described the situation.

 

[Dhx]

Should we move away from problematic language in movies and literature as well?

I fail to see the problem if the language is what you would expect from real life analogues and not simply in place for shock value.

 

[Vestal]

You are still shifting the discussion to a point no one is trying to make, if you haven't noticed. Basically, you are suggesting that people should focus on having video games completely free of killing BEFORE someone can legitimately question the use of homophobic slurs on a video game, and that is delusional and not how things work. Besides, I haven't seen one single person here saying "killing is okay, but calling someone a faggot is not". You are just reaching.

So were does it end though? The game is trying to emulate real life. In real life people call each other maricon at times and at times much worse. Either you want a utopia in a game or you want realism you can't have both.

 

[Budi]

You are still shifting the discussion to a point no one is trying to make, if you haven't noticed. Basically, you are suggesting that people should focus on having video games completely free of killing BEFORE someone can legitimately question the use of homophobic slurs on a video game, and that is delusional and not how things work. Besides, I haven't seen one single person here saying "killing is okay, but calling someone a faggot is not". You are just reaching.

OP asked if they were overreacting. The poster who asked about killing was probably trying to say: Yes you are, there are even more awful things in this game, why is the line crossed at this?

On personal note, I think ESRB could specify if there are any slurs targeted at minorities in the product. Strong language isn't really enough on this. So people could avoid said products if they feel they rather not encounter something like that.

 

[Skii]

Aren't games like Watch Dog 2 social satire in a way? So why is it wrong for them to portray the social stigmas involved?

 

[G.ZZZ]

How many virtual people have you killed in the game OP? Maybe you're a closeted psychopath mass murderer that only want an excuse to go on a murdering spree.

 

[Days like these...]

Native spanish speaker here. Would you guys be ok with an npc calling someone a 'faggot'? I don't think that's cool regardless of the language.

 

[andythinkpad]

It is still a derogatory homophobic slur regardless of the meaning to offend. Because it is common it doesn't mean it should be accepted or normalised.

Language is an evolving thing. You can make a good case English words like "person" shouldn't have a male word embed in it. But it's up to the society to decide if change is needed.

 

[Budi]

Native spanish speaker here. Would you guys be ok with an npc calling someone a 'faggot'? I don't think that's cool regardless of the language.

Yes I would. I just played Mafia 3 and was called, well you know, regularly.

Spoiler

In case you don't know, the protagonist is a person of colour.

Edit: Red Dead Redemption has anti-semitic character, I didn't mind that either.