Ludic Dreams

I often frequent GamePolitics because…… well, two reasons. One, Dennis McCauley ( owner and proprietor of this wubspace) has taken many potshots from certain lawyers who I, along with others, have problems with. And Two, the site walks the line of biased and opinionated very well. Many times, you will obviously find a news story presented and then a strong, obviously pro-game counterpoint given- but it is never condescending, never scathing. Like responses to an aforementioned lawyer, even in the face of apparent idiocy and rampant skepticism from ‘ the real world’, GP manages to keep their chins held high.

Also, they talk about video games in a serious light. That makes me happy.

One of their more recent articles troubled me enough to get off of my tired/college/single/sick ass and write something. The fact that they are Ludic in nature ( if one recalls, that was the intention of this blog) is somewhat of a…. happy coincidence.

The article can be found here. Basically, there is a game called “Black College Footbal: The Xperience.” Xperience is the correct spelling. The game involves exactly what is sounds like; Black, as in African American, football players, and their….Xperiences. It is a football game that may or may exclusively include black players. Apparently, a friend of Dennis (which makes me immediately respect the man, for the record)named Rob Watson is not happy about the negative press the game has been getting- namely, people calling it out as racist, and that no one would tolerate a white college football experience. Rob puts it thusly:

“There was once a time when these schools were all that African Americans had in terms of higher education… this new game… includes some things EA (makers of the NCAA Football series) probably never even thought about when it comes to black schools; annual classic match-ups and a Battle of the Bands competition…

Stop the hate and investigate.”

Agreed, partially. I would agree that we cannot be inflammatory about this, and that the features mentioned ( battle of the bands, etc) sound fantastic. However, his sadness related to the game communities reaction seems odd; these features, while awesome, do not stand out enough to require a uniquely black version of football game. While they are great features and should be integrated in more games (and they almost certainly will be, if the mediocrity of Madden continues as it is, and more game companies rise to either copy or separate from the EA giant) but the fact is that this is the wrong way to introduce them.

While Rob seems to think that this empowers the black football players, I would question that logic. For one, while at one point in history this was the best that oppressed black players could get, we have moved beyond that- while I am not the biggest football buff, I understand that black players constitute a majority in the NFL. College is a more complicated issue, but there is no institution against them- no moral outcry for every black student that gets allowed into a campus. No segregation – at least not at an institutional level. Why celebrate an incredible hardship ( constant WWII games nonwithstanding)? You do not see Sims characters being forced to move if they interracial marry, nor do you see a harvest moon character owning slaves. Terrible times in history should be understood, but put in the past. Lastly, I would immediately question any sort of empowerment you can receive from a game whose subtitle includes the word ‘Xperience.’ In the game’s Video, there is a (stereotypical black urban jock)
character who proclaims “Diss is how we Dew-wit“. How does this help? I would get into the intricacies surrounding the use of the word ‘we’ here, but enough is enough.

Now, I am not one to adhere to the rigorous and…. well, frustratingly anal practices of Political correctness. However, this seems to be one thing that does not deserve a defense. While Rob Watson may not agree to these arguments, in the end it boils down; cam anything that specifically targets a single race show any promise for equality and balance?

As always, I am open to opinion and discussion.

-F9.