« Go back a post || Return to G-A-Y homepage || Haul tail to next post »
08/18/2009
Should you support dude who pushes for your 'Gay-me Over'?
Gay gamers are facing a big dilemma this week, as they debate whether or not they should play a new Xbox 360 offering called Shadow Complex. The issue? Well, the game is based on the writings of Orson Scott Card, the rabidly anti-gay National Organization For Marriage member who has vowed to "destroy" and "bring down" any government that supports homosexuality. So even though the game has great early reviews and even though Card was not directly involved in its creation, many principled gaymers are wondering if they should but an 'X' over this particular box and instead go play with their Wiis.
This from Gay Gamer:
By his own admission, Card didn't have a lot to do with the day-to-day of the game itself: it's is set in the same universe as his novel Empire and uses a few of the same characters, and takes place before the events of the book. Furthermore, the game is actually written by Peter David, a straight but extremely gay-friendly comic book writer. David recently participated in the Gays in Comics Panel at the San Diego Comic Con, where Fruit Brute quoted him saying, "I've always included gays in my comics because it never occurred to me not to." He also just "outed" two characters, Shatterstar and Richter, in Marvel's X-Force, giving the company its highest profile gay relationship yet. From what I can tell, Chair Entertainment, based in Utah, has no history of overt homophobia, although they have had a lengthy relationship with Card, and Epic Games, beyond a few cheeky achievements, has a similarly blank record on gay issues. Again, we can't be sure, but there is likely nothing homophobic in the game itself.
Still, money spent on the game is money in a homophobe's pocket, and no doubt some of it will be spent on efforts to end legal gay marriage or perhaps research ways to eliminate our "reproductive disorder." We're faced with fighting a potentially stellar game because some grumpy old man says mean things about us, or indirectly supporting attacks on our rights.
*MORE: The Shadow Complex Conundrum [GG]
We get it. It totally reminds us of the time we found out Luigi was on the board of the American Family Association. We spent the rest of the 1980's avoiding being player 2!
We'll probably avoid this latest one, in good conscience. But it's your digital life, dear reader: Press start at your own discretion.
Your thoughts
I was actually looking forward to this game but now I'm not so sure. I like the suggestion on Gay Gamer that for those who do get the game, but feel guilty for getting it, to give like $5, $10, or $15 to gay charity so I might do that. I'm deeply conflicted on this game because a homophobe was indirectly involved. This sucks. I hoping for a bad review of this game so I don't want to buy it.
Posted by: Sam | Aug 18, 2009 11:51:51 AM
I just looked this game up, its a side-scrolling arcade game. Yeah, even if my money wasn't going to a douchebag I wouldn't waste it on this, go play Super Metroid if you want a sidescroller.
Posted by: penguinsaur | Aug 18, 2009 12:26:11 PM
Why is it all the fun Sci-Fi and gaming stuff has to have some connection to the Mormions? I'm a big fan of the new "Battlestar Galactica" with its great writing, acting and naked Jamie Bamber. But here's the guilt: BSG's original creator Glen Larson is a Mormulac and admits to basing parts of the show's philosophy on the Book of Moron. Similarly, there is "Twilight" with its shirtless Taylor Lautner. "Twilight" creator Stephenie Meyer is also an LSD church member. I wonder if every time I pick up a DVD or buy a ticket to one of their movies, is 10% going to a soul stealing religious cult that seeks to deny me my equal rights? Sigh.
Posted by: WilliamM | Aug 18, 2009 12:34:02 PM
Easy choice for me since it's a genre I can never tell heads or tales from anyway.
Posted by: RainbowPhoenix | Aug 18, 2009 1:38:28 PM
i would never, ever consciously buy any product that had an anti-gay agenda. That being said the gaming industry is so blind and mislead to think that they only have one type of consumer. I am a gamer (and a woman) and I can tell you that they do very, very little to attract female consumers so the fact that someone in that industry would ostracize gays and lesbians is despicable, but not the least bit surprising.
Posted by: Mrs. M | Aug 18, 2009 2:04:18 PM
I'd still buy it, if I were interested, on the basis that the universe is interesting. I personally think there's more important stuff to do than boycott a game that is based on works by someone who is homophobic; boycott things that clearly support it (for instance, the companies that sponsored NOM's ice cream social).
Posted by: Yuki | Aug 18, 2009 4:03:43 PM
"Based on" means that Card, at the least got a lump sum payment up front, or more likely, gets a % of the sales of this game. Therefore, if you buy it, you are putting money DIRECTLY into the pocket of someone who is going to provide it to homophobic attacks. Wait and buy it used, so none of the money goes to a known homophobe.
Posted by: Nitahoyo | Aug 18, 2009 4:48:56 PM
I definitely would not play this game. Just like if Kkkarl Rove came up with a great first-person shooter, I couldn't justify plunking down money that would line his pockets.
Every $ you spend on this game means money going to support someone actively working against your own best interests.
Posted by: Brad | Aug 18, 2009 6:05:10 PM
I... surprisingly still disagree. I don't like the fact that it'll most likely go toward homophobic means, but the thing is... whether or not the man likes us, he still deserves to make a living.
Posted by: Yuki | Aug 18, 2009 8:46:17 PM
I wouldn't buy the game, or any of Card's nonsense books. Let Card clean toilets for a living.
Posted by: Owen | Aug 18, 2009 11:23:23 PM
Or tithe 10% of the value of the product to No on 1 (Maine).
Posted by: Matt from California | Aug 19, 2009 10:26:07 AM
I've heard good things about the game, and like all things you should evaluate things on their own merit. everyone is talking about money going to Card, but ignoring that money would also be going to Peter David who makes sure to include gay characters in his comics, something that is important in maintaining presence among younger teens at a crucial time.
Posted by: Tim | Aug 19, 2009 11:23:20 AM
comments powered by Disqus
