Cowboys, Indians, Controversy, and Videogames
As far a guilty pleasures go there are fewer I enjoy more than video games. Of course, I don’t really feel guilty when I play games on any one of my three gaming consoles but it’s hardly something I shout about when I’m with colleagues either. Although most of my friends and family partake in this past time to varying degrees few of the people I have meant in professional circles – and by this I mean other academics – show any interest in the medium, which is a shame really. For one, video games rarely fit the stereotypical view most non-gamers seem to possess of them – true, many games are simple, easy ways of passing the time. However, the advent of incredibly powerful 3D processing has transformed the medium from an extension of the toy industry into one which regularly creates and markets highly visceral and realistic virtual environments to players around the world. Why, I dare say you might be asking, am I talking about this and, most importantly, why should you care? The answer is simple. Over the past few years video game developers have turned to the past for inspiration, particularly the old west, creating immerse worlds in which gamers have a more or less free reign to lead virtual lives in stunning recreations of America’s old west (other historic periods are also utilized but this blog is going to focus only upon this one). Make no mistake, these “games” are not simple ways of passing the time – players don’t play one level at a time, progressing through a predetermined story in a linear manner. Instead, gamers experience a virtual world over which they have an almost free reign, often interacting, violently and non-violently, with a microcosm of period-inspired characters all in the name of immersion.
This development raises several issues for historians – first, games like Red Dead Redemption represent some of the biggest entertainment success stories of all time. Millions of players have taken part in this game’s recreation of the old west in a time when western films are few, far between, and rarely a commercial success. In short, games like this represent one of the first and potentially only ways the general public have of engaging with the history of the American west. Surely, we should have something to say about them? The other major issue, at least as I see it, is the controversy that can ensue from such projects. When a company creates a virtual version of the American frontier they must inevitably confront the issue of how to portray the region’s Native American inhabitants. The afore mentioned Red Dead Redemption sidesteps this issue in a very clever way; rather than setting the game in the late nineteenth century the developers instead set the game at the turn of the twentieth on a frontier on the cusp of transforming into the modern world. Rather than depicting Native Americans directly they are instead conspicuous only by their absence (having been removed, by this point, from their lands) and are alluded to only upon rare occasions. The game itself makes it clear that this decision was not an arbitrary one. During the opening cinematic (a non-interactive animated sequence), the player overhears a conversation between two elderly white women who talk about the removal of the Indians in positive terms – the over zealous speeches made by the characters and the blatantly out of date ideas they express serve to remind the player that these opinions are not those of the developer, but those held by many at the time.
In one fell swoop, then, the problematic issue of depicting Indians in an interactive world where, at least some of them, would likely be portrayed as the enemy of the player’s (white) protagonist is dealt with even as the developer passes comment upon the type of character who inhabits the game’s virtual world. Somewhat more controversial, however, was the handling of this very same issue in 2005’s GUN, the first “open world” game based upon the old west. Perhaps an extract (full text follows main article) from the statement issued by the Association for American Indian Development (AAID) best sums up the game’s apparent failings: “It has come to our attention that video game publisher, Activision, has released for Xbox 360, Xbox, Playstation , PS2 and PC, a new game set in the American West with some very disturbing racist and genocidal elements toward Native Americans. The game is called “Gun” and features a frontiersman hero named Colton White. One of his earliest tasks that the game player must complete before advancing to the next level is to slaughter, not once, but on an ongoing basis, Apache Indians. Not only slaughter (and this is the terminology used in the game) but to scalp (terminology also used in the game) them as well with a “scalping knife” that can be purchased as part of the many weapons offered to the hero of the game, Colton White. Yes, we understand that this game is rated “M” for mature audiences, and yes, we understand that historically, this kind of violence occurred all too often. No one knows this better than this organization and Indigenous people from all tribes throughout the continents of North, Central and South America. In fact, the repercussions of such acts of genocide are why there is a desperate need for the Association for American Indian Development today. What is of the greatest concern and outrage is the outright, unabashed and implied righteousness of its genocidal nature toward Native Americans.”
Certainly, there is no easy way to deal with such a complex issue but the success of games like Red Dead Redemption (over twelve and half million(!) copies sold to date) certainly suggests that we can expect more entries in the western genre in the future and, hence, the raising of more issues that may require comment or analysis. It seems telling that controversy surrounding GUN was dealt with exclusively by websites and publications connected with the video game industry, a group no doubt qualified to talk about games but not necessarily the issues raised by this particular title or the reaction of the AAID towards it. In short, we cannot keep our heads buried in the sand when it comes to video games and how they represent the periods we study: whether we like it or not, new media and interactive experiences are starting to overlap with the study of the past. They have something say about the periods we study so we should be prepared to have something (constructive) to say about them.
Appendix:
Here is the full text of the AAID’s statement:
“CALL TO ACTION:
WE ARE DEMANDING OF ACTIVISION INCORPORATED, (THE PUBLISHERS OF “GUN”) TO EDIT AND REMOVE ALL DEROGATORY, HARMFUL AND INACCURATE DEPICTIONS OF AMERICAN INDIANS FROM THE VIDEO GAME “GUN” INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE SLAUGHTERING OF THE “RENEGADE” APACHES, THE ATROCITY OF “INDIAN SCALPING” AND THE MIS-INFORMATION OF INDIAN TRADITIONS OF “KILLING” SACRED WHITE ANIMALS. WE ALSO DEMAND THAT UPON THE RE-RELEASE OF THE EDITED VERSION OF SAID VIDEO GAME, THAT ACTIVISION DO SO IN A MANNER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE GREAT APACHE PEOPLE AND IS CULTURALLY AND HISTORICALLY ACCURATE TO THE STRUGGLE AND PLIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE OF AMERICAN INDIAN ANCESTRY. SIGN THE BOYCOTTGUN.COM PETITION: BY SIGNING THE BOYCOTT “GUN” PETITION YOU ARE EXPRESSING YOUR WISH THAT ACTIVISION EDIT AND REMOVE ALL DEROGATORY, HARMFUL AND INACCURATE DEPICTIONS OF AMERICAN INDIANS FROM THE VIDEO GAME “GUN” INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE SLAUGHTERING OF THE “RENEGADE” APACHES, THE ATROCITY OF “INDIAN SCALPING” AND THE MIS-INFORMATION OF AMERICAN INDIAN TRADITIONS OF “KILLING” SACRED WHITE ANIMALS. BY SIGNING THIS PETITION, YOU ALSO EXPRESS YOUR WISH THAT UPON RE-RELEASE OF SAID VIDEO GAME, THAT ACTIVISION INCORPORATED DO SO IN A MANNER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE GREAT APACHE PEOPLE AND IS CULTURALLY AND HISTORICALLY ACCURATE TO THE STRUGGLE AND PLIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE OF AMERICAN INDIAN ANCESTRY. IF THE EDITING AND RE-RELEASING OF “GUN” THE VIDEO GAME IS NOT AN OPTION TO ACTIVISION INCORPORATED, I AM DEMANDING THE RECALL OF THIS DAMAGING, SOCIALLY HARMFUL AND INSENSITIVE VIDEO GAME AND FOR THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THIS ACTIVISION PRODUCT FROM ALL RETAIL LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING THE WORLDWIDE WEB.
It has come to our attention that video game publisher, Activision, has released for Xbox 360, Xbox, Playstation , PS2 and PC, a new game set in the American West with some very disturbing racist and genocidal elements toward Native Americans. The game is called “Gun” and features a frontiersman hero named Colton White. One of his earliest tasks that the game player must complete before advancing to the next level is to slaughter, not once, but on an ongoing basis, Apache Indians. Not only slaughter (and this is the terminology used in the game) but to scalp (terminology also used in the game) them as well with a “scalping knife” that can be purchased as part of the many weapons offered to the hero of the game, Colton White. Yes, we understand that this game is rated “M” for mature audiences, and yes, we understand that historically, this kind of violence occurred all too often. No one knows this better than this organization and Indigenous people from all tribes throughout the continents of North, Central and South America. In fact, the repercussions of such acts of genocide are why there is a desperate need for the Association for American Indian Development today. What is of the greatest concern and outrage is the outright, unabashed and implied righteousness of its genocidal nature toward Native Americans.
To create a game where one must slaughter members of a racial group in order to move forward promotes and condones the near genocide of Native Americans in this country. If a game were created that had its hero slaughter, say African Americans, Irish, Mexicans, or Jews, would there not be an outcry of extreme proportions? We’re not talking about generic bandits or outlaws who could be any race – this is a game that specifies the slaughter of a living, breathing existing racial group of human beings. There is no indication of the complexities of the period, even as interviews with it’s author, talk about how he was able to delve into the history of the period. Native people during this time were protecting their homeland, their way of life. Something that is instilled in good old American values.
What’s next, the Civil War era game where “The Hero” must capture and lynch runaway slaves? Of course not. That would be wrong. But apparently, killing Indians is still fair game. And, even further, “The Hero” at one point, bemoans the fact that although he’s killed so many Apaches, he’s let so many get away?
We wonder if the authors of this script and game even took the time to think about the fact that real, existing Apache people can be adversely affected by this element of their “game?” This most definitely is not a “game” to those still suffering from the repercussions of this shameful chapter in American history. How many kids will (and although rated for mature players, young kids will still manage to get a copy of it) play this game and then carry what they’ve experienced into their interactions with real, live Apaches and other Native Americans? Yes, Native people still live here in America. They are not a lost or extinct people and they don’t all live secluded on reservations. And, believe it or not, Indian kids play Xbox, too. And Activision (and scriptwriter Randall Jahnson) have just written a game that says killing all Apaches is the right thing to do and in the game you not only have to slaughter the Apache to advance in the game, but you can purchase a “scalping knife” to “scalp them all!” This is completely unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in a “civilized” society.
Let’s be clear…contrary to popular belief and myth, the near genocide of Native Americans is a shameful chapter in American history and should not be condoned or trivialized in a game as if it were okay. Yes, the brutal slaying of America’s indigenous people is historically accurate…it happened. But so did slavery, lynching and the Holocaust and we don’t see games glamorizing it as if it were the right thing to do.
As if to make amends, “The Hero” switches sides later in the game and discovers a secret about his own indigenous heritage, but that does NOT make the preceding chapters any easier to accept. In fact, in the official guide to the game, it actually says that because “The Hero” rescues some Apaches held captive on a train, perhaps it cancels a karmic debt for his earlier actions. Are they serious? Obviously not. This is typical of a flippant comment about a very real, damaging and tragic aspect of American history, the aftermath of which is still very much in evidence today all across North America.
Why is it that still today, Americans think it’s okay to talk, let alone spend millions of dollars to create video games about killing a bunch of Indians so casually? This is grossly insensitive and does not in any way acknowledge the brutality camouflaged as Manifest Destiny.
This is why the Association for American Indian Development asks you to join us in letting the publishers of this offensive game know that this will not be tolerated — BOYCOTT “Gun” the video game, as well as other games published by Activision.”
And here is the response from the game’s publisher, Activision:
“Activision does not condone or advocate any of the atrocities that occurred in the American West during the 1800s. Gun was designed to reflect the harshness of life on the American frontier at that time. It was not Activision’s intention to offend any race or ethnic group with Gun, and we apologize to any who might have been offended by the game’s depiction of historical events which have been conveyed not only through video games but through films, television programming, books and other media.”
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