Ethics in Video Games

Ethics in video games are a massive part of the reputation that games receive from controversy of the media and crimes that are commited worldwide. Games are constantly adding more and more issues that could offend people which aren’t intended. Chris Redfield for example in the game Resident Evil 5 (Released 2009) was shown in an E3 preview shooting zombies which if no-one knew what the game was about looked like crazed people which were black (due to the setting being in Africa) this goes to show that Capcom did not think wisely about the content they put into the game. We can understand why many people were offended by this as the trailer preview did not show any other companion, antagonist or mentor. Chris Redfield the stereotypical buff white guy is shown, like I’ve mentioned, killing African black infected. Capcom who are a Japanese games development company, probably didn’t see the offense that this trailer could have caused because in japan, they do not have the racism issue as much as people in the US or the UK which is completely understandable.  Bioshock could be considered as a slightly controversial game with some of the concepts and characters such as the little sisters for example. The little sisters are some of the crazed beings in Bioshock that were originally used in the city of rapture, led by Andrew Ryan to syringe sea slugs for the ADAM they have. ADAM is a currency in rapture that allows you to buy new plasmids that are genetic modifications that allow one to have powers such as telekinesis or to throw fire from your hands. The little sister in-game can be either harvested or rescued in order to get ADAM from them. While these may seem valid choices that sculpt your overall ending, this may be seen as a little off form being humane. If you harvest a little sister you get 180 ADAM while rescuing them and saving their lives gives you only 80 ADAM. This game fortunately gives off a bad vibe with sounds and visuals that show symbols that tell you that you are making the wrong decision if you choose to harvest them. The little sisters are cute are demented girls that seem to be possessed by something and there world seems much different to the world you see in game as they constantly refer to dead people as ‘Angels’. Some games do not have as many symbols that show you that you are making the wrong decision. The Airport mission in Modern warfare 2 is a massively controversial mission which gives you the option to play the story form the antagonist’s point of view by strolling into a Russian airport and spraying down innocent civilians with an M240. The game does not show any signs to stop you from doing this or tell you that you are doing wrong. The mission itself however can be chosen to be skipped before you start it.These are just a few examples of ethics in videogames but there are many more which affect the production of games and the games industry.