Politicians And Activists Wants Detroit: Become Human To Be Banned

Developer Quantic Dream and Publisher Sony are currently working on their upcoming sci-fi game Detroit: Become Human. it is an action adventure game with futuristic setting and neo-noir styled thriller narrative story.

It is set to release in Q1 or Q2 of the year 2018 and the development team of the game is making sure that it gets enough advertisement and create a hype among gamers. but it seems like the content of the game has raised some questions among government officials and activists.

During the Paris Games Week, 2017 sony unveiled a new gameplay trailer for Detroit: Become Human and it was loved by many people for its great storytelling and amazing graphics but there were also some who resented it and criticized the devs for portraying domestic violence against a child by his father. if you haven’t watched the trailer yet you can watch it below.

The news of violence against the child in the game reached the UK government officials and they are not happy and has branded the game as repulsive and feel that the makers of the game should be held accountable and be “thoroughly ashamed”.

According to a Daily Mail article Dam Esther Rantzen founder of Childline who also happens to be an English journalist and television presenter called out sony and the following…

‘Violence against children is not entertainment. It’s not a game. It’s a real nightmare for thousands of children who have to live through these kinds of scenarios. The makers of this game should be thoroughly ashamed. I think it’s perverse. Who thinks beating a child is entertainment?’

Damian Noel Thomas Collins, a politician who serves as a Chairman of the Culture, Media, and Sports Select Committee said

“It is completely wrong for domestic violence to be part of a video game regardless of what the motivation is. Domestic violence is not a game and this simply trivializes it. I worry that people who play this who themselves have suffered abuse will use this game to shape the way in which they deal with abusers.

“It’s dangerous to plant the seed in people’s minds that the way to deal with abusers is to use violence against them. It’s counter-productive and could put them in even more danger.

Peter Saunders, the founder of the National Association of People Abused in Childhood also gave his view and said…

Abusers will get off on this stuff and the other thing we know beyond question is that videos games end up being played by children and, scarily, the proliferation of salacious and abusive images is actually encouraging violence and abuse.

And we know that abuse in all its forms is escalating on this planet so why not help to tackle it constructively rather than sensationalise and make money out if it?’

David Cage the director of the Detroit: Become Human was questioned about the issue and he defended it by saying that the game is not just about domestic abuse and it a strong scene which let players experience it just like any movie or book

“For me, it’s a very strong and moving scene, and I was interested to put the player in the position of this woman. I chose this point of view,” he noted. “What’s important to me, and what’s important to Detroit is to say that a game is as legitimate as a film or a book or a play to explore any topic such as domestic abuse.”

As the issue entered the mainstream media a spokesperson from video standards council a body which decides computer game age restrictions for products released in the U.K said any rating to games is not taken lightly and while rating it too it will take necessary expertise.

“Any decision to refuse a certificate is not taken lightly and to the extent we consider necessary we are able to consult our advisory panel of leading psychologists and legal experts.”

This is not the first game which has been criticized for violence just a few weeks ago Sony and Naughty Dog came under fire for the trailer of their upcoming game The Last Of Us 2. many claimed that they are selling their game by promoting violence against women.

The highest selling game of all time Grand Theft Auto 5 on numerous occasions has been criticized as a game which promotes violence.

Although the chance of getting Detroit: Become Human banned is very little but it is highly possible that once again the western gamers will receive a censored game. sony has not yet commented on the controversy but it may give the same response as it did during the criticism of The Last Of US 2 and that is The Game Is Made For Adults.