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STUDY: VIDEO GAMES ARE RACIST: Negative images of minority groups are ‘blatant,’ says researcher.
*It didn’t take a study to figure out that such video games as Grand Theft Auto and 50 Cent’s Bulletproof show blacks and Hispanics in a negative light. But research was conducted anyway to prove just how offensive these images have become.
University of British Columbia researcher Robert Parungao, who graduated this spring with a B.A. in Sociology, completed an eight-month analysis for his thesis and found that negative portrayals of minority groups are "blatant” in most of the popular games.
"Parents, government and media watchdog groups have protested the widespread violence and sexism in videogames, but the blatant racism has gone largely unnoticed," Parungao told the Web site Next-Gen.Biz.
For his study, Parungao examined four titles that span 20 years of videogame design: Kung Fu, Warcraft 3, Shadow Warrior and Grand Theft Auto 3. He analyzed the storylines and characters, and spent 100 hours playing the games.
The best-selling Grand Theft Auto 3, Parungao found, "features non-white characters who are mainly triad members, yakuza gangsters, Latino gangs or black hoods. These stock characters are seen in a lot of games and function as narrative obstacles to be overcome, mastered or ultimately blown to smithereens by the white hero"
Parungao also said videogames lag behind changes seen in other entertainment media .
"Film and television come under greater critical scrutiny so civil rights and minority groups can voice their concerns and effect some change," he said. "But videogames have generally been seen as kids’ toys. There aren't the same mechanisms or critical forums to encourage game designers to evolve."
He added: "I hope to continue looking into ways to improve videogames because they’re fun and I’d like to see them turn into positive media instead of negative ones."
