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Far Cry 4 creative director comments on controversial box art

The recently revealed shooter's box art has been called racist by some critics.

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Some controversy has emerged over the box art for Far Cry 4, prompting Ubisoft creative director Alex Hutchinson to comment on the matter in the hopes of clearing things up.

The box art, which is one of only two images released for the game so far, appears to show a white man sitting on the ruined remains of a statue while holding his hand on the head of a darker-skinned man. This has generated discussion over whether the game--or at least its box art, which is all the public has to go on at this point--could be racist. But according to Hutchinson, at least one of the criteria people have used to level criticism at the artwork is incorrect.

"Just so it's clear for those jumping to conclusions: He's not white and that's not the player," Hutchinson tweeted, adding a linking to a GamesIndustry.biz piece about the controversy over the box art.

This isn't the first time the issue of racism has come up with regard to a Far Cry game. Far Cry 3, which featured a caucasian protagonist who saves the inhabitants of a tropical island from a group of pirates, was criticized for being racist, as well as its use of torture. The game's writer, Jeffrey Yohalem, claimed in an interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun that critics were simply missing the point.

We learned today, courtesy of a leak on Ubisoft's online store, that Far Cry 4 players assume the role of a character named Ajay Ghale who gets involved with a civil war in the country of Kyrat. Beyond that, we know almost nothing except that the game will feature "a lot more multiplayer" than its predecessor and that it'll be out on November 18 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

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DawnBlue

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Question, sure, but to call everything racist is not ok, is it?


Another thing is that what would the box art have to decipt so it couldn't possibly be even mistaken for racist? Would anybody give a flying cow's crap worth if the picture had a clearly black, asian or any other skin color holding their hand on a white man? I doubt it

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rarson

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

That's just it, you're not "seeing things for what they really are," you're distorting reality with your own biases. You're ignoring what things really are, and injecting race into the conversation.

A normal person does not think that slavery will start happening again here in America just because people stop making everything about race. That's not logical.

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rarson

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

Yes, racism exists today because of people like you. You are racist. You focus on race when race has nothing to do with anything. People will not stop caring about your race until you stop pointing it out.

You're part of the problem.

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Vrygar777

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@lonesamurai1 @Unbound72

Yes, racism still exists today, but in EVERY form. I am a white American, and I get your point that its difficult to see racism's subtleties. BUT how do you think we whites appreciate being called racist for every little thing? Its almost like the freaking commy scare back in the 50's.

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mr_england

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<< LINK REMOVED >> "because historically whites are the ones who have perpetrated these terrible atrocities like Apartheid" Speaking of Apartheid, what was that happened in neighbouring Zimbabwe again? Oh yeah, pretty much Apartheid with role reversal. Also check out the Khmer Rouge. And pretty much anything the Japanese and Chinese have done to each other.


And we'll just ignore the currently missing schoolgirls in Nigeria and who is responsible for taking them shall we...

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rdwolf260

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

You sir are in need of some edumacation! "The only race in the past 100 years that tries to force slavery on another race...?" I believe slavery was abolished in the United States at around 1865. Slavery though still exists in Africa and it's pretty much black people enslaving other black people like they've been doing for hundreds of years just like the evil "whites" almost 150 years ago...don't believe me? How about using Google and reading some scholarly articles on the history and present day slavery.

Oh yeah, and it completely makes sense that I should be blamed today for what other "white" people did 150 years ago...good one.

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NoahRoalson

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Exactly!

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Unbound72

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<< LINK REMOVED >> People like yourself are why racism will never die. You will scrutinize every detail of everything that involves a white person and a "minority" just so you can make it into a "poor me" situation. White people have to walk on egg shells in fear of offending some thin skinned attention seeker. Racism comes in all colors and I assure you most of the racism these days are not from the whites.

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rarson

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@lonesamurai1

I'm sorry, you've completely lost me. It's a worldwide thing, but you're complaining about white people in America, in response to box art for a game developed in Canada and published by a French company. Doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me.

I think you just want to complain about racism where it doesn't actually exist.

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DawnBlue

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<< LINK REMOVED >> It's a worldwide thing, indeed. You can find people who are racist towards different skin colors anywhere and in peoples' of any skin color themselves.

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rarson

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

You were talking about America, huh? Is that why you said "living in this world" in your original post?

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DawnBlue

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> You are only talking about America ok... But then that doesn't make any sense, you can't only discuss racism in America. That's racist towards white Americans. If you choose to discuss only the place where slavery was done by white people you are obviously trying to imply white people are more prone to enslave others...

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rarson

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@lonesamurai1

What?? You're getting further away from logic. America is not a race, it's a country.

You need to go back to middle school.


By the way, we haven't had slavery in America for over a hundred years. Nothing you've said has made any sense.

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DawnBlue

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Oh and at what point did you assume I'm even close to being related to any American? (By which I assume you mean USA anyways)

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DawnBlue

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I ment that if you want to find a common ancestor between me and the people who committed slavery, you would have to go back a long way in time.

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rarson

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

1. I'm not a race, I'm a person. I have nothing to do with the actions of other white people.

2. If you think that only a single race has forced slavery upon other people, you're uneducated.

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DawnBlue

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I'm sorry, but you just made a very racist statement and I don't think you even realize it.


I can't do something because I'm white?


Nobody in this world is responsible for the actions of anybody else unless they affected that person in any way. Yet here you are, saying that because I'm white I can't do something, and let's see why:

Because years ago some people who are probably related to me, yes - if you go back more than 10 000 years, that is - did bad things.

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pizzaboyuk

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Woah o.O


Regardless of whether that is a white guy or not, claiming this is racism is way OTT. Ok bad guys, from now on you can only travel to places and be evil where there are people with your skin colour! @<< LINK REMOVED >>you bring up a relevant point. Thing is, chances are that the people who claim this is racist are probably white :D BTW, I'm not white

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FET4LJUICE

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Since when did everything have to be politcally correct? People just like to bitch for no reason!

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berserker66666

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It's not racism, it's fabulism.

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deactivated-60f8bb2347d0d

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racism really? from what i see is an asian guy with questionable fashion, ruling over what seems to be mercenaries in a place somewhere in south eastern asia. this guy is evil and it is up to us the player, whos character model we havent seen yet, to bring down this evil and bring peace to the land

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somebody336

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Racism? Really?! -_-

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spacecadet25

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If you're a white guy, do not dominate another white guy who has a better tan than you, otherwise it's racism. Seriously, both guys look white!

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NoahRoalson

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More proof that the modern world only sees something as racist if it is a white man. We have gotten to the point where whites get discriminated against due to them constantly being blamed for "racist" acts.

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rynn21

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<< LINK REMOVED >> There's racism regardless of skin color. It's not solely "evil" white people who are guilty of it. It's sad where society has come to.

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deactivated-584419ec3a052

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Implying if the skin colours had been swapped everything would've been just swell. These people who constantly bring up the 'racist' argument have their hearts in the right place, alas their brains are anywhere but. Stick with the art, Ubi. We live in a world where you can be called a racist for choosing white chocolate over dark, and if you say your choice is because 'dark is too bitter' you're further insulting every black person in existance. Don't feel you need to tread on eggshells to appeal to them, it's impossible to not offend someone these days. We could have a middle class, black, transgender lesbian dwarf who's suffering from cancer yet stays strong when faced with problems and you'd still have people going beserk.

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deactivated-584419ec3a052

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*berserk.

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mos2000

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This has been a scenerio used in countless thriller 'esque games and movies - evil "white man" with his plethora of wealth and greed savages a small native land while the "good" white man comes and saves the day... because the villagers just can't defend themselves.... Under this common scenario - you could also argue that white people are routinely being villafied and stereo-typed.


Point being, this cover is a non-issue.


Really, you guys are like 60 years late with these complaints. Should have started with the old Tarzan episodes for consistency.


With that said, Ubisoft, don't change the cover. As recycled as this theme is, it fits perfectly into the Far Cry series. There's nothing inappropriate about it.


There are legitimate things and images to complain about. This isn't one of them. Start looking at the back-drop and the full details of a series, before you start in essence "demagoging" the issue. By doing so, you over-saturate everything as being an example of "this" therefore striping legitimacy from those issues that really are a problem.


People are better served when they stop being lazy, do their due diligence and see what something's really about before they react. These knee-jerk reactions are stupid and counter-productive to legitimate claims.

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SHusien

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Makes sense. It's only racist if he's white, other than that he's just a tyrant, which is perfectly acceptable.

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Bargodrag000

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How is he white? Does he look white to them, cause I think they need to check their eyes. He clearly looks Asian with Dyed hair, not trying to be rude or anything, but look at his eyes and face, that's not a European face....

It's not secret that Ubisoft has been very Anti-White in most of their recent games, and always trying to stir things up and make Whites look bad.

People need to learn that these companies are owned and operated by NWO and their agenda is always to stir hatred and confusion so that they can pit people against each other and make fun of nations.


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brxricano

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So what if he is? Hes not the good guy, so maybe that's kind of the point?? You know, its like saying Wolfenstein has racists in it. OH. WAIT. :|

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LancerPower

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When they say "a lot more multiplayer" I hope they mean couch co-op like in Instincts. I loved that game.

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DomZeal

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The guy in pink looks like asian to me.

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CrouchingWeasel

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Learn what the f*ck "racism" means, halfwits. Just like the incorrect & overly enthusiastic use of the word "phobia" by many today, "racism" does not mean what you think it does.

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KamuiFei

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Since I'm guessing the blonde creepy dude is the bad guy, wouldn't him being racist kind of strengthen this image of him? I don't see the problem here.

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Aegis_Kleais

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As South Park so eloquently put it (to paraphrase) "If you're going to commit a hate crime, you better make sure they're the same race as you."


Don't worry all, with as much of a shill as Ubisoft is, I'm sure they'll have 12 other boxed versions with varying levels of racism on them for you to purchase to taste. Because at Ubi$oft, your money is all that matters to us.

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ghost59

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dam i miss feedbackua

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MXVIII

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That guy doesnt look white at all. I think the people saying so are the ones who are racist.

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Nathalmighty1

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My gawd he has his hand on that mans head!... And they don't have the same color of skin!... That make believe man is racist OMG!!!!!!...


Is this what society has become? This just sounds so pathetic.

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Pelezinho777

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I think this box art is part of our history but then again I think it's racist.

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Derbefrier

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by controversy, you mean controversy drummed up by gaming journalists to get page hits?


let the witch hunt begin

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brxricano

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Its Julian Assange.

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MrMilkmann

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Oh, but GTA 5 is totally not racist because you play a black guy sometimes. Seriously, people need to grow up and get over themselves. So what if it is racist? Don't like it? Don't buy it!

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McGregor

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It is racist...Thinking all White Blond people are emo. (This is sarcasm)...

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nameaprice

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WHO THE F*** CARES IF IT IS RACIST!? Racism is a REAL thing in society, not saying its right, and if a game or ANY other media wants to explore it than MORE POWER TO 'EM.

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ShogunTake

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Look carefully at his face.. actually you don't even have to look carefully to realize that he isn't Caucasian

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Dissentioncc

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And even if he was, so what? I'm guessing that's the villain of the game. Villains are supposed to be evil. So if the guy was white and racist and the villain, what's the problem again?

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nameaprice

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<< LINK REMOVED >> EXACTLY. Goddamn nanny bitches always looking for SOMETHING to complain about

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nomisrevilo

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Since when does the color of skin on box art determine ones racial background? Maybe blonde is an albino and the dude who's skull he is crushing happens to be the bully that called him Casper growing up... a bully that is also his twin brother!!!


Oh wait, sorry... I mean obviously I should agree this is racist and not be such a bigot.

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joey2010

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It's a little master slave-ish. Hence the racism references. Personally i think it's colorful and creative.

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MXVIII

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Which is stupid because slavery and racism are not mutually exclusive.

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