It didn't take long for gamer ire to explode after the news that Lara Croft will face the risk of rape in the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot.
But developer Crystal Dynamics has been quick to respond to the backlash. Studio boss Darrell Gallagher issued a few clarifying statements that should help to appease the offended and disgruntled fans. Gallagher basically says executive producer Ron Rosenberg's comments were unfortunately "misunderstood."
"In making this Tomb Raider origins story, our aim was to take Lara Croft on an exploration of what makes her the character she embodies in later Tomb Raider games. One of the character-defining moments for Lara in the game, which has been incorrect referred to as an 'attempted rape scene' is the content we showed at this year's E3. In this particular section, while there is a threatening undertone in the sequence and surrounding drama, it never goes any further than the scenes that we have already shown publicly.
Sexual assault of any kind is not a theme that we cover in this game. We're sorry that this has not been better explained. We'll certainly be more careful with what is said in [the] future."
We're willing to accept that and are once again a little surprised at the venom-laced gamer reaction. I've got some comments on the matter but I'll be even more careful than Crystal Dynamics in choosing my words; it seems that these days, one has to be "crystal" clear in order not to be "misunderstood." …I won't run any risk of that, I assure you. 😉
Related Game(s): Tomb Raider
Ah the beauty of the internet and social media…one wrong word and boom! The four horsemen of the apocalypse swoop down and the world ends…
I want to make a Darksiders joke here, but for the life of me I can't see one.
lol ain't a wrong word… Just probably one idiot (some random dood who started it) who does not know the definition of *rape* …
Hey it might even be a conspiracy from some other jealous game dev. Like Bioware: Here have a taste of fans angst!!!
Last edited by Neo_Aeon666 on 6/13/2012 9:52:53 PM
lol, reminds me of a T-shirt I saw once….It was so wrong in so many ways…
It said,
"Rape, it's like saying hello in Japan.."
But the wrong wording I meant was from the guy from the game company, not the random poster who blew his lid over it…
Last edited by CH1N00K on 6/13/2012 9:55:24 PM
Even the four horsemen still need my permission to end the world.
Go back to the Ninja in the parking lot pic World.
Can't believe I was ever that young ninja.
i was from the very beginning (calm)
::sigh:: No longer a must buy.
LMFAO
@LV, haven't laughed that hard all day. Thank you, sir. *golf clap*
Had to be said eventually.
Yeah well you can thank all the extreme people making up a rape scene (in their minds)…
I wonder if there will be a backlash for revealing that there is in fact no rape scene. Besides LV.
Well derrr, I just assumed this was the case. You can infer the obvious but of course they won't make it he a certainty. That's sort of how gaming works.
I'm still waiting on Ben to give us that much anticipated RapeLay review. I'm pretty sure Highlander wont be giving us a user review 🙁
Yes that's my second RapeLay joke today…how many times you think I actually get the chance to make one.
The what now?
Oh come on, don't even act like you've never played RapeLay Ben.
He doesn't like PC gaming remember?
I don't like wheat bread but I've tried it before. If anything I can see Ben trying the game out and that being his reason for hating PC gaming.
Or loving it.
Have you played it?
It's a terrible game in just about every category.
Last edited by LimitedVertigo on 6/13/2012 11:23:26 PM
…that's not really the name of a game.
Sure it is…well the English translation.
Its Japanese name is レイプレイ Reipurei
I know Highlander is aware of it, we briefly talked about it a year or so ago on the forums.
I…don't think I'm interested.
Of course not, it's a joke! I simply tried it because I'll try just about anything once. It's a terrible game but a review from someone around here would be hilarious stuff I'm sure.
Oh, I'll try anything.
But they'd have to make it for a PlayStation system for it to show up here, obviously. 🙂
Quantic Dream managed to tackle sexual servitude in a meaningful way just inside a tech demo.
This whole situation has been pretty interesting. And by interesting, I mean kinda ridiculous.
This "venom-lace gamer reaction" as you appropriately put it, Ben, is certainly more concerning than anything that Crystal Dynamics has done with Lara Croft.
That's the bigger problem that we should be addressing.
gotta love the selectivity of people these days!
crystal show a scene of lara getting grabbed, the man tries to kiss her so she knees him in the wedding vegetables and flees and everyone screams rape!
but when madison gets tied up to a bench and drugged and almost raped in heavy rain no one says boo!
HRs scenes were FAR more a rape scene than what TR showed!
gotta love it how selective the industry has become.
some can get away with murder, but if others do 1/50th of what others have gotten away with they get their head chewed off!
on another topic though, how is grabbing and kissing someone rape?
seriously!?
i swear to god the media LOVE to blow things out of proportion!
absolutely nothing wrong with that scene, there just trying to portray the nature of both the island how dangerous it is, and the fragility of lara!
nothing wrong with that!
Last edited by ___________ on 6/14/2012 6:01:37 AM
Um, well, let's see…you like many others above seem to think that everyone watched the E3 video. You also seem to think that we should immediately discount the words of the game's executive producer. I'm glad a clarification has been made. But when a game's executive producer talks of the main character and attempted rape (his words as reported), why would I or anyone else immediately doubt his word? His words were clear enough, and that was what I personally reacted to.
I'm not sure why anyone here feels the need to belittle others because they objected to something abhorrent that was, by the Executive Producer's own comments, apparently part of the game.
Well no matter what i'm getting this game, i've been totally interested day 1 when i saw the video, i loved the orginal Tomb Raider games so i know i'll love this one as well
I can't believe people are upset about this. There's nothing unrealistic about the situation Lara's in. She's a young woman who has stumbled into a dangerous reality, and it's absurd to think some of the antagonists around her are above rape.
People are fully okay with seeing characters get quite literally blown to bits, maimed in the worst ways, and even attacked psychologically, but as soon as the game even hints at sexuality they can't take it. It's absurd.
Now I see what certain people meant when they said that Mass Effect 3 set a dangerous precedent. I really hope CD doesn't bend to the Internet's will like Bioware did.
Some people think that "a kiss is an upper persuasion for a lower invasion". These folks are the ones that never left home until they were in their 20's I guess, always kept in from the world. The same people who claimed Rock and Roll was brainwashing devil music, and the ones who killed Jesus. This makes me pray for a new Manhunt game… "Panty Wastes, come get some"~ Duke.