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Pete Hines Disturbed that "Wolfenstein Can be Seen as a Controversial Political Statement"

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  • Pete Hines Disturbed that "Wolfenstein Can be Seen as a Controversial Political Statement"

    Last night, the Wolfenstein II Twitter account would be so brazen as to say "Make America Nazi-Free Again" in a tweet that included a short, new trailer along with the hashtag of #NoMoreNazis. A bunch of Nazis and Nazi sympathizers took offense to the tweet, claiming that they are being attacked by the Wolfenstein II marketing. They feel as though Bethesda and Machine Games are making games, specifically Wolfenstein II, too political.

    Imagine, Wolfenstein, a franchise that has been around for over 30 years that, from the start, has been all about killing Nazis is now, in 2017, considered to be "too political."

    Yes, it's too political to be against Nazis. You know, the group that wants to commit genocide because they believe that everybody that isn't white is considered impure? Yeah, those assholes. This is the world we live in.

    Bethesda's Pete Hines says that he is "disturbed that Wolfenstein can be seen as a controversial political statement."
    "We're certainly aware of current events in America and how they relate to some of the themes in Wolfenstein II.

    "Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago. We aren't going to shy away from what the game is about. We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here.

    "[In the game] freeing America is the first step to freeing the world. So the idea of #NoMoreNazis in America is, in fact, what the entire game (and franchise) is about. Our campaign leans into that sentiment, and it unfortunately happens to highlight current events in the real world.

    "We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here.

    "At the time none of us expected that the game would be seen as a comment on current issues, but here we are," Hines says. "Bethesda doesn't develop games to make specific statements or incite political discussions. We make games that we think are fun, meaningful, and immersive for a mature audience.

    "In Wolfenstein's case, it's pure coincidence that Nazis are marching in the streets of America this year. And it's disturbing that the game can be considered a controversial political statement at all.

    "This is what our game is about," he says. "It's what this franchise has always been about. We aren't afraid to embrace what BJ stands for and what Wolfenstein represents. When it comes to Nazis, you can put us down in the 'against' column.

    "There's a risk of alienating customers, but people who are against freeing the world from the hate and murder of a Nazi regime probably aren't interested in playing Wolfenstein." (...)

    "We can't speak to what other publishers choose to do and say with their games. As we've said many times before, fighting Nazis has been the core of Wolfenstein games for decades, and it isn't really debatable that Nazis are, as Henry Jones Sr. said, 'the slime of humanity.' Certainly there's a risk of alienating some customers, but to be honest, people who are against freeing the world from the hate and murder of a Nazi regime probably aren't interested in playing Wolfenstein.

    "Games are a powerful platform to explore all kinds of topics," he says. "Their ability to immerse players in an alternate role, in an alternate world, like Wolfenstein's Nazi-infested America, allows players to actually feel and experience the emotions of the situation.

    "Games like BioShock and This War of Mine have been expressive and powerful experiences that reflected topical issues and politics, and the video game industry is a more well-rounded and thoughtful medium because of them."

    Fuck off, Nazis. Whether you're a Nazi, a "white supremacist," someone seen as "alt-right," or someone who simply defends any of those people, then just fuck off. You're on the wrong side of history and have been for literally decades.

    Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is slated to be released on October 27 for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, It will arrive on the Nintendo Switch in 2018.
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