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Eidos responds to Sikh controversy

The publisher of Hitman 2 compromises to deflect criticism over the game's portrayal of Sikhs and will modify the upcoming GameCube version.

In a statement on the Hitman 2 Web site, Eidos has announced that it has acted in response to criticisms raised by The Sikh Coalition in a recent online campaign. The Sikh Coalition and a number of other international Sikh groups protested the game's depiction of Dalits, a people in India, as followers of an evil cult leader, as well as the combat that players undertake midway through the game against turbaned Sikh characters inside a Sikh place of worship.
In the statement, Eidos said that, along with the game's developer, IO Interactive, it is responding in "a socially and commercially responsible manner by removing from the Hitman 2 Web site all relevant images and content, taking steps to amend the game on all existing platforms, and adapting the next edition of the game due out for the GameCube platform." The statement also said that the publisher had learned its lesson and that it would "observe and respect cultural, religious, and ethical sensitivities in its future products."

Hitman 2 is a third-person action game where players follow the renewed career of Agent 47, a genetically enhanced assassin. The game's assassination missions take place in a wide range of locations, but the game starts off in Sicily, where Agent 47's retirement on a small church's grounds is violently interrupted. For more details, check out our reviews of the PC, Xbox, and PS2 versions of the game. The GameCube version is scheduled for early next year.

Trigger

That's stupid - it's already out - damage done...

kar10

It's a good thing I already have my Xbox copy!!!

I agree this is stupid!!

There is always controversy with this type of games.

Hitman 2

GTA

I hope that with this Sniper on the news won't affect much on the future games. I love playing games like:

Dead To Rights
Max Payne

ect..........

It would be a shame that we might not see more of this games.

Keyser Soze

Sweet... this means I can sell my xbox copy on eBay as "RARE/UNEDITED/OOP"!



-k
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tha_dvd_man

I'll give you $250!

Static Cling

It's nice to know that the producers of a game in which you play as a sociopathic killer are concerned about being morally and socially responsible.

Shawn

Heh, true. But I feel that you all would be responding much differently if you were a member of the Sikh faith.

- Shawn

SpacemanSpiff

which i am, and i havent gotten to the part where this happens so i cant say what im feelin about it..... but its good to hear at least those donkeys are doin something about it....

but i enjoy the game alot otherwise
hehe

Shawn

I am too.

Tuan Jim

That's strange. I kinda assumed that Sikhs were different from Hindus -- "Terminal Hospitality". That's the only temple I've seen in the game. Of course there's also a mosque or two, as well as a coupla churches. No complaints from anyone else. I mean, heck, you can shoot the Muslims in the mosque "Motorcade something" and nobody complains about that.

ah well. I also assumed those guys were just guards, not actual cult members. They're ID'd differently too.

Tuan Jim

Shawn

So then it's okay to keep creating games with murder in places of worship?

spainlinx0

Does it really count as murder in a place of worship since the church is in a videogame and therefore isn't a REAL place of worship? I mean we are talking about an 8-foot tall genetically engineered killer as the main character, so I don't know if they are trying to make any religious statements other than they were looking for exotic locales.

focker

Absolutely. What's your solution to the problem? If you don't like it, don't buy it or tell the developer about your concerns with the game. If enough people are upset about it, they'll change the game or keep this in mind in designing future games. In this case enough people must have been upset about it that they thought it would hurt their bottom line if they didn't change the game.

That being said, I have no problem with anything I've seen so far in the game. I haven't gotten to that part of the game yet, but I highly doubt that it will offend me. I don't want developers to constantly have to worry that one group or another will be offended by their games. If a game is truly offensive and reprehensible to enough people, bad press, boycotts, and low sales will hurt the company.

kar10

Do anyone know if this title might go Out Of Print?

SpacemanSpiff

i will withhold anythin i am going to say until i actually play that part of the game.....

ChefWinduAZ

I have the XBOX version but haven't gotten that far into the game yet because of playing other games. But I guess I just might have to go back to playing it again so I can reach that level and see what the fuss is about.

Kellehair

There's no reason for all the fuss. I didn't even notice it when I played through the game.

Jtnguyen12

OoooOoop! I just visit target to exchange Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance for HITMAN 2 They still got 4 copies left

BB have 2 copies too......wonder it out of PRINT or NOT ""OR"" RUMOR from Eidos (try to make this game sell wellz)