19 Aug, 2010
Approximately a week before its release, 2K’s forthcoming gangland action-adventure title Mafia II is causing controversy in the US. UNICO National, an organisation that represent Italian American citizens, appear to have taken offence to the suggestion that their people have or have ever had any links to an unsavoury criminal underworld not entirely dissimilar to the one depicted in Mafia II.
Glazing over the countless televisual and film pieces that have made the same connotations in the past, UNICO president Andre’ DiMino wrote an open letter to 2K demanding the game be withdrawn with immediate effect.
“Why would [Take Two] foist a game on their targeted audience of young people wherein they will indoctrinate a new generation into directly associating Italians and Italian-Americans with violent, murderous organized crime, to the exclusion of all of the other “mafias” run by other ethnic and racial groups?
Take Two is directly, blatantly and unfairly discriminating and demeaning one group to the exclusion of all others. We are demanding they halt release of the game and cleanse it of all references to Italians and Italian-Americans.”
Quite where ‘young people’ fit into proceedings, considering Mafia II is rated 18 by the BBFC, is a mystery, but ever the consummate professionals, 2K have issued a statement responding to the letter. This is what they had to say.
“Mafia II tells a compelling story about organized crime in America – a subject that for decades has been featured in movies, television shows and novels. Neither UNICO nor any other organization purporting to represent Italian-Americans has seen or played Mafia II.
At Take-Two, we balance our right to free expression with what we believe is a thoughtful and responsible approach to creating and marketing our products. Mafia II is M-rated in accordance with our industry’s strict standards. It is specifically not targeted toward young people.
We will only release a title that meets our standards: as art, as entertainment and as a socially responsible product. We aim to distinguish creative and compelling story telling that advances artistic expression from subject matter that gratuitously exploits or glorifies violence or stereotypes. I fully and completely stand behind our creative teams and products, including Mafia II.”
Mafia II is released in the UK on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on August 27th. Check out our first impressions here – a full review is coming soon!
Source CVG
I couldn’t find an exact source at this time since I can’t remember the guys name, but I’ve always found the roots of these anti-Italian descrimination organisations like this funny. Especially considering that the first organised movement against Italian descrimination was founded by a notorious mob figure.
But this is silly. The Mafia, like or not attracts facination around the world and has become a quintessential part of classic cinema, literature and these days television, especially in America. I personally find the subject a great source of interest. I can understand the want to not be stereotyped, since the subject of my own ancestry has been met with silly questions about the Mafia, but don’t go after stuff like this. If they want to go after anything, how about that dreadful ‘Jersey Shore’ program now on MTV, if there was ever a negative perpetuating of stereotypes, that is it!
I also found the use of the word ‘racist’ especially funny, considering, last time I checked, Italian was a nationality, not an ethnic minority. I fear this is just another Jack Thompson-wannabe trying to defame the medium of video games.
I think this was the same group who went after The Sopranos, when it first began to air in the late 90s early 2000s. A fairly firm ‘Shut the fuck up’ on behalf of the American public took the wind out of their sail. Hopefully we’ll have a similar thing happen here.
Another thing I find funny is they honestly expect that a company will abandon a multi-million dollar project in the name of protecting their self-esteem. Seriously, find more constructive things to focus your energies on. I often think if people used this kind enthusiasm on things that actually matter we would have progressed so much further as a society.
I have to admit, I was fairly impressed at the restraint and decorum in the 2K press release… I think mine would have had a few more references to “petty, small minded people” and “overreaction of the grandest scale”.