The gaming giant behind industry giant League Of Legends said it has removed some references to homosexuality in countries where gay marriage or being gay is illegal.
Riot Games, which is majority owned by the Chinese conglomerate Tencent, will host the Worlds 2022 global gaming tournament this weekend.
Speaking from the event in San Francisco, League’s executive producer told Sky News that the developer would replace words like “lover” with “partner” in countries hostile to LGBTQ + rights.
It comes after Riot Games released the game’s first gay black champion (playable character), K’Sante, who was widely marketed in trailers with rapper Lil Nas X.
The music star, who is openly gay, performs at the tournament’s opening ceremony.
League is one of the most played PC games in the world.
Players take on the role of champions in teams to work together to achieve goals, and each has a backstory composed for them by the game’s creators.
Riot Games ‘very proud’ of the new character
Jeremy Lee, the executive producer, told Sky News that he was “very proud” of the new character and that Riot Games wants “everyone who plays League Of Legends to find a champion who resonates with them.”
But he admitted that “any region can locate and publish that story in what they think is best for the players.”
“Each region can publish some aspects of the game in a slightly different way to suit the local culture,” he added.
Asked if the company makes any changes or omissions to the plot behind certain characters to fit the regime in which the game is released, global PR manager Hanna Woo said, “Yeah, I’d say we do.”
Both Mr. Lee and Ms. Woo have made it clear that these narratives can be found on the game’s website. The game itself is universally the same all over the world and features almost entirely individual translations of the entire text.
The characters in the game must be played by the players, Ms. Woo said.
“Even if it’s not explicit, even if it’s not direct, even if changes are made or just things aren’t that prominent in that character’s identity, it’s like you have to see them,” he said.
“Direct washing shows that money is the most important thing”
Twitch LGBTQIA + streamer Ben Austwick said he was “sad, but not surprised” by the practice.
He told Sky News: “Video games are part of the culture and should be at the forefront of pushing boundaries, especially in places where LGBT + oppression is rife.
“The direct washing of queer characters from games in countries with little experience of LGBT + rights is sad and shows that there is nothing more important than making more money.”
The 2022 World Cup ends on Saturday, with two South Korean teams facing each other for the world title.
Is the Guardian a religious newspaper?
The Guardian was an Anglican weekly published from January 1846 to November 1951. It was founded by Richard William Church, Thomas Henry Haddan and other supporters of the Tractarian movement and was the leading newspaper of the Church of England for many years.
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Is the Guardian Republican or liberal?
Guardian News and Media publications / websites, including the UK parent version and Guardian US, have a political center or largely socially liberal stance.
How is The Guardian financed?
How is theguardian.org funded? theguardian.org raises funds from private foundations, corporations, government agencies and private donors who share our goal of supporting independent journalism and promoting freedom of the press.
Who supports the Guardian newspaper?
Guardian Media Group plc (GMG) is a UK-based media company that owns various media businesses including The Guardian and The Observer. The group is wholly owned by Scott Trust Limited, which exists to ensure The Guardian’s financial and editorial independence in perpetuity.
Is the Guardian a conservative or liberal news source? Guardian News and Media publications / websites, including the UK parent version and Guardian US, have a political center or largely socially liberal stance.
Who is the target audience for The Guardian newspaper?
Coverage of The Guardian in the UK 2019-2020, by demographic. The Guardian’s readers were more likely to be women, with nearly 15 million monthly readers in the UK from April 2019 to March 2020. The Guardian’s readership proved to be more popular with seniors than younger ones.
What type of audience does the Guardian have?
The Guardian is a more elegant version of the Daily Mirror as the Daily Mail is the more elegant version of The Sun. Readers of The Guardian are teachers, university lectures, basically public sector workers and leftist professionals.
Who owns The Guardian News Service?
The newspaper is owned by the Scott Trust, which also owns the Guardian Media Group. The group’s income supports the newspaper and allows it to remain financially secure. The fiduciary ownership structure prevented the acquisition of the newspaper by the owners of the larger media.
What political party is the Guardian newspaper?
Although the newspaper is often considered “inextricably linked” to the Labor Party, three of the four leading Guardian writers joined the more centrist Social Democratic Party when it was founded in 1981.
Who is the CEO of the Guardian?
Why did Annette Thomas leave The Guardian? In May 2021, the Daily Telegraph reported that there was a serious conflict between Thomas and publisher Katharine Viner over finances and the direction the newspaper should take. The Guardian announced 180 job cuts last year.
Is The Guardian a conservative or liberal website?
Readers of the newspaper are generally on the mainstream left of British political opinion and the term “guardian reader” is used to imply a stereotype of liberal, left or “politically correct” views.
Who is the target audience for The Guardian newspaper?
Coverage of The Guardian in the UK 2019-2020, by demographic. The Guardian’s readers were more likely to be women, with nearly 15 million monthly readers in the UK from April 2019 to March 2020. The Guardian’s readership proved to be more popular with seniors than younger ones.
What is the most reputable newspaper in the UK?
The Guardian is one of the most trusted British newspapers and usually carries its political biases up its sleeve so you can see it coming.
- The Telegraph. Launched in 1855. Circulation 470,000. …
- The Financial Times. Launched in 1888. Circulation 200,000. …
- The independent. Launched in 1986. Circulation of 55,000. …
- There. Launched in 2010.
What corporation owns The Guardian?
The newspaper is owned by the Scott Trust, which also owns the Guardian Media Group. The group’s income supports the newspaper and allows it to remain financially secure. The fiduciary ownership structure prevented the acquisition of the newspaper by the owners of the larger media.
What political party is The Guardian newspaper?
Although the newspaper is often considered “inextricably linked” to the Labor Party, three of the four leading Guardian writers joined the more centrist Social Democratic Party when it was founded in 1981.
What corporation owns the Guardian?
The newspaper is owned by the Scott Trust, which also owns the Guardian Media Group. The group’s income supports the newspaper and allows it to remain financially secure. The fiduciary ownership structure prevented the acquisition of the newspaper by the owners of the larger media.
What political party is The Guardian newspaper? Although the newspaper is often considered “inextricably linked” to the Labor Party, three of the four leading Guardian writers joined the more centrist Social Democratic Party when it was founded in 1981.
