Duke Nukem jumps the shark
There’s long been a back and forth over whether or not violent video games lead kids to violence. But what else might children be picking up from video games? If they play Duke Nukem, they might internalize the idea that women are objects and can be smacked around if they don’t behave.
It’s been leaked that the upcoming Duke Nukem Forever game (which, admittedly, has been “upcoming” since 1997) has a multiplayer mode, and one of the activities in this mode is a game called “Capture the Babe.” As the name might suggest, it’s capture the flag where the “flag” is a woman. But it’s not enough that women be picked up and thrown around literally like a toy. If she “freaks out” (and what woman wouldn’t when a random man decides to sling you over his shoulder), the game’s solution is to have the player give her a smack.
I used to be a huge Duke Nukem fan when it first came out as a computer game where a Hulk Hogan-esque character had to shoot up all the invading aliens. Sure, it was a bit silly, but the point of the game was to defeat the invading Dr. Proton and no babes were involved. How far we’ve come from such simple times. It appears that consequent versions have gotten more and more over the top – one of the sequels for Playstation is called Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes. It’s veered away from a simple man vs. bad guys game to one that relies on sexist tropes. In fact, the goal of this game is to save women from being raped by invading aliens. It isn’t enough to pit Duke against aliens; rape as a weapon of war is co-opted as a motivator to go get the bad guy. The Mary Sue claims that the game sees itself as “over the top in every way” and “something that considers itself satire,” and this may be true (I haven’t tried it out since the days of dial up modems). But satire can still go too far.
What “Capture the Babe” and the rest of the game shows is just how pervasive the acceptance of forcing things violently upon women is in our culture. Duke Nukem is just one shoot-em-up game, but if something like this can pop up without much fanfare, it’s clear how insidious it is. The reviewer of the game that reveals this new function, Eurogamer, isn’t even phased by it. Boys playing it aren’t going to go out and start hoisting random women and smacking them into line. But if they see these things taking place and aren’t asked to interrogate whether or not it’s okay, it becomes normalized. Women are but pawns used for the entertainment of men. Their agency over their bodies is suppressed for the sake of a game.
May I suggest a level of Angry Birds instead?
Tags: assault, Duke Nukem, men, violence, women
“no babes were involved”
You may have forgotten the infamous strip club level, but post-sidescroller Duke has always been pretty misogynist. Not that this excuses the game makers in any way, particularly because this whole women-slapping thing was transparently (and admittedly) a publicity stunt.
When there is no more innovation in a game studio, cliche and cheap, eye-rolling “shock” tactics will roam the earth.
As stupid as it is to rely on a reaction to this horrible game-making decision to do their PR for you, it’s even worse that their best idea for getting attention and blog posts was “haha how about you can slap some sluts!!!!1″. Wouldn’t want any sort of actual originality to go into your gimmick, no sir.
You forget the point of all this: it’s a fantasy escapism game. People know you can’t go around smacking women, and you can’t go around blowing away aliens either.
So yeah, slap the slut and blast an alien or two. Better yet, slap an alien slut!
I don’t understand how people are missing the whole theme of the game. The objectification of women wasn’t put there to piss people off or to degrade women.
The whole theme of the game (and games like this) is to objectify EVERYTHING. Games like duke nukem are about being so full of yourself and awesome that you can do what you want and “it’s all awesome, cos you’re awesome and everything you do is just so manly”. There’s no mention of the fact that you can shoot anyone you want with no repurcussions etc. People forget that the theme of the whole game (and games like these) has nothing to do with women, and everything to do with just being an asshole. It’s all big joke that doesn’t specifically taget women, it mainly targets that mindset. It’s a satirical joke about that whole mindset.
Yes violence against women is bad and should be avoided. But if there was a game ABOUT slapping women around, and the theme and message behind the game was that it is realistically okay to abuse women, then fine. I would be protesting outside in the street with the rest of them. But this? Come on.
Really? Just think what those aliens would have done to the women or all people for that matter if Duke hadn’t saved them. I think he has earned the right to smack a few asses. its a game get over it. Duke doesn’t exist and nobody is going to emulate him.
Can I just interject one small factoid: This game is intended for adults- hence the Mature rating. Hell, you can’t even get into the official website without entering your DOB! So if kids ARE playing it, shame on the parents (I’m one myself)But even so, I would let my 10 year old play this because he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He never even THOUGHT of connecting violence in games to real life- He knows the difference. He’s intelligent and has a moral center. If you think kids are influenced by games, it’s because the lazy parents didn’t do a good enough job of explaining life to them – or the kids just an idiot and would grow up to be a full time inmate anyway.
Kids are smarter than everyone gives them credit for.
[...] in contributing their own unique take. We are looking for people who can keep us posted on pop culture, people who would like to help us follow and understand student movements and current events as [...]