Representatives of the Association for American Indian Development (AAID) have announced the launch of a boycotting campaign against Activision for publishing Neversoft's Western title
Gun. In a statement on website
www.boycottgun.com, they complain that the game contains “very disturbing racist and genocidal elements toward Native Americans”.
The website lists a number of specific complaints concerning the game, including the requirement to kill and scalp Apache Indians. The AAID also raises concerns over what it describes as the implied righteousness of these action towards Native Americans and the necessity to kill multiple Apaches in order to progress through the game.
The AAID also question whether any other racial group would ever be treated in a similar manner and complain that the alternative reality game (ARG) used to promote the initial release failed to feature any positive portrayal of American Indians, despite being set in the 21st century.
The organization’s complaints clearly come after a thorough appraisal of the game than many criticisms of other high profile titles such as
Grand Theft Auto. The AAID have even gone so far as to praise the treatment of American Indians in Rockstar’s
Red Dead Revolver, as well as similar analogies in
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath.
However,
Gun was released in late 2005, and its popularity on shelves has already waned, making it less likely that any major results will occur from this attempted boycott and petition.
