The Store page of the Steam version of “Monster Hunter: World” has been running so-called review bombings since December 4. It seems that the cause was not this work, but the movie “Monster Hunter” released in China on the same day.
The movie “Monster Hunter” was produced by a combination of director Paul WS Anderson and with Mira Jovovic in the movie “Biohazard” series. The story tells that an elite unit led by Artemis, played by Mira Jovovic, encounters a massive sandstorm while exploring the desert region and gets lost in the world where monsters exist. Modern weapons don’t work for monsters, and Artemis and others learn combat from hunters who live here. It is said that the monsters and weapon types that appeared in the game version will appear in the work.
This work was originally scheduled to be released on September 4, but was postponed due to the impact of the new coronavirus. It was then decided to release it on December 25 in the United States and March 26, 2021 in Japan, and before that it was released in China from December 4. However, dialogue in the scene at the beginning of the film became a problem in China. Daniel Ahmad, a senior analyst with research firm Niko Partners, reports.
The scene in question is a conversation between members of Artemis, who appear to be exploring the desert. A member of the Chinese-American rapper MC Jin talks to the driver, “Look at my knees” and asks, “What kind of knees are these?” “Chinese” is returned. It’s a lonely word game that lays knees (needs / knees) and chai “needs”.
However, it is pointed out that this conversation reminds us of ‘Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees. Take a look at this’, which was once a play song for children in English-speaking countries. In this play song, not only are Chinese / Japanese lined up with “dirty knees”, but also gestures that ridicule the general features of Chinese / Japanese, such as lifting the outer corner of the eye and expressing small breasts. Today it is recognized to be racially discriminatory.
In addition, “Chinese” usually has the subtitle “Yu-Golden”. This seems to be derived from the Chinese word “Men’s Kneeling Golden,” which says not to kneel lightly, and as a result, is perceived in relation to dirty knees. It was a great incentive for the Chinese to think it was a phrase that deliberately used racially discriminatory play songs. Initially, the problem was also reported in China, but now it seems that such articles have disappeared.
After the existence of this rule was discovered, a large number of unpopular reviews were posted on the Steam version of “Monster Hunter: World”. Looking at the content, most of the reviews point to the sample lines in Chinese and English. The number of popular reviews that seem to counter this is on the rise, but the number of unpopular reviews is much higher. The review column contains a statement that “Steam personnel are reviewing recent user review activity,” and Valve is investigating on suspicion that review bombings are being conducted that are unrelated to the game’s evaluation. It seems.
It’s the same “Monster Hunter” IP, but the point of anger is aimed at a game that’s different from the movie. However, “Monster Hunter: World” is working with the movie and Artemis costumes will appear in the game. It is possible that it was considered a related work and was attacked. Or, even if they didn’t cooperate, they might have been targeted just because they were from the same series.
Capcom released a statement on December 4 through Hong Kong’s Capcom Asia about the movie “Monster Hunter”, which premiered in China (Weibo). The film was made by another company, but after gathering feedback from fans, he said he would give his views to the companies involved. The company has stated that it will continue to produce high quality games and deliver them to fans.
It is also reported in China that the screening of the movie “Monster Hunter” was canceled on December 5, and according to information from cinema sources (Net Yiyu), refund procedures are underway for ticket buyers. It should have been shown in the country after it was censored by regulators, but it is said to plan to correct and re-screen the scene in question. While the scriptwriter’s true meaning is still unclear on this line, the perception that the play’s song is related is racially discriminatory, the same for non-Chinese. It will be noted if it will be corrected when released in other countries in the future.
The movie “Monster Hunter” will be released in Japan on March 26, 2021.
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