Controversial God of War: Ascension Trophy To Be Renamed

The Wooster

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Jul 15, 2008
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Controversial God of War: Ascension Trophy To Be Renamed


Sony Santa Monica puts foes before bros.

Sony Santa Monica has confirmed it plans to change the name of the controversial God of War: Ascension trophy that has critics shaking their fists. The trophy will have its title changed from, "Bros before hos," to, "Bros before foes," via a day one patch.

The trophy, awarded once Kratos has finished pummeling a female antagonist in a shockingly violent scene even by God of War standards, was first called out by reviewer, Adam Sessler.

"This gut punch of misogyny irredeemably sours this game and is shocking that such a talented developer would traffic in such a contemptible attitude," he said in his video review of the game. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjIpPUE8epA&list=UUQXR8pItAoKDAJSbphFxbrg&index=1] "I have always liked the adult fantasy of the God of War games - that Grand Guignol silliness - and in this moment, it's all reduced to some frat house joke, making me ashamed that I ever thought it was more than that in the first place."

As with anything that raises the dreaded specters of feminism and/or political correctness, Sessler's critique was met with a less-than-enthusiastic response from the video's YouTube viewership.

"Sessler, you are such a fucking ******," reads the second highest rated comment, a savage intellectual beatdown from which Sessler will likely never recover.

While some (including myself) question the merit in singling out an achievement as if it's the most damning example of potentially sexist attitudes in the God of War series(seriously, In God of War 3 Kratos uses a woman as a doorstop), the outcry seems to have worked.

"We have created and will soon push out a patch for God of War: Ascension that alters the title of one of the game Trophies. The text was offensive to some members of our community and impacted their enjoyment of the game," Sony Santa Monica's told Joystiq. "We are endlessly committed to ensuring that our community can fully enjoy the experiences the team has created. As such, we've addressed the feedback and amended the Trophy in question."

Personally, while I'm not super keen on self-censorship, "bros before foes" is genuinely funnier than "bros before hos" by virtue of being actual word-play rather than a banal catchphrase. While this "controversy" will no doubt grow ever so tiresome in the coming weeks (assuming it isn't eclipsed by Sim City servers literally erupting into flames), at least it sparked a rather interesting column about the use and misuse of achievements from Escapist contributor and professional walrus impersonator, Jim Sterling. [http://www.destructoid.com/god-of-war-bros-before-hos-248381.phtml]

God of War: Ascension will hit shelves on March 12th.

Source: Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/controversial-god-of-war-ascension-trophy-altered-in-upcoming-p/]

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Brad Shepard

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DVS BSTrD said:
Brad Shepard said:
People need to learn to take a damn joke.
Sorry I don't find beating a woman funny.
ITS A GAME, Get over it. Its in context to the game plus all this gender differentiation is tearing people apart, if you want everyone to be equal, you have to represent everyone as equal, that means getting to kill female AND male characters in games, among other things.
 

Skeggers

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Come on, really? It's a little joke thrown into the trophies; it's not like the game stops after you kill the woman and displays the message on the screen surrounded by huge flames, AC/DC music and a videoreel of guys high fiving.

While I'll admit that the 'foes' name is probably better, I don't like the reason that it's being changed. It's not misogyny by any stretch.
 

Brad Shepard

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DVS BSTrD said:
Brad Shepard said:
DVS BSTrD said:
Brad Shepard said:
People need to learn to take a damn joke.
Sorry I don't find beating a woman funny.
ITS A GAME, Get over it. Its in context to the game plus all this gender differentiation is tearing people apart, if you want everyone to be equal, you have to represent everyone as equal, that means getting to kill female AND male characters in games, among other things.
I didn't say it was offensive or out of place, but it isn't very amusing either.
Bros before Hoes has been a stupid frat guy saying for years, thats the joke, but because people itch too much and cant take a joke, they have to change it, YET, people complain TO THIS DAY over ME3's ending, yet they wont change there shitty ending, utter bullshit on both accounts.
 

Dahemo

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Skeggers said:
Come on, really? It's a little joke thrown into the trophies; it's not like the game stops after you kill the woman and displays the message on the screen surrounded by huge flames, AC/DC music and a videoreel of guys high fiving.

While I'll admit that the 'foes' name is probably better, I don't like the reason that it's being changed. It's not misogyny by any stretch.
You're right about the name and indeed "foes" being better, they obviously meant it as a pop culture reference and as the article states, it's not attached to Kratos' most violent act against a woman. I try to be PC, in the sense that I care how the things I say are interpreted as I don't intend to offend people but in situations like this I normally say:

"Actually, that's a bit of a leap of logic, I think they're overreacting"

However, in this instance (bear in mind that gender inequality is an issue) the thought process of:

1. Defeat female antagonist
2. Gain achievement
3. Notice achievement has misogynistic term in title
4. ????
5. Offence!

Is one I can understand and to be honest I don't mind if they change it, they're still making the same reference and it's a much cleverer pun. Problem solved and everyone's happier...

EDIT: Just read the above post. Man, you're telling other people to "GET OVER" a game but you're still whining about ME3? People in glass houses...
 

TecnoMonkey

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DVS BSTrD said:
Brad Shepard said:
People need to learn to take a damn joke.
Sorry I don't find beating a woman funny.
The title of the trophy had NOTHING to do with Kratos beating up that "woman", who actually is not a woman she is more of a demon with some female features, it had to do with the son of one of the "female" antagonists saving Kratos against her mothers wishes, the beating itself isn't even that violent by Kratos's standards, see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3L2de3ucLg
 

Something Amyss

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Dec 3, 2008
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Brad Shepard said:
ITS A GAME, Get over it.
IT'S A TRIVIAL CHANGE MADE TO A GAME WITH NO IMPACT ON YOU, get over it.

I always find it weird how people who are telling others to get over it seem to be so bothered.
 

Something Amyss

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Dec 3, 2008
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Brad Shepard said:
Bros before Hoes has been a stupid frat guy saying for years, thats the joke, but because people itch too much and cant take a joke, they have to change it, YET, people complain TO THIS DAY over ME3's ending, yet they wont change there shitty ending, utter bullshit on both accounts.
So you're upset that one company could make a trivial change more easily than another company could make a substantial one?

Dahemo said:
Problem solved and everyone's happier...
If only.
 

Shadowstar38

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Jul 20, 2011
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This is really damn stupid. I know we all want to be PC for no reason nowadays, but this is a pointless change. Some people need to grow up.
 

Something Amyss

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Shadowstar38 said:
Some people need to grow up.
When you're making a bigger stink than the people who caused the change, the "grow up" argument loses a lot of its bite.

It was a stupid title. It's a stupid change. There', equality. Let's move on.
 

MarlonBlazed

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https://twitter.com/ToddPapy/status/309746549125152768 I guess this makes her a misogynist... She clearly put bros before hoes.
 

Brad Shepard

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Zachary Amaranth said:
Brad Shepard said:
ITS A GAME, Get over it.
IT'S A TRIVIAL CHANGE MADE TO A GAME WITH NO IMPACT ON YOU, get over it.

I always find it weird how people who are telling others to get over it seem to be so bothered.
They should not have to change a stupid joke because of butthurt people, one joke that does not matter, but an ending that is universally hated should have been changed, because people have spent time and money buying and playing all 3 of there games, and there going to pull artistic bullshit like that, when the creators of Fallout 3 got complaints about there games ending and they changed it, Bioware has gone to shit ever since being bought out by EA, they use to be great, but thats not the point im making here.
 

WhiteTigerShiro

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DVS BSTrD said:
Brad Shepard said:
People need to learn to take a damn joke.
Sorry I don't find beating a woman funny.
The joke isn't about beating a woman, the joke is the name of the achievement, a name who's origin has nothing to do with violence what-so-ever, let alone against women specifically. Don't turn this debate into something that it isn't.
 

nukethetuna

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Nov 8, 2010
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An achievement in a video game quotes a phrase that some guys use to denote that they'll place their male friends above female romantic interests?!

Sure, I can see how certain people could see it as tasteless, but I feel like people should probably aim higher when it comes to targets for gender inequality and misogyny. How about the fact that when it comes to district political elections, big money sponsors, news coverage, and PACs will support a male candidate at a much higher rate than a female one.

...but hey no, Bros Before Hos, God of War is the problem.
 

Shadowstar38

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Zachary Amaranth said:
Shadowstar38 said:
Some people need to grow up.
When you're making a bigger stink than the people who caused the change, the "grow up" argument loses a lot of its bite.

It was a stupid title. It's a stupid change. There', equality. Let's move on.
Time and energy is being wasted to avoid people who can't take a joke from getting upset. I don't want companies folding every time someone kicks up a fuss.