BIT.TRIP Dev Gaijin Games Changes Name to Avoid Racial Slur

[Steven Bogos]

BIT.TRIP Dev Gaijin Games Changes Name to Avoid Racial Slur

The term "Gaijin" carries negative connotations for some people.

Gaijin Games, the developer behind the psychedelic 8-bit sidescrolling BIT.TRIP series has announced that it is changing its name to Choice Provisions. Why? Because the word "gaijin" carries with it some negative connotations for foreigners living in Japan, that the developer wishes to avoid.

In a blog post, developer Dant Rambo explained that "No matter how you may feel about the word 'gaijin' personally, I think it's fair to say that some people out there view it as a negative term," adding "Being the upbeat, positive folks we are, the last thing we wanted was for people to be offended by our name."

"We are but humble purveyors of video games, and the end goal of all the work we do is to make people happy. Ergo, we're changing our name to Choice Provisions."

Rambo said that while games that are already release will still carry with them the old Gaijin Games title, all new titles will be developed under "Choice Provisions," with the notable exception of the BIT.TRIP series.

For a little background, the word "gaijin" comes from the Japanese "gai koku jin" - which translates to "outside country person," or foreigner. When you drop the "koku" from the middle of the word, gaijin takes on the literal meaning of "outside person" or "outsider," and is considered an offensive term by many foreigners living in Japan.

The term is controversial and is avoided by Japanese television broadcasters. To put it to you this way - as a foreigner living in Japan, a Japanese person would never call me gaijin to my face, unless he was looking for a fight.

Source: Choice Provisions [http://totallychoice.com/blog-post/greetings-choice-provisions]

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[EndlessSporadic]

Cultural differences can be a pain in the ass, but good for them.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Soooo...why did they pick 'Gaijin' in the first place? Did they not know what it meant but thought it sounded cool, like people who get asian symbol tattoos without checking that it is actually what they think it is?

 

[The Lunatic]

Soooo...why did they pick 'Gaijin' in the first place? Did they not know what it meant but thought it sounded cool, like people who get asian symbol tattoos without checking that it is actually what they think it is?

Gaijin is a Russian company.

Whilst, it's fair a lot of English speakers are aware of the connotations of the word, it's unfair to assume that the same penetration of understanding is found in the Russian culture which the company was founded.

To look at it without context, the word means "foreign", or "strange" and such and such. Thus, it's probably just lost in translation from Japanese to England and then to Russian.

 

[youji itami]

Soooo...why did they pick 'Gaijin' in the first place? Did they not know what it meant but thought it sounded cool, like people who get asian symbol tattoos without checking that it is actually what they think it is?

They new what it meant they were just so small they didn't think anyone would care, but Warthunder has been successful is getting bigger and is now available on PS4 so rather than wait for criticism they change now.

Edit


This article has made a mistake.

Gaijin Games has changed there name to Choice Provisions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin_Games

Gaijin Entertainment who make WarThunder haven't changed there name
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin_Entertainment

 

[CactusPants]

Might want to note that War Thunder is developed by Gaijin Entertainment. The people who made IL-2 and Birds of Steel, not the BIT.TRIP series.

 

[Steven Bogos]

Soooo...why did they pick 'Gaijin' in the first place? Did they not know what it meant but thought it sounded cool, like people who get asian symbol tattoos without checking that it is actually what they think it is?

They new what it meant they were just so small they didn't think anyone would care, but Warthunder has been successful is getting bigger and is now available on PS4 so rather than wait for criticism they change now.

Edit


This article has made a mistake.

Gaijin Games has changed there name to Choice Provisions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin_Games

Gaijin Entertainment who make WarThunder haven't changed there name
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin_Entertainment

You're absolutely right. Who would have thought there would be two "gaijin" studios out there? My bad.

 

[Uriel_Hayabusa]

Choice Provisions, eh? I gotta say, a game developer isn't exactly the first thing that comes to my mind when hearing that name; not that it matters, of course.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

oh come on, sometimes i think the modern world is way too sensitive

bunch of baka gaijins

 

[Something Amyss]

Soooo...why did they pick 'Gaijin' in the first place? Did they not know what it meant but thought it sounded cool, like people who get asian symbol tattoos without checking that it is actually what they think it is?

This has always puzzled me. I never looked at the name and thought "AH AM AFFENDED!" but I did wonder why they would choose a name like that.

Choice Provisions, eh? I gotta say, a game developer isn't exactly the first thing that comes to my mind when hearing that name; not that it matters, of course.

Maybe they're going into market research or something like that. The name would totally make sense then.

oh come on, sometimes i think the modern world i way too sensitive

bunch of baka gaijins

Yeah, why would they want their studio's name to reflect their attitude?

 

[Novaova]

Only a gaijin can call another gaijin "gaijin."

 

[Cartographer]

So if they'd chosen "Nigga Games" or "Gweilo Games" would it have taken as long for them to change to something less offensive?

Mirroring earlier sentiments, why did they imagine it was okay in the first place? Ignorance isn't an excuse, it's not like you can't just google the meaning behind anything nowadays.

 

[Callate]

The term is often just translated as "barbarian".

It doesn't bother me that much; for a developer who does a lot of pixel-art games that hearken back to the eight-bit era (when Japanese companies ruled the field), calling oneself "gaijin" just seems kind of jocularly irreverent. But I can see how others might be offended.

 

[Smooth Operator]

You know I had all the translations pasted in here and wondered why anyone would get miffed over such an ordinary word, but then realized we are on the internet and what would people be doing with their time if not pretend to be offended...

P.S. You are all potatoes. Ya I said it!

 

[Westaway]

So if they'd chosen "Nigga Games" or "Gweilo Games" would it have taken as long for them to change to something less offensive?

Mirroring earlier sentiments, why did they imagine it was okay in the first place? Ignorance isn't an excuse, it's not like you can't just google the meaning behind anything nowadays.

They probably didn't care.

1) Who on Earth would even be offended by being called a gaijin
2) Even if someone is somehow offended by it, it is their choice
3) No one should care if you chose to be offended by something as benign as a video game company using the derogatory Japanese word for foreigner

Clearly they care now, probably because they think they're getting popular are they're following the standard Ultra-Sanitary-Political-Correctness sentiment.

 

[Somethingfake]

Change the name if they must, but 'Choice Provisions'? Sounds like a food company.

 

[VoltySquirrel]

Soooo...why did they pick 'Gaijin' in the first place? Did they not know what it meant but thought it sounded cool, like people who get asian symbol tattoos without checking that it is actually what they think it is?

In the actual press release, they stated that they chose Gaijin because they were developing games that reflected their favorite games from yesteryear, most of which happened to be Japanese-made games. So, being cheeky, they named themselves Gaijin. They were initially just three devs who hit it off and decided to make games together. However, as they grew, their funny little name just wouldn't fly anymore. So, a change had to be made.

 

[happy_turtle]

P.S. You are all potatoes. Ya I said it!

My second cousin's step-sister's aunt is Irish and I find your remarks to be in very poor taste...I demand ban hammer!!!

On a more serious note, I think this is just more of a publicity stunt. I know over five gamers and none of them asked for this change.

 

[Adzma]

Well we have to avoid the possibility of offending anyone. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go play some Gender Neutral Pac Person.