It probably has something to do with this concept.MarsAtlas said:Some of these "SJW" types actually believe that any depiction of such a thing, like racism, is itself unacceptable. Some believe because no matter how you frame the racism, it'll be promoting it, some because they think that 99% of depictions are actually more harmful than helpful, some think that only certain people can speak on a matter - take Suey Park/#CancelColbert as an example. She thinks its unaccpetable, not necessarily for that joke to be made, but for a person who is white to do so. There's other various reasons as to why, but those spring to mind as some of the most prominent ones. I generally strongly disagree with all of these reactions, but I think its important nonetheless to understand where some people are coming from when they call it "racist".
Additionally, there probably should be a word used to describe something as having carrying a lot of baggage regarding race and being generally insensitive, but thats another discussion entirely, only tangentially related because then the accusation of something being like that becomes significantly less loaded.
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story
When a category of people are generally depicted in one way it does effect the way people view that category of people. So for example, if Black men are usually depicted as dangerous thugs(a negative and racist stereotype of Black men), individuals who have little to no actual experience with Black men will assume that to be true.
In the case of this game, and the depiction of people from other nations, we really don't have that wide a range of depictions in the States. And each one that mirrors the image of a downtrodden/ oppressed/ warmongering foreigner can reinforce the idea that that is all people from those nations are.