link Feminists cry foul over Fat Princess Does Sony's cartoony castle game cross the line? By Ben Silverman She's plump, powerful and ready to cause more controversy than "SuperSize Me." She's Fat Princess, the star of Sony's upcoming video game of the same name. Debuting at last week's E3 expo, the colorful Fat Princess is a capture-the-flag game with a twist: you can thwart capture attempts by locking the once-thin princess in a dungeon and stuffing her full of cake, thereby increasing her girth and making her harder for your enemies to haul back to home base. According to popular gaming blog Joystiq, two feminist gaming sites have already voiced their displeasure with the weighty issue. Feminist Gamer's "Mighty Ponygirl" rings in diplomatically, suggesting a new way to play the game altogether. "Instead of running out into the forest to find cake to fatten up the princess with, why not go out and find gold (which is a lot heavier than cake) to stuff into a treasure chest. The more gold in the chest, the heavier it would be, and the harder it would be to carry," she said, before adding, "Oh, but that's not as "cute" as cake and fat chicks. Right." Over at Shakesville, however, writer Melissa McEwan cuts to the chase, telling Sony she's "positively thrilled to see such unyielding dedication to creating a new generation of fat-hating, heteronormative ---holes." Sony has yet to issue an official response, although Joystiq did receive a particularly informative update from James Green, Fat Princess' lead art director, who clued gamers in on the origins of the game: "Does it make it better or worse that the concept artist (who designed the look, characters, everything) is a girl?" Hmmm...hope the game's detractors don't mind eating a bit of crow.
I think it's offensive and, while it's a free country, I would hope our society would make better choices than to support this stuff. Not so much because it's offensive to women as because it's degrading to all larger people. Though I can see how women would see it as part of their objectification in general - there are a lot more guys out there making "fat chick jokes" than girls making fat guy jokes, and we know that. No social stigma about dating a guy of any weight if he's a nice guy; however, it's different the other way around. Not to mention that, in real life, many skinny people eat more cake (and other unhealthy food) than many overweight people. All metabolisms are not created equal. For those of us who struggle with weight, it's not pleasant to see the whole thing portrayed as some self-control-lacking, cake-eating fat chick. (and I'm one of those people who are still within fairly normal range, yet it still touches a nerve) Why is it still "cool" to make fun of overweight people, when we've worked so hard to erase other prejudices from our society?
Pretty much agree but I'm afraid you're going to see a bunch of Rosie O' Donnell and lesbian jokes from here on out.
What stereotype? Somebody show me some more examples of the fat princess stereotype. I've seen plenty of fat kings in cartoons though. If it was called Fat King nobody would care.
Apparently it enforces the stereotype that if someone chooses to eat food high in calories and not exercise, they become overweight. Similarly, we shouldn't criticize stupid people for making poor decisions without accepting their consequences because, you know, that like enforces stereotypes.
I would give the nice and quick answer to both of you, but it's already been given: ...Isabel, you say there's no social stigma surrounding fat guys if they're a nice guy? Well no, not really. Not that I've seen. And yet, as Oski says, no one's up in arms over a fat guy in a videogame. In fact, has anyone ever thought that the lack of large women in television, videogames, or media in general may be the reason they're less socially acceptable? Hmmmmmmm? Seriously, how many do you see, compared to big guys? Like 10% as much? Maybe less? IMO because we're such a TV- and media-dominated culture, if we leave large women out of them, people tend to think that large women don't or shouldn't exist in society. As you say, "in real life," I know no one who is THAT overweight who doesn't have an eating problem, or a lack of exercise problem. In fact, they all have both. Being bigger is one thing, but no one is 5'7" and 400 pounds just because they were born that way. I had a boss like that, and a few friends. They all eat candy and burgers nonstop and refuse to exercise, and I mean at all; they do stuff like get rides to their car in the parking lot after work or take their dog on a "walk" by hanging the leash out the window. And still, I don't make fun of them, but that doesn't mean they aren't idiots. She doesn't lack self-control, in the game you FORCE her to eat a lot, and she gets fat. So what? If you force ANYONE to sit there and eat tons of cake and not exercise, they're going to get fat. It's a fact of life. So why is it offensive? You seem to want to enforce a myth about the nutritional value of cake... EDIT: Indeed. Very well said. This is why I totally fail to find this game offensive at all. Lighten up, people: it's called "cause-and-effect."
maybe this is the new initiative against obessity. after kids playing this game, maybe they don't want grow up that big anymore. fix the social issue. why not?
The "Fat Prince" would not cause an uproar. You know why? Because guys don't cry about their problems and complain. I love the "heteronormative" statement. Quit thinking everything is about you, "feminist".
I don't think the fact that the concept artist was female precludes the game from being sexist. Phyllis Schlafly isn't exactly advancing the cause of women's rights. That said, there are probably bigger fish to fry than this particular game.
Perhaps guys don't "cry and complain" because they are not subject to nearly the same social stigmatization that is placed on "fat" females. There is far more pressure for girls to be conventionally attractive (see: thin) than for guys. As far as the stereotypes are concerned: come on people, use your brains a little here. In the game, you stuff a girl locked in a prison cell full of cake to make her fat. It's ridicule, and it perpetuates the stereotype of fat being unacceptable on girls by making a mockery of a fat girl. This game is not "Being a girl and fat is OK, you are just as special as anyone else." It's "Let's have fun by making a chick really fat and laughing about it." That's damaging.
instead of cake or gold, i wonder why they didn't have the princess go out and train and become a real bad ass fighting machine. I guess it's easier to eat cake and get fat than to focus on training hard...hey just like real life.
Hopefully this game will incourage American girls to not be fat! Or they will be locked in a dungeoun!
Oh, the irony of having a video game where you work out the character. Yeah, that would be brilliant. Fat people are fat for a reason. Watch any season of "The Biggest Loser" for proof.
Yup, "The Biggest Loser" is far better proof than countless scientific studies showing that different people genetically have different rates of metabolism. Because actually thinking would be too hard!
