Detroit: Become Human in the UK criticized for domestic violence scene

British human rights activists and politicians have been thinking about the limits of what is allowed in video games. The reason was the latest trailer for the Detroit: Become Human adventure game with scenes of domestic violence.

In the episode shown of the new game studio Quantic Dream, the player can intervene in the conflict between an aggressive father and his young daughter.

Although the trailer demonstrates various ways to save the child, British public figures condemned the choice of a theme for this plot.

“Showing cruelty to children as something ordinary and denying domestic violence is unacceptable in any video game,” said Andy Burrows, a member of the National Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

Peter Sanders, founder of the British National Association of Victims of Childhood Violence, said that “the spread of scenes of child cruelty encourages violence and mistreatment of children.” In his opinion, this problem needs to be solved constructively, while developers are trying to make money on a sick topic.

Sanders was joined by the UK Children’s Ombudsman Anne Longfield, who called the scene “an embarrassing and unpleasant way to make money on the exploitation of real suffering.”

The chairman of the Culture, Media and Sports Committee in the UK Parliament, Damian Collins, went even further, proposing in principle to ban scenes of child abuse in video games, regardless of the motivation of their creators.

The head of development of Detroit: Become Human, David Cage, responded to critics that he created an honest and meaningful story that is understandable to viewers and will make them think.

“I have rules. In my games, I would never glorify violence, insult people because of their race or gender. I don’t cross these boundaries. But here I have nothing to be ashamed of, this is a good story with the right content and meaning, it does not go beyond the limits,” Cage said.

Detroit: Become Human will be released next year on PlayStation 4.

Also on the topic:

• Quantic Dream will release mobile games
• The leading designer of Heavy Rain has opened her own studio

Source: Eurogamer