Professor Stands Against Intimidation from Assassin's Creed Players, Responds with Compassion
Facing Harassment with Grace: A professor takes on online trolls and changes the game
Sachi Schmidt-Hori, an associate professor of Japanese literature and culture at Dartmouth College, found herself in the middle of an online storm after working on Assassin's Creed Shadows. Despite never playing the game, she was subjected to a barrage of online harassment due to the game's diverse characters.
Set in 16th-century Japan, the game features Naoe, a female assassin, and Yasuke, a Black African samurai. Despite Yasuke being based on a real person, critics accused Schmidt-Hori of historical inaccuracies and "wokeness" run amok.
Online forums became a battleground, with Schmidt-Hori becoming a target for gamers' vitriol. Some criticized her academic research on gender and sexuality, while others attacked her personally and even her husband.
Instead of retreating, Schmidt-Hori chose a different approach. Taking inspiration from civil rights leader John Lewis, she decided to face her harassers head-on.
She began responding to trolls, engaging them in dialogue, and even inviting them to speak to her via Zoom. This brave move started a series of apologies and open conversations, transforming what could've been a bitter feud into valuable discussions about diversity, representation, and empathy.
One person who apologized was Anik Talukder, a south Asian man from the UK. Initially criticizing Schmidt-Hori's involvement in the game, he had his views changed after talking with her. They discussed the lack of Asian representation in Western media, leading to a meaningful connection between them.
In a world where online harassment is unfortunately common, Schmidt-Hori's approach stands out. By confronting her harassers with kindness and empathy, she turned a negative situation into an opportunity for dialogue and education.
Despite Ubisoft's initial advice to ignore the harassment, Schmidt-Hori's actions showed that standing up to online bullies can lead to understanding and change. Her courage serves as a reminder that we can all help create a more inclusive gaming community if we choose to.
Online forums and video games are powerful tools, but they can also be breeding grounds for hateful behavior. However, by adopting a proactive approach like Schmidt-Hori's, we can transform these platforms into spaces for learning, growth, and positive change.
Insights:- Diverse representation in video games can be a starting point for discussions about online harassment, empathy, and inclusion.- Engaging with harassers in dialogue can lead to apologies, open conversations, and a shift in perspectives.- Structured programs and education can help teach digital citizenship, media literacy, and cyber safety, indirectly addressing online harassment.- Game developers can create more inclusive environments by engaging with the community, designing games with diverse representations, and incorporating feedback.- Initiatives promoting diversity and empathy in games serve as a starting point for addressing and combating harassment.- By standing up to online bullies, individuals can help create a more inclusive gaming community where everyone feels heard and respected.
- Professor Sacchi Schmidt-Hori, despite not playing Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows, faced vitriol due to the game's diverse characters like Naoe and Yasuke.
- The controversy surrounding Schmidt-Hori led to heated discussions on social media, with critics questioning her academic work on gender and sexuality, as well as her involvement in the game.
- Amidst the harassment, Schmidt-Hori chose to confront her harassers with empathy, engaging them in dialogue and even inviting them for discussions via Zoom.
- This brave move led to apologies and open conversations, transforming the situation into valuable discussions about diversity, representation, and empathy.
- Schmidt-Hori's approach serves as an inspiration for gamers, celebrities, and even pop-culture influencers to promote a more inclusive gaming community, where books about historical figures such as Yasuke can benefit from fair representation.
