Key Takeaways
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- The game Black Sailors: A Santos Bay Tale is an upcoming tactical naval strategy game set in colonial Brazil, aiming to educate players about Black history and slavery.
- Mandinga Games has faced backlash from some Steam users who made racist comments about the games portrayal of Black people and the studio itself.
- In response, Mandinga Games has emphasized that their game challenges Eurocentric perspectives and aims to provide a respectful and accurate portrayal of African history and spirituality in Brazil.
- The controversy surrounding Black Sailors highlights the importance of confronting racism and promoting diverse narratives in video games, with Afro Games offering support to Mandinga Games during this challenging time.
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According to Pedro Zambarda of PlayersForLife of Games, the newly announced game Black Sailors: A Santos Bay Tale is coming soon to Steam. Set in the Bay of All Saints during colonial times, the tactical naval strategy game aims to educate players about Black history and slavery in Brazil. Players will command a crew of enslaved Africans leading a revolt, capturing slave ships, liberating enslaved people, battling Portuguese vessels, and aiding quilombos. After facing racist comments from Steam users, Mandinga Games sought assistance from Afro Games. The comments included accusations that freed slaves became thieves, irrelevant remarks about Brazilian politics, jokes about the studio’s name, and the use of a racial slur to describe the game’s characters. Some commenters have complained about the game’s portrayal of Black people, reporting it to Steam and claiming a witch hunt against those expressing their opinions. One commenter called for the Brazilian development team to resign en masse. Others have criticized the legal allocation of government funds to the game and promoted the baseless claim that Black people owned white slaves in Africa. Because the comments are primarily in English, Steam’s moderation decisions will affect a global audience.
In response to the controversy, Mandinga Games released the following statement: “Our upcoming game, Black Sailors: A Santos Bay Tale, challenges Eurocentric perspectives that homogenize the African diaspora. As a studio based in Salvador, Bahia, our goal is to highlight the rich history and diverse ethnicities—such as Fon, Yoruba, and Bantu—who brought their unique cultures, languages, and beliefs to Brazil. Our game may make some people uncomfortable because they are accustomed to seeing only the colonizers’ perspective. We are not interested in perpetuating empty stereotypes, but in providing serious entertainment with depth. To handle this sensitive subject appropriately, we have engaged a postdoctoral scholar in the African Diaspora in Brazil and a Candomblé practitioner. Their input ensures that our portrayal of spirituality and history is respectful and accurate, not cartoonish. The hatred we have received indicates that we are challenging outdated, one-sided views of Black history.”
Balancing Game Development and Hate Moderation: Mandinga Games’ Struggle Amid Prejudiced Attacks on ‘Black Sailors
The studio further explains that the game centers on revolt—enslaved Africans taking control of ships and fighting back against oppression in the Bay of All Saints. This narrative of freedom and resistance permeates the game. Mandinga Games anticipated some negative reactions on Steam and social media; however, the coordinated attacks have been overwhelming for their small team, which is struggling to balance game development with moderating hateful content. Afro Games has offered vital support, recognizing the game’s potential and providing the resources necessary to maintain their vision. With this assistance, Mandinga believes that Black Sailors is a crucial story for today’s gaming landscape, and that a large audience exists for diverse narratives. They affirm that confronting racism and prejudice in video games is essential.
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| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Groove Coaster: Initial Initial Echo Ego |
| Brief Summary | Touhou Project music DLC for Groove CoasterTitle: Initial Initial Echo EgoArtist: RD-Sounds*Arrange from Touhou ShinreibyouDifficulty: Simple 2 / Normal 5 / Hard 8BPM: 156 |
| Genre | Music |
| Play Modes | Single player |