A controversial game named Slavery Simulator has been faraway from Google’s app store following a big backlash in Brazil. The app, developed by Magnus Games, was launched on April 20 and allowed gamers to “buy and sell” black characters. The game was downloaded over 1,000 instances earlier than being taken down.
Brazil is a nation grappling with the legacy of slavery, which was only abolished in 1888. The game’s description claimed that customers could “exchange, buy and promote slaves” and even inflict varied types of torture on black characters. Images from the game showed users being given the selection to both free the enslaved characters or use them for personal achieve, stopping the abolition of slavery and accumulating wealth.
Upon removal, the game had a ranking of 4 out of 5 stars. One review stated: “Great game to move the time. But I think it lacked extra torture choices.”
Outrage ensued on social media in Brazil, with a quantity of high-profile politicians calling for larger accountability from tech companies. Renata Souza, a black activist and regional politician from Rio de Janeiro, tweeted: “Blatant racism. The image illustrating the game has a white man surrounded by black men. It is absurdly violent. Google and the developer must answer for this crime of hatred and racism.”
Denise Pessoa, a lawmaker from the ruling PT political get together, expressed her disbelief on Twitter: “IT IS ABSURD that a recreation that spreads cruelty and hate speech in opposition to black people is out there. Our nation was constructed with the blood of the black population. People were killed, and tortured. A ‘Slavery Simulator’ isn’t any joke.”
Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s workplace has opened an investigation into how the game, known as Simulador de Escravidão in Portuguese, was allowed on the Google Play Store. Secrets for Racial Equality has scheduled a meeting with Google to develop “anti-racist content moderation” insurance policies and acknowledged that the developers could be held legally responsible, reviews BBC News.
A Google spokesperson told the BBC that the Play Store prohibits “apps that promote violence or incite hatred towards individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, or that depict or promote gratuitous violence or other harmful activities.” They added, “When violations are discovered, we take applicable motion.”
Magnus Games did not present a comment when contacted by the BBC. Still, the outline of the sport states that it was “crafted solely for amusement functions. Our studio rejects any type of slavery. The content within the recreation is fictional and not linked to specific historic occurrences. All resemblances are unintentional.”