Home Gaming Of course PETA’s moaning about Assassin’s Creed 4

Of course PETA’s moaning about Assassin’s Creed 4

2 min read
30

Whale

Those delightfully deluded people from PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have attacked videogames on numerous occasion, for what they say is the glorifying of violence against animals in video games. Hell, they’ve even attacked Mario, for all that turtle stomping. the latest game to get their faux-fur lined panties in a twist is Assassin’s Creed 4, which allows you to plunder the sea’s bounty – and do a spot of whaling.

“Whaling,” says PETA “that is, shooting whales with harpoons and leaving them to struggle for an hour or more before they die or are hacked apart while they are still alive—may seem like something out of the history books, but this bloody industry still goes on today in the face of international condemnation, and it’s disgraceful for any game to glorify it.

 

PETA encourages video game companies to create games that celebrate animals—not games that promote hurting and killing them.”

Yes, there’s nothing cool about actual whaling; it’s cruel – and no longer used for essential things like lighting lamps. Modern whaling exists primarily to provide food, and frankly, there are better sources of protein (isn’t that right, Darryn?).

I think it’s patently ridiculous, to be honest – though I’m sure  all this noise is just pure publicity, keeping the PETA name in people’s minds. Killing digital animals is not real, and does nothing to glorify or encourage real-life animal violence. Besides, it’s not like you’re going go whaling in Assassin’s Creed 4, then decide to jump in the whaling vessel you keep in your back yard and hunt you some whales.

It also detracts from the real life cruelty and inhumane treatment of animals that aren’t a collection of pixels. If PETA’s moaning about killing virtual animals in a game that’s not even out yet, is it safe to just go ahead and assume all the real ones are doing just fine?

Ubisoft, tongue firmly in cheek, has responded to PETA’s statement.

“History is our playground in Assassin’s Creed. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is a work of fiction that depicts the real events during the golden era of pirates. We do not condone illegal whaling, just as we don’t condone a pirate lifestyle of poor hygiene, plundering, hijacking ships, and over-the legal-limit drunken debauchery.”

Last Updated: March 7, 2013

30 Comments

  1. hayted

    March 7, 2013 at 12:15

    I have never seen a gamer play a game and feel like going out for a spot of whaling. Now baby seal clubbing is a totally different but we talking about whaling now. 🙂

    Reply

    • Skyblue

      March 9, 2013 at 05:39

      Warranty void if seal is broken…

      Reply

  2. JHN

    March 7, 2013 at 12:18

    fake whales have feelings too

    Reply

    • Trevor Davies

      March 7, 2013 at 12:27

      but they taste delicious!

      Reply

      • Banana Jim

        March 7, 2013 at 12:29

        They taste like GRYPHONS and Dragons!!

        Reply

        • Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

          March 7, 2013 at 12:31

          And pixies dipped in unicorn poop!

          Reply

          • Banana Jim

            March 7, 2013 at 13:40

            mmmm… unicorn poop! It’s all soft and pasty, but it melts in your mouth!

          • Admiral Chief Erwin

            March 7, 2013 at 14:08

            O_O

          • Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

            March 7, 2013 at 14:40

            You should try it Erwin. It’s amazing!

            CC @JimLenoir:disqus

      • JayDiCee

        March 7, 2013 at 12:41

        in the latest news, traces of gorgon, cyclops, unicorn, dragon, gryphon and kraken meat have been discovered in south african meat produce… And you thought horses and whales were something to write home about

        Reply

  3. Sir Captain Rincethis

    March 7, 2013 at 12:21

    Oh, I, oh… I, well, this is embarrassing… I just had this urge you see… I mean, it could have been the book Moby Dick, but I read that at school. Granted, the school’s fish tank suddenly had an infestation of tooth picks, all neatly placed perfectly through the goldfish, but that was then. The whale blubber I am doing my best to chew on CAN’T be related to this game, can it? #petaneedanswers

    Reply

  4. Banana Jim

    March 7, 2013 at 12:25

    Listen, I’m a greenie, but I really think Peta needs to take a deep breath and realise what every toddler and tween come to understand: there’s a difference between reality and fiction. Similarly to violence against humans and aliens in games –> hunting an animal in a game does not mean you condone hunting in real life. I might hunt a tiger in a game like Far Cry 3, but in real life, I actually feel extreme anguish and guilt for accidentally stepping on my cat’s tail.

    PETA… seriously now. You have a crucial message to deliver to the masses, but in acting like a bunch of dicks, it not only lessens your message but it also destroys your credibility.

    Reply

    • The Bearded Dutchman

      March 7, 2013 at 12:39

      I disagree. I’ve felt terrible since I launched my first nuke in Red Alert 2 not to mention my first Anthrax missile in C and C Generals 2. But what I feel the worst about is those poor little worms that died while playing Worms Armageddon. By the way, a different species of cuddly monkey goes extinct every time you step on a cockroach in Half life.

      Reply

      • Banana Jim

        March 7, 2013 at 12:49

        LOL! Have an upvote!

        Every prostitute driven over in GTA3 has had a butterfly effect on the likelihood of a species going extinct in real life… :0 Chaos theory is a bitch! 😀

        Reply

    • :-P

      March 7, 2013 at 13:07

      I ? whales

      Reply

      • The Bearded Dutchman

        March 8, 2013 at 10:01

        A seal walks into a ?

        Reply

        • OVG

          March 8, 2013 at 17:25

          ROFL

          Reply

    • Weanerdog

      March 7, 2013 at 15:13

      You used Peta and credibility in the same sentance.

      Reply

      • Banana Jim

        March 8, 2013 at 17:04

        LMAO!

        Reply

  5. Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

    March 7, 2013 at 12:31

    That response from UbiSoft was UbiHard man!

    Reply

    • Banana Jim

      March 7, 2013 at 12:32

      A stiff backhand of logic!

      Reply

  6. JayDiCee

    March 7, 2013 at 12:38

    They should actually put a label on the game informing potential buyers that absolutely NO real animals were harmed in any way whatsoever whilst making beta testing and playing the game… It was all just make belief

    Reply

  7. Skyblue

    March 7, 2013 at 12:38

    That Ubisoft response is absolutely epic!!

    Reply

  8. JayDiCee

    March 7, 2013 at 12:43

    CA’TAIN Jack Sparrow should be marketing this game

    Reply

  9. Daryl Eksteen

    March 7, 2013 at 12:59

    PETA….the biggest hypocrites doing nothing good for the world! They against Animal Anti-Cruelty League and SPCA’s work. They are bullshit, any educated and informed person can see that. Go f#ck yourself PETA!

    Reply

    • Fnuik

      March 7, 2013 at 14:15

      Hahahaha loved it!

      Reply

  10. TechniKyle

    March 7, 2013 at 13:17

    Well then they must’ve been pretty pissed with Dishonored.

    Reply

  11. bite_my_ass_peta

    March 8, 2013 at 03:01

    peta needs to chill right the fuck out. they made a game with more animal violence than anyone else

    Reply

  12. OVG

    March 8, 2013 at 17:26

    What is rather large pink and hairy on the sea floor?

    Reply

  13. ashish

    March 11, 2013 at 10:02

    Yup black flag !! Id love to play it !!

    Reply

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