Stellar Blade Controversy: Unintentional Racial Slur Sparks Patch
Unintended Graffiti Offends
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that a day-one patch will be released to remove an offensive piece of in-game graffiti from its upcoming action RPG, Stellar Blade. The graffiti, which was spotted by IGN, has been interpreted by some as an unintentional reference to a racial slur.
The offending graffiti appears in the game’s “R Shop,” which is owned by the character Roxanne. The shop’s sign is placed next to the word “hard” in graffiti, which, when read together, some players found reminiscent of a racial slur.
Sony Acknowledges Error
In a statement, PlayStation said, “The placement of two graphics near each other in Stellar Blade resulted in an unintentionally objectionable phrase. Shift Up had no intention of creating offensive artwork and will be replacing the graffiti for the Day 1 patch.”
Patch in Development
PlayStation also confirmed that the issue has already been patched out in some versions of the game, with the word “hard” being replaced with “crime.” Physical copies of the game will include the patch, Sony said.
Not an Isolated Incident
This is not the first time that unintentional racism has occurred in a video game. In 2021, Back 4 Blood developer Turtle Rock Studios addressed an issue during the game’s open beta where zombies said what sounded like a racial slur, especially when multiple zombies said the line at once. The developer fixed the problem prior to the game launching.
Stellar Blade’s Critical Reception
Stellar Blade, developed by Shift Up, launches on April 26, exclusively on PlayStation 5. In GameSpot’s Stellar Blade review, the game was praised for its “strong battle system and exciting moments.”
Outrage and Patch
The graffiti controversy sparked outrage among some gamers and journalists, who accused the game of promoting racism. Sony responded quickly with the day-one patch, but the incident highlights the importance of sensitivity and cultural awareness in game development.
Priyanka 
Deepika