Jade Falls: Zynga’s Racist App For Farmville

By Lexington | Thursday, June 7, 2012 | 9 Comments

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From TechCrunch: “Zynga is drumming up stereotypes that simply don’t apply in this day and age. As Asian Americans who grew up in or near white suburbia, this is the exact type of mass media that made us feel like we didn’t belong,” write Anthony and Peter Ha. What on earth are they talking about? A new Farmville (remember that?) add-on called Jade Falls that takes place in exaggerated “Asian” locales. And of course, there are pandas, dragons, rice paddies and other features Zynga calls “exotic.”

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Kimiye

Like my new avatar?
m_wei

can’t China trademark pandas?
bill poon

This isn’t Facebook. Write an article.
nelly mccausland

I dont think JADE FALLS for FARMVILLE is racist. Stereotyped, yes and it only shows lack of proper information or imagination but that does not make it racist. Stop, please, being so darn conscious about such matters. Is it downright inferiority complex? If Zynga was to make a Spanish farm I am sure they will have bullfights (that most spaniards abhorr, it is just for tourists) flamenco dancers and “paella” as a recipe that many spanish people do not even like. But that is what the bulk of people know about Spain and Farmville caters to a grand public. It is mass entertainment and mass, as a whole, lacks a cultural basis.
m_wei

so you’re saying the European perception of America as a land of overweight couch potatoes with shoe sized IQs is accurate?
nelly mccausland

As you very well say, it´s a perception and as such it can spring from ignorance. People that believe that have never left their little town. But is not racist.
m_wei

if you can at least admit to Americans being completely ignorant of the rest of the world, then I will agree that this is a bit over-reacting.

the more offensive stuff is Rihanna’s latest Illuminati brainwashing video.
http://profile.yahoo.com/4BRWH542C2ESKSC4HV6P7HBFKM James

I agree w/ Nelly. To me, there’s a difference between being racist and stereotyping. Perhaps most racist remarks are stereotyping, but not all stereotyping is racist.

Zynga is just commercializing the stereotype. And just because SOME people are offended by it doesn’t necessarily mean Zynga is being racist – unless they are marketing it people who hate Asians, which I doubt is the case.

Also, there are plenty of Asian-Americans who did NOT grow up “in or near white suburbia,” so let’s be careful not to let Mr. Anthony and Peter Ha speak for all of “us.”

If you’re offended by Zynga’s add-on, then I ask – what alternative world would you like to live in? Do you want to turn all references to pandas, dragons, and rice paddies into taboos? Should “white” companies/people be forbidden to be “inspired” by the diversity and culture of Asia? Should Asian companies/people be the only ones allowed to use Asian imagery in their products or marketing?

About myself/Disclaimers: I am Asian-American. I don’t play any Zynga games besides Draw Something. I actually have a negative opinion of the game company. I visited the Zynga website at the link in the post above.
m_wei

please define “inspired” by the diversity and culture of Asia.

there’s a huge thread right now about cultural misappropriation…

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