When EA and DICE announced Battlefield 1, revealing that a Harlem Hellfighter would be on the box art, some gamers were outraged. A minority of fans criticised the companies for featuring an African-American soldier on the cover, complaining that it ‘just isn’t realistic.’

Battlefield 1 has now been available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One for just over a week and it seems that the game’s launch has reignited this same argument. Only, this time, Battlefield 1 is being accused of ‘black-washing.’

Battlefield 1‘s Black-Washing Controversy

The initial complaint from some, regarding the game’s box art, was that in using an African-American soldier to promote the game, it overlooks the efforts of the other (mostly white) soldiers who fought in World War 1, which some have labelled ‘black-washing’. With black people playing such a small role in the war, they also say that it’s an inaccurate portrayal of what happened.

Comments like these conveniently ignore the fact that choosing any lone soldier – male, female, of any race – for the Battlefield 1 box art could be considered an ‘overlooking’ of the efforts of any other group. Featuring all of the game’s playable characters on the box art would no doubt lead to arguments that EA and DICE are ‘pandering’ to those looking for representation, so either way they can’t win.

And it’s not just the box art that’s got some people all riled up either. Battlefield 1‘s multiplayer also allows players to fight as an African-American soldier and in addition to the usual complaints about being forced to play as a black character, some have even suggested that black soldiers have a camouflage advantage.

Other criticisms levelled at Battlefield 1, both for its inclusion of African-American soldiers and its playable female Bedouin warrior (in the campaign mode), is that the game is making a political statement about race. Arguments like this are familiar and were also used to criticise Mafia 3, which directly tackles racism. Though, they fail to acknowledge that (almost) any game that features human beings can somehow make a statement about race.

Regardless, the criticisms don’t seem to have done much to Battlefield 1‘s sales, as the game is top of the charts in the UK. EA is also expecting the game to shift around 15 million units in its first year on sale, so it’s off to a flying start already.

Source: reddit