While this costume does score fairly low on the bingo, mostly due to lack of attempt to make it even look protective, I wanted to bingo it because it highlights another example of exotification.

We recently promoted a petition taking a stance against extofication in roleplaying games, and there have been important developments since. 

When Resident Evil 5 was first released everyone  from games reviewers to the British Rating Board rushed to assure us it was officially “not racist” – however when the game creates a “tribal” outfit like this for the elite counter-terrorist operative who happens to be a woman in “Africa” (rather than a specific country on the continent, thus eliminating any sort of expectation of accuracy/research).

There are numerous cultural groups spread across the many nations of Africa who have different styles and standards of dress – the only ones that would have this are westernized elite who are essentially parodying the traditional residents.  That’s not a good image to promote.

(Before anyone… I see you, rushes to tell me how this shouldn’t count because it’s an “extra” please consider that this costume is not nearly as offensive as one of the main groups of antagonists in RE5)

– wincenworks