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Mordhau: Racism and sexism run rampant

2 min read
213

The online medieval brawler Mordhau has come under fire due to a community that’s largely been left unchecked and unmoderated by the game’s developer.

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Look, it’s no secret that every online game will have some part of the community that just “doesn’t get why all games have to be so PC, broooooooooo”. Racism, sexism and just general bigotry are unfortunately all too common in the online space of video games, largely because the original demographic that invested so much of their time in the subculture was predominantly white men who weren’t exactly moderated on how they behaved around strangers, using the anonymity that is the Internet as a curtain to hide behind. Fortunately, most developers and publishers do their best to keep these kinds of users in check which is sadly not the case for one of 2019’s break-out hits Mordhau.

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Mordhau is unfortunately littered with offensive language in both the game and the official forums used by the game’s community. PC Gamer notes in their report on the issue that players often use slurs like “f**got” when referring to the homosexual community and often describes their playable characters as “n**ggas”, citing the title of one of the oldest and most utilised threads in the game’s official forum.  Andrew Geach, speaking on behalf of the Mordhau team, has stated that, “the title (of the forum post) itself, we as a team don’t find it racist or offensive, and considering the thread’s content, we find it even less so. We do understand however that some people may interpret it as being racist or inappropriate if taken out of context”.

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Many players are taking issue with the developer’s hands-off approach to community management. One need only glance through the Mordhau subreddit to find dozens of posts complaining about the offensive nature of the in-game chat. Geach has stated that any player caught spewing offensive or bigoted phrases is “pretty much banned on the spot” which sounds good until you realise that the game doesn’t have a report option, meaning players have to screenshot any offensive material, send it to the developers via Discord and hope that someone takes notice. Over 300 players have been banned for using offensive slurs, but when the game has sold over a million copies, that’s a tear drop in an ocean.

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Even though Mordhau does have a very small development team, community management is perhaps one of the most important aspects of running a successful online and having sold as many copies as they have, it seems reasonable to expect resources to be placed in that specific division of the development team. The full report can be read here.

Last Updated: July 2, 2019

213 Comments

  1. For the Emperor!

    July 2, 2019 at 13:25

    You could have made the exact same point without the oh so popular white male bashing. Just saying.

    Reply

    • Brad Lang

      July 2, 2019 at 13:25

      I know, I wanted to though.

      Reply

      • Brad Lang

        July 2, 2019 at 13:39

        Okay yeah, I made a stupid comment. Apologies to all, got way too up my own arse.

        Reply

      • Geoffrey Tim

        July 2, 2019 at 13:32

        This is a bit of a shitty comment though. For real.
        Like, there’s no need to be that way.

        Reply

      • Spathi

        July 2, 2019 at 13:39

        You see, the problem you now have is that we are all talking about your shitty comment and statement in the article, instead of the actual, more important aspects you raised and reported on. You do the real issues a disservice.

        Reply

    • G8crasha

      July 2, 2019 at 14:35

      I had to jump in: In my personal opinion, race impacts ones culture (ethics, morals, etc.), but technically speaking, it is your culture that makes you who you are, not your race. We all bleed the same colour, our bodily fluids are all the same colour (in general), we all breathe the same way, walk the same way, procreate the same way, etc. So why people always have to debase everything to race is beyond me. I blame a person’s culture for wrong actions or intentions, because that is something they can change. You can’t change your race (MJ is an exception)!

      Reply

      • Guz

        July 2, 2019 at 16:43

        Hear hear!

        Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      July 2, 2019 at 13:32

      I don;t see it as white bashing? I mean, it is true – the gaming demographic when it came to the subculture largely was that way, especially with forums and messageboards. A lot of that was left unchecked, which is why you have places like 4chan/reddit/8chan and the like that are rife with toxicity.

      Just saying “White men” isn’t saying “all white men who played games are bad people, grrr”

      Reply

      • Spathi

        July 2, 2019 at 13:32

        Brad’s own answer kinda proves your view incorrect you know.

        Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          July 2, 2019 at 13:32

          Yeah, and I’ve just told him it’s a shit comment.

          Reply

          • Spathi

            July 2, 2019 at 13:39

            Thanks!

      • For the Emperor!

        July 2, 2019 at 13:39

        My opinion: when it is not needed, yet it is used (because “I know, I wanted to though”), it qualifies (again, my opinion), as bashing.

        The information about the demographic back then is technically correct (the best kind of correct). But with a changing demographic, people from all walks of life has started to partake in this, which is very sad!

        PS: Appreciate the “shitty comment” part for realz 🙂

        Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          July 2, 2019 at 13:46

          Yeah look, I think here is that 4chan/reddit/8chan etc are the way they are because they were allowed to be because of this reason. The demographic has changed and is changing – and that’s a good thing. It’s why *THIS* is actually an issue now (and that’s a good thing).

          Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        July 2, 2019 at 13:54

        You know Geoff. I honestly try and give CH a fair chance in life. Then I see shit like this posted in an article.
        And not long before a CH staffer comes up with “This is not White Bashing etc”
        You know what. It is. Yes. Perhaps white men were involved in online gaming when it started. But if a sub group of white men are assholes, then it is a white male problem according to entertainment journalists and Twitter.

        White straight men is also something I read all too often.
        This blaming of straight white men for all the ills in the world is akin to Jacob Zuma blaming Jan van Riebeeck for all of SA’s problems.

        You know, I am a straight white male (as is a lot of others I am sure) who are tolerant, or rather supportive of people in walks of life, race, sexuality and so on.

        Call a bunch of assholes exactly just that, but don’t paint us all in the same color?
        (Yeah. I also know that you can rip through all I said here and invalidate all I said in three sentences or less.)

        Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          July 2, 2019 at 14:11

          Cool, so from this I will just find and replace “white men” in all articles and replace it with “assholes”
          Works.

          PS BEFORE PEOPLE THROW ROCKS THROUGH MY WINDOW I AM JOKING, GOSH.

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 16:19

            [puts down rocks]

          • Dutch Matrix

            July 2, 2019 at 14:18

            I don’t throw rocks.
            I fling poop. Nice loose stool.

          • Geoffrey Tim

            July 2, 2019 at 16:35

            Bruh. Why are you like this.

          • Pariah

            July 2, 2019 at 16:42

            Evolution skipped a step.

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 19:57

            wow…

          • G8crasha

            July 2, 2019 at 19:47

            You know that could be understood as a positive as well as a negative!

          • Magoo

            July 2, 2019 at 20:06

            300 IQ interpretation.

          • Dutch Matrix

            July 2, 2019 at 19:47

            You get over a rock in the face.
            Poop in the face tends to stick longer in the memory!

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 20:06

            …and the olfactory organs

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2019 at 15:29

            “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
            People love bashing someone when they perceive a wrong.
            Sometimes we just gotta overlook the stupid crap and move along.
            That just imo. I look through these comments here today and I see lotsa overreacting.

          • Magoo

            July 2, 2019 at 14:11

            And then Darryn can do a “Top 10 funniest Glenn articles after the Geoffageddon.”

    • CrasH

      July 2, 2019 at 14:43

      Don’t stress, agree it feels like it was not required but come on… we so used to this in SA already, it’s the only way other news agencies get attention. Took longer that expected with CH

      Reply

    • Marigold's Revenge!

      July 3, 2019 at 12:38

      But then they wouldn’t have gotten nearly 270 comments. They know that WHYTTEEEE MAAHNNN BAD gets clicks. It’s why polygon does it, and why criticalhit does it.

      Reply

  2. Vorastra

    July 2, 2019 at 13:32

    People say things online that annoy people because it works, news at 11.

    Reply

  3. RinceThis

    July 2, 2019 at 13:39

    Yeah. People suck

    Reply

  4. Yahtzee

    July 2, 2019 at 13:39

    *dips toe in comments section*

    Yup… it’s pretty lukewarm in here.

    Reply

    • Original Heretic

      July 2, 2019 at 13:46

      Today is quite the day for it!

      Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 13:46

        Indeed. I even went out to buy some cashews for the fireworks.

        Reply

        • Magoo

          July 2, 2019 at 13:53

          Is this a thing that people say?

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            It should be, I like it

          • Magoo

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

            Me too!

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            Maybe they shouldn’t… have you seen the price of nuts!

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            The price of nuts is nuts I tell ya!

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            People out here pissing about petrol prices when nuts are the real problem!

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            /tableflips

          • Magoo

            July 2, 2019 at 19:38

            Hammersteyn loves to make nut puns.

            waits

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:38

        • For the Emperor!

          July 2, 2019 at 13:53

          *opens the bag of mixed nuts just to eat some cashews*

          Reply

    • Admiral Chief Umbra

      July 2, 2019 at 13:46

      ARE THOSE TOES CLEAN?

      Reply

      • For the Emperor!

        July 2, 2019 at 13:46

        Doubt (X)

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Umbra

          July 2, 2019 at 13:46

          X
          X
          X
          X
          X
          X
          X
          X
          X
          [mashes X repeatedly]

          Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 13:46

        My privileged white male toes are all squeaky clean thank you very much.

        Reply

    • Admiral Chief Umbra

      July 2, 2019 at 13:46

      Did you just assume the temperature?

      Reply

      • Pariah

        July 2, 2019 at 13:53

        I’m temperature-neutral.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Umbra

          July 2, 2019 at 19:19

          • Pariah

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            I hate that I sang that in my head. XD

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

            Ditto!

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            Bwahahahahahahahahah we should celebrate!
            I’ll grab the cookies

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 19:19

            TELL ME WHY!

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

            This guy gets it

          • Pariah

            July 2, 2019 at 19:38

            Please, he aint nothing but a heartbreak.

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 13:53

        Don’t you start with me whitey

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Umbra

          July 2, 2019 at 19:19

          Look at the toilet calling the bathtub white!

          Reply

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

          • Pariah

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

            Those are some big white balls on that cock.

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

            Is that supposed to load? In the comments, anyway, hehe

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 19:29

            One would think after almost a decade commenting here I would know what GIF links work and what wont…

  5. Kikmi

    July 2, 2019 at 14:11

    This comment section though. The privilege is astounding. Sjoe.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Umbra

      July 2, 2019 at 14:53

      Askuus?

      Reply

    • Magoo

      July 2, 2019 at 14:18

      I’m very privileged, I’ve always appreciated that. What I am not is racist, sexist or just a general bigot.

      Reply

    • Pariah

      July 2, 2019 at 14:18

      Here’s a russian song to change the mood:

      Reply

      • Kikmi

        July 2, 2019 at 15:29

        Jesus, hardhouse. Havent heard that in fucking years.

        Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 15:02

        Bookmarking this for the drive home today

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Umbra

          July 2, 2019 at 16:35

          No bike?

          Reply

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 17:12

            Sold it to buy a new car, I got tired of using gear levers like some noob who likes to be active in traffic

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 19:47

            What did you get?

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 20:15

            A200 AMG

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 21:33

            PRIVILEGE!

            Don’t tell me it is white…

          • Yahtzee

            July 3, 2019 at 03:43

            *winks*

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 3, 2019 at 10:53

            ROFL

    • Jacques Van Zyl

      July 2, 2019 at 14:18

      I’m possibly taking the bait here but it’s comments like this that would’ve been avoided had the author not specifically mentioned white dudes.

      That said – offence is always taken, never given imho.

      Reply

      • Magoo

        July 2, 2019 at 14:53

        There’s literally not a single comment here out of the 160 that talks about the whole article. I don’t even remember what game was in the firing line.

        Reply

        • G8crasha

          July 2, 2019 at 16:35

          Oooo…imagine how the comments section will light up when Cyberpunk is released. Apparently there is some heavy prejudice in that game!!!!!

          Reply

        • Jacques Van Zyl

          July 2, 2019 at 16:42

          Well, I can’t remember when last we had a flamebait Friday on time, so this is as good an article as any? 😛

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 16:42

            I can’t remember when last we had a flamebait Friday on time

            Shots fired
            @OddSockZA:disqus

        • Yahtzee

          July 2, 2019 at 15:02

          For Honor

          Reply

          • Magoo

            July 2, 2019 at 16:35

            Now that’s just gamist!

      • For the Emperor!

        July 2, 2019 at 14:27

        This!

        Reply

  6. Llama In The Rift

    July 2, 2019 at 14:18

    and my friends ask why i don’t play any online games.

    Reply

    • G8crasha

      July 2, 2019 at 14:27

      Um…because when you are older you tend to say “if only I was younger”! Imagine what great things could be achieved in your younger years if you had not wasted your time on those stupid TV games!!!!!

      Reply

  7. Yahtzee

    July 2, 2019 at 14:35

    200 comments in total derailment and not one was about Warframe…what have we become 🙁

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Umbra

      July 2, 2019 at 14:43

      @disqus_DoEH3TsffU:disqus mentioned the Void, and a lot were about the pink gear based on Warframe attire

      Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 14:43

        Not. Concrete. ENOUGH!

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Umbra

          July 2, 2019 at 14:43

          There is this dude that posted a LOT that has an Excalibur Umbra profile pic

          Reply

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 14:43

            But Umbra is old news bra

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 14:43

            I ONLY GOT HIM A MONTH AGO OK? (took a break for a year)

            Also, Equinox Prime waiting for me at home to spin up. And to think I did about 60 runs to get the base version /tableflip

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            July 2, 2019 at 14:53

            lol sounds familiar

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 14:53

            Dude, I got Equinox Prime by just messing around, so simple to build. The systems only took 3x to drop. I was like, dafuq….

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            July 2, 2019 at 15:11

            It’s kinda sad that I’ve got nearly all the prime gear, but I couldn’t be arsed to farm the three newest frames heh.

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 15:12

            I STILL don’t have Nidus…

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 15:12

            So all your frames have pink moles on their necks still? xD

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 18:06

            Nope, you can remove those. My Excali Umbra is pink mole free!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            July 2, 2019 at 15:29

            I played one mission of infested sabotage… and bought Nidus for plat… and that was the the last time I spent a cent on Warframe.

    • Magoo

      July 2, 2019 at 14:43

      DID SOMEBODY SAY WARFRAME

      Time to re-re-re-re-re-re-re-download and play for 2 hours before feeling overwhelmed and eventually letting it get severely outdated and then uninstall. Again.

      Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 14:43

        Yea, they are really going haywire with changes to the game.

        Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 2, 2019 at 14:43

        I reinstalled 2 months ago, and I’ve logged about 100 hours since then

        Reply

        • Magoo

          July 2, 2019 at 14:43

          Expect nothing less than conquering the unconquerable from the Admiral Chief.

          Reply

    • Umar

      July 2, 2019 at 14:43

      That’s because we do not talk about crappy games here on this site
      *goes back to playing a weeb dating sim*

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 2, 2019 at 14:43

        [flings rocks and poop and snot and Darryn’s underwear]

        Reply

        • Umar

          July 2, 2019 at 14:43

          Yo, you better back off before me and my tomodachis get wild up in this place.

          Reply

          • HairyEwok

            July 2, 2019 at 15:02

            for a second i read tamagotchis…..

          • Umar

            July 2, 2019 at 17:12

            Same thing. My tamagochis are my tomodachis. They’re real okay T.T

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 17:12

            WTF is a tomodachis (not gonna google that)

          • Umar

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            Lol means friend. But it’s usually used in a corny way in anime.
            “I WILL WIN THIS FIGHT BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF MY TOMODACHIS.”

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            Haha

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 2, 2019 at 15:02

            Even if I back off, I’m still in flinging distance!

      • Yahtzee

        July 2, 2019 at 14:43

        I also had oodles of fun with Doki Doki

        Reply

        • Umar

          July 2, 2019 at 14:43

          MONIKAAAAAAAAA

          Reply

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 14:43

            So what game are you referring to anyway, since that’s right up my alley anyway xD

          • Umar

            July 2, 2019 at 15:02

            Shit, you called my bluff…I’m not playing a dating sim okay…I’m watching hentai, I mean, anime…yes

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 17:12

            Good. Because the Summer lineup of anime is fire!

          • Umar

            July 2, 2019 at 17:20

            Bruh, while there is a ton of good shit on the way, I’m just salivating at the thought of watching Dr. Stone

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            I’m just sitting around waiting for the Fruits Basket remake to get done airing

          • Magoo

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            And there’s Otoki!

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            Never heard of this one 😛

          • Umar

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            Gonna take a while, no? Didn’t it start in like May?

          • Yahtzee

            July 2, 2019 at 20:23

            Halfway now yes. But I am a bit behind on my winter season anime, so it’s all good. Finished up Mob Psycho 100 S2, Tsurune and Run with the Wind this week.

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          July 2, 2019 at 14:53

          I thought he was talking about Fable.

          Reply

        • Magoo

          July 2, 2019 at 14:53

          Don’t lie. That game ripped your heart out and tore it to shreds.

          Reply

    • For the Emperor!

      July 2, 2019 at 14:43

      What is a Warframe? Is it edible?

      Reply

      • Magoo

        July 2, 2019 at 14:53

        I mean I guess, if you wanted to, you could.. No, wait! Corner. Now!

        Reply

    • Captain JJ

      July 2, 2019 at 15:29

      Drama in the comments section works wonders

      Reply

  8. Admiral Chief Umbra

    July 2, 2019 at 14:53

    Right, so Brad’s first big boo boo.

    I say, write UNBIASED opinion piece on the vilification on the term we do not mention and wash Darryn’s bat-suit as retribution

    Reply

    • For the Emperor!

      July 2, 2019 at 15:11

      “wash Darryn’s bat-suit” – Dude, seriously. The Geneva Convention prohibits that kind of torture!

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 2, 2019 at 17:12

        @Vengi57:disqus nailed it

        Reply

    • Jacques Van Zyl

      July 2, 2019 at 15:11

      **Wear Darryn’s bat-suit as retribution

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 2, 2019 at 17:12

        You, I like you.
        +10 cool points!

        Reply

    • The D

      July 2, 2019 at 17:12

      I’ve been saving one just for him, that I’ve been marinating myself in with the pungent sweat of a thousand conventions. Nothing beats rubber when it comes to sealing in “the flava”.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 3, 2019 at 08:09

        My man!

        Reply

  9. SagatatiaRZA

    July 2, 2019 at 15:30

    The white male thing… Such a cultural meme. Doesn’t say much aside from the fact that you, like many in this industry, are just so easily malleable by what you read on a daily basis. If this is your own opinion so be it, but anyone with half a second of thought put in knows you’re just another product of what has now been proven to be excellent marketing. Shit the fact that I’m even making this comment proves that it works. Hope you can learn to love yourself and your skin colour. For real brother.

    Reply

  10. AfroStalin

    July 2, 2019 at 15:38

    Sounds to me like white men are the new n*gg*rs. I remember growing up and hearing all sorts of slurs being thrown at black men, and everything being blamed on those with a hue darker than a cup of milky coffee. Nowadays, everything bad is blamed on whiteys.

    Not sure how I feel about it, but it is funny to see young white males dunking on young white males. If this is true in the black community, I’ve yet to see it. But carry on young white males, keep fighting other white males.

    Reply

  11. Marigold's Revenge!

    July 3, 2019 at 12:38

    WHHHHHYYYYTTEEEE MAAAHHHHNNNN BAAAAADD!!

    Do you guys just lift articles from polygon and kotaku?

    Reply

  12. Sins of the Father

    July 4, 2019 at 20:51

    Thanks CriticalHit, I just bought the game. You and Kotaku are better at marketting this game then the devs themselves. Nothing like some fake outrage to get my wallet out.

    Reply

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