Hindu society asks Sony to withdraw game

By Ellie Gibson Published 20 April, 2009

Says Hanuman: Boy Warrior is offensive.

The president of the Universal Society of Hinduism has called on Sony to withdraw PS2 title Hanuman: Boy Warrior from sale.

The game, which is the first to be developed wholly by an Indian studio, launched in India last month. It sees players taking on the role of Hindu deity Lord Hanuman.

According to a statement issued by the USOH, president Rajan Zed believes allowing players to control Hanuman with an input device amounts to "denigration". Hanuman "was not meant to be reduced to just a 'character' in a videogame to solidify company / products base in the growing economy of India", argues the statement.

Zed stressed that Hinduism encourages free speech and debate, but added that "faith was something sacred" and "attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees". The USOH argues that "game makers should be more sensitive while handling faith related subjects" as their products have an impact on children and young people. The full press release can be read over at GamingIndians.com.

Other Hindus have since spoken out against the game, according to Web News Wire. Bhavna Shinde of the Forum for Hindu Awakening said, "Using a sacred figure from Hinduism, namely, the Hindus' revered Deity, Sree Hanuman, as a character in a videogame is highly objectionable to us Hindus worldwide."

She continued: "As an ethical corporation, Sony is expected to treat with respect the objects and concepts held sacred by the one-billion-strong Hindu community." Shinde has called on Sony to withdraw Hanuman: Boy Warrior from sale and issue an apology.

Sony has yet to comment on the issue.

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About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (31) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DFawkes #1 3 years ago

    Make a Jesus Christ platformer, I'd play it if it's good. It's not like any Christians will play it and change religion just because he jumps on enemies in the game!

    Does feel a bit like controversy for the sake of it though. How much would really be lost from the core gameplay by changing the characters to Rococo McSpuffers?
    Edited by 1 at 20/04/09 @ 09:15

  • dubdivision #2 3 years ago

    what does this guy actually do in the game .?

    Any reviews out there .?

  • Metalfish #3 3 years ago

    The complainant shoots themselves in the foot somewhat, Hinduism (I am told) really is open to interpretation. Whilst not well versed on details, I think this extends to quite a lot of freedom of belief within the faith, that presumably means this videogame has done nothing wrong scripture wise as it were. I've never heard of Hindu blasphemy at least.
    Edited by 1 at 20/04/09 @ 09:29

  • Tetsuo_Shima #4 3 years ago

    Does anyone remmber the name a of a Sky One TV show from about a decade ago or so where you had about six gamers competing against each other until one remained to face a 'final boss'. It springs to mind now because one of the 'final bosses' was a Hindu bloke, alleged to have layed an egg once, who got brought out on a cushion and he was ace at Tekken 3. can't remember the name of that show fo the life of me.

  • spazmo #5 3 years ago

    We only pander to muslims. Not hindus. Thanks anyway.

  • menage #6 3 years ago

    Religion should know the difference between fiction and fact ...... oops

    Also, there's a brilliant "a day in the life of Jesus in LBP", laughed my ass of with that one.

  • senso-ji #7 3 years ago

    "We only pander to muslims. Not hindus. Thanks anyway."

    This was an indian game, made for an indian audience. It has nothing do with us or our 'pandering'.

  • kangarootoo #8 3 years ago

    Did a bit of nosing around and found this small article.

    [link url=http://www.hindu-blog.com/2008/03/universal- society-of-hinduism.html
    ]http://ww w.hindu-blog.com/2008/03/univer...[/link]

    A bit more info (but only a bit) about the guy behind the organisation.

    [link url=http://en.wiki pedia.org/wiki/Rajan_Zed
    ]http://en.wiki pedia.org/wiki/Rajan_Zed
    [/link]


    It seems the Universal Society of Hinduism is a rather new organisation, and it could be questioned whether it fully represents the views and thoughts of the majority of Hindu society (I don't know either way, I am just supposing).

    By the same measure, it might be said that EG's headline is a tad misleading. My research took me literally 2 minutes...

  • dominalien #9 3 years ago

    I wonder what the reaction would be if someone made a game where you could control Jesus. It would have to be an extreme-sandbox game, though, to stay true to the source material.

    The man behind the organisation actually lives in the US. This makes me wonder how in touch with the Indian society he actually is to make statements like this. The game in question is, after all, made in India by, I assume, Hindu people.

  • spazmo #10 3 years ago

    "This was an indian game, made for an indian audience. It has nothing do with us or our 'pandering'."

    Oh, it's a Sony India decision to withdraw the game is it? I didn't realise.

  • Goodfella #11 3 years ago

    @Tetsuo_Shima

    I believe the programme you are referring to is Gamesworld. They had the 'Videators', basically supposed gaming experts who you had to fight against - Games Messiah, Mr. Mathers and Big Boy Barry to name but three.

  • kinky_mong #12 3 years ago

    This reminds me of when the makers of Monster in My Pocket had to withdraw lots of stock because Hindu society wasn't too thrilled with Ganesh being portrayed as one of the monsters.

  • Tetsuo_Shima #13 3 years ago

    @ Goodfella

    Thanks! After a bit of further investigation I've found out it wasn't actually Games World I remember, but New Games World which was set in an aztec jungle! I think I'll try and youtube it after work, thanks for putting me on the right track.

  • BigJonno #14 3 years ago

    I think there is a big difference between "being portrayed in a videogame" and "being portrayed negatively in a videogame." If someone wants to make a game with a religious figure, they should go ahead, even if a few people get their knickers in a twist about it. Now if someone does a game that shows that same religious figure snorting crack and poppin' caps in hookers or something, then I can understand people getting offended.

  • spazmo #15 3 years ago

    GamesWorld was early 90's. David Walliams was in it if i remember? Bob Mills? Seems a lifetime ago.

  • mcmonkeyplc #16 3 years ago

    New religious nut job group wants attention shocker! I wonder how good the game is. Come on EG, I want I review of this now.

    Dont use the excuse that's it's not a European game eithier. You review Japanese games all the time! :p

  • SG #17 3 years ago

    According to a statement issued by the USOH, president Rajan Zed believes allowing players to control Hanuman with an input device amounts to "denigration".

    Fair enough. They should teach that HINDUS shouldn't pay the game. For atheists, agnostics and followers of other religions, the bloke/god doesn't exist.

    Should I stop playing Okami, Bible Stories (lol) and God sim games in case I offend the Japanese or whatever?

    The man behind the organisation actually lives in the US

    Ah, makes sense now.
    Edited by 1 at 20/04/09 @ 12:19

  • schnide #18 3 years ago

    "attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees"

    As Richard Dawkins would ask.. why? How does it hurt you?

    If your god is all powerful, do you think he or she needs you to defend him and will get upset by this game?

  • SG #19 3 years ago

    +1

    If he has a problem, I'm sure he'll say something.

  • thesombrerokid #20 3 years ago

    one of the games i wrote at university was a side scrolling platformer called pacifism 9 where you controlled jesus and had to shoot jews and romans with the 'holy spirit' to stop them trying to kill you, it was awesome!

  • Quak #21 3 years ago

    Lucky it's not the Muslims complaining or we'd have more bombed embassies around the world. I wish they'd all pull the pin TBH - but somewhere innocents wouldn't get hurt of course!

  • Riggers #22 3 years ago

    I like the article from the Gaming Indians site:

    "Like someone posted on the forums, yes, Hanuman: Boy Warrior should be withdrawn by Sony. Not for religious reasons however, but simply because the game is just so bad."

  • Daryoon #23 3 years ago

    Someone ought to tell them about the various Shin Megami Tensei games. Plenty of Hindu deities in that, either as villains (Digital Devil Saga is best for that) or entities you can summon and control like Pokemon!

  • kangarootoo #24 3 years ago

    "As Richard Dawkins would ask.. why? How does it hurt you?

    If your god is all powerful, do you think he or she needs you to defend him and will get upset by this game? "

    I heard a comedian say a while back (I forget who) that you cannot give offense - offense can only be taken. It is a choice on the part of each individual (he didn't say last bit). In this particular case (as with so many others), somebody can simply exert their power of choice over whether they are "hurt" or not.


    I think if the question was pressed as to how devotees would be hurt, the answer would eventually boil down to their feelings being hurt. And really, this happens to people all the time, whether it be for religous reasons or not. You would think that after so many thousands of years we would have developed thicker skins.

  • MrScruffier #25 3 years ago

    I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to be unhappy about it if they feel that way. At least they've expressed their concerns calmly and with a sense of perspective.

  • hiddenranbir #26 3 years ago

    This most likely a society in the minority.

    Drama, theatre and the acting the old stories is one of the cool things Hindus have. His opposition to this must surely then also be to the great awesome TV epics that were Ramayan and Mahabharat.

    I actually want MORE games from India. Hell, most concepts used in fantasy settings are from there. Asurans?

  • djed #27 3 years ago

    I'm sure the millions of Hindus worldwide are thrilled at having these wackos crusade on their behalf. I think this fallacy is in the top 3 list they teach you at the 'Don't be stupid'-school (i got my diploma in the mail).

  • benstarkie #28 3 years ago

    Big Boy Barry! god that brings back memories...

    was david walliams in it? or was it dave williams of mean machines sega?

  • man.the.king #29 3 years ago

    @Metalfish

    "The complainant shoots themselves in the foot somewhat, Hinduism (I am told) really is open to interpretation. Whilst not well versed on details, I think this extends to quite a lot of freedom of belief within the faith, that presumably means this videogame has done nothing wrong scripture wise as it were. I've never heard of Hindu blasphemy at least."

    Well, I'm a Hindu too, and while I'm not too enamoured of the idea of handling a God (any God, not just a Hindu deity) in a video-game, I don't have any problems with others playing it either. As for the "open to interpretation" thing, you are correct to the extent that the essence of Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma) is that you can't have just one size of shoes for every single human being out there, i.e. there is diversification according to tastes, backgrounds, tendencies, etc, or to paraphrase, "unity in diversity", and the "diversity" bit applies not only to Hinduism, but to all religions.
    Edited by 2 at 21/04/09 @ 00:07

  • Scimarad #30 3 years ago

    Hold on! There's tons of Hindu deities in Shin Megami Tensei and they don't seem to be objecting to that!

  • dominalien #31 3 years ago

    @Scimarad

    Shhh, or he'll find out and we'll never see another SMT game ;-)