Injustice 2 Mobile dev apologises for "tone deaf" Pride event
"Insensitive and inappropriate."
The developer of Injustice 2 Mobile has apologised for a Pride event that challenged players to beat up a queer woman.
The mobile version of NetherRealm's fighting game was accused of being "tone deaf" after an in-game challenge designed to celebrate Pride Month tasked players with defeating canonically bisexual character Poison Ivy hundreds of thousands of times.
Rewards for completing the community challenge included Harley Quinn tokens - a nod to Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn's romantic relationship in DC Comics.
In a statement posted to the official Injustice 2 Mobile Twitter page, Warner Bros. / NetherRealm apologised for the challenge, saying it was "insensitive and inappropriate".
"Real life violence against the LGBTQIA+ community and women within that community in particular is all too common and we should actively engage in efforts to end LGBTQIA+ violence, not normalise it.
"We apologise to the greater community, but especially LGBTQIA+ members. We are committed to listening and doing better."
In a follow-up statement, the developer said rewards earned from this challenge will not be removed from players profiles and will be sent tomorrow after the challenge is complete.