Racism in ESO

max_only · May 2019

Narvuntien wrote: »

I have recieved racist comments but I am not sure why there was nothing about my character that would warrant it. Just some guy at a crafting station whispering the N word to people. There was also someone in my guild constantly going on and on about "the Beast Races" which got him kicked out.

cheifsoap wrote: »

Why are you shocked? This is an online video game. Welcome to the internet

It is but it shouldn't be, if that makes sense just because it is that way doesn't mean anyone should put up with it.

Actually, it annoys me that redgaurds receive those comments also from a lore perspective when redgaurds in the ESO universe are the conquerors and were never the slaves (in this universe) they smashed the Aleyids.

Indeed, Imperials were the slaves.

Anyway, if it’s “in universe” for Tamriel I tend to just frown behind my monitor and leave it alone. (Cat-man, lizard, ankle biter , shortie, pig tusk, milk drinker, n’wah, etc). The conflicts are one of the main reasons I love Tamriel, I’m not playing Barbie’s Dream Palace.

If it has any resemblance to the real world Earth hatred like anti Black, anti Semitic, mocking disability (the R word), anti LGBT, anti- any RL Religions, ETC then I report it when it becomes too much to bear.

Recremen · May 2019

Yeah, some people are just terrible. Best to report and move on and try to engage with the malefactor as little as possible. They are not worth it and will probably leave the game soon anyway, one way or another.

Ragnarock41 · May 2019

Meanwhile Orcs are told they're ugly on a daily basis, and they don't even care.

siddique · May 2019

Barring the real life racism, all races are below High Elves. We are Tamriel's nobility. Kneel.

p00tx · May 2019

I've seen it pretty often in Cyrodil zone chat and occasionally in area chat in the bigger cities. The bigger your gaming population is, the higher likelihood you have of encountering either an attention starved child off their Ritalin, or just outright racist trash. Either way, they suck.

Ackwalan · May 2019

max_only wrote: »

Narvuntien wrote: »

I have recieved racist comments but I am not sure why there was nothing about my character that would warrant it. Just some guy at a crafting station whispering the N word to people. There was also someone in my guild constantly going on and on about "the Beast Races" which got him kicked out.

cheifsoap wrote: »

Why are you shocked? This is an online video game. Welcome to the internet

It is but it shouldn't be, if that makes sense just because it is that way doesn't mean anyone should put up with it.

Actually, it annoys me that redgaurds receive those comments also from a lore perspective when redgaurds in the ESO universe are the conquerors and were never the slaves (in this universe) they smashed the Aleyids.

Indeed, Imperials were the slaves.

Anyway, if it’s “in universe” for Tamriel I tend to just frown behind my monitor and leave it alone. (Cat-man, lizard, ankle biter , shortie, pig tusk, milk drinker, n’wah, etc). The conflicts are one of the main reasons I love Tamriel, I’m not playing Barbie’s Dream Palace.
If it has any resemblance to the real world Earth hatred like anti Black, anti Semitic, mocking disability (the R word), anti LGBT etc then I report it when it becomes too much to bear.

Well at least we can still be [snip]

[edited for inappropriate content/language (real world religion)]

GymBoss · May 2019

Haven't encountered any racism or real bigotry outside of the typical online banter but I was kicked from a "noob friendly" guild for my discord picture being myself wearing a MAGA hat.

:'(

Goregrinder · May 2019

Chicharron wrote: »

PrayingSeraph wrote: »

Role play racism is perfectly fine, as long as it stays directed at the fictional races. If it bothers you, play a different game. Racism is a big part of TES lore, as are culture conflicts and integration issues. These make the world much more realistic and deep

Out of curiosity

If someone who does not care about the lore plays with an argonian just for the appearance.

Is it okay to be racist with him just because it fits the lore?

I mean..he consented to the lore of the game when he created an account. It's also OK to ignore it if he does not want to participate.

max_only · May 2019

Great pun, still deleted.

max_only · May 2019

Anyway op, summer is coming and all the little edgelords and monitor-tanners no longer have P.E. to tire them out.
Next time /danceredguard or /pushup on top of their character and laugh at their pathetic internet bravery.

worrallj · May 2019

TheShadowScout wrote: »

If people are small-minded enough to make non-roleplay racist comments... I think I would choose to be amused at their foolishness rather then feel vexed.

After all, it IS a foolish concept. We all bleed red beneath the skin.

But... it is the internet.
So sadly, this is to be expected, every now and then.

People can be whatever they want to be in ESO - and some choose to be jerks. Pity them, laugh at their foolishness, then move on - and don't waste your energy getting "offended".

We bleed red outside of the skin too.

worrallj · May 2019

I think the edgy comments are an attempt to buck the system to make up for the fact that by playing an mmo we're all basically volunteering ourselves into the matrix.

worrallj · May 2019

DaveMoeDee wrote: »

The Internet is full of people that make you wonder if Thanos was on to something.

Thanos was doing population control. Had nothing to do with killing people who he didn't like. It was random who died. Otherwise he would have killed all the avengers and won. I think what you meant to say was Joseph Stalin was on to something.

Banana · May 2019

Must be your first time playing an online game.

Jeremy · May 2019

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Does anyone ever receive racist comments from other players while playing ESO?

I know that some players who are playing Dark Elf or High Elf characters sometimes like to RP and give players who are playing Argonian or Khajiit characters a hard time, talking about slavery.

And I've seen at least one player in one of the guilds I'm in being verbally abusive toward other players in the guild during AvA warfare in Cyrodiil, calling them "f*****s." I was shocked to see that, but I'm not sure if it was intended to be taken personally or was just supposed to be some sort of "army barracks" macho man talk.

Anyway, in my case I was playing a Redguard character and last night another player made a racist comment which I believe was aimed at me. Frankly, I tend to ignore the chat box while playing-- unless I'm doing a group activity-- so I didn't even notice his comments until afterward, and by then I'd moved away from the more densely populated area of the city I was in and couldn't see who had spoken. The reason I think he may have been speaking to me is because he asked whether I (or whoever he was speaking to) was a Breton or a "N*-**-guard," where "N*-**" was a 4-letter hyphenated form of "the N word." Although my character is a Redguard, he has a last name which might be taken as Breton. It was actually intended as an "occupational" name ("Outrider"), but in the real world I think it was mainly used in Britain-- at least, it got turned around to become a British surname ("Rideout") and its variant spellings.

It's possible that this other player wasn't even speaking to me, but he was clearly speaking to someone-- and his pejorative term for Redguard was clearly racist.

Although I found it to be offensive, the fact that I'm a 60-year-old white dude meant that I didn't react to it as strongly as someone else might have, but that's beside the point.

Do any of you ever receive racist or pejorative comments based on your characters? Or have you seen other players receiving such comments? How do you feel about this sort of thing? I know it's against the game's TOS, but that doesn't stop some people from doing it anyway.

I've been called the "F word" the "N word" and every name in between.... usually while in Cyorodil, though not exclusively. If it offends you - simply put them on ignore. Problem solved.

eklhaftb16_ESO · May 2019

Nothing wrong with in-character bigotry, I guess; It's a part of the universe. Beast races are beast races, Orcs are god's excrements, Altmer have a stick up their back orifice, Bosmers are wicked little imps... so what? It's all in good fun. One of my characters is a juicy plump Redguard and nobody every uttered a single bad word about her - even though plenty of people are stopping to look at her whenever I park her somewhere in the city.

As for real-world bigotry, pretty much the only one I see is when people rant about Russians speaking Russian (and even that is more of ZOS's fault because they still didn't fix the broken cyrilics font).

(Then of course, even if I encountered some objectionable words, I probably wouldn't even notice. I don't have a habit of feeling insulted on behalf of others.)

wishlist14 · May 2019

Sadly it does happen.

I moved away from my country of birth at 7 years of age. I had to learn a whole new language and intergrate into a very different society. I was bullied mercilessly. I was a shy, quiet and gentle child. As an adult I found out I am an empath and Im a HSP (highly sensitive person). I find my sensitivity brings me lots of joy as I am able to experience hightened emotions naturally. On the dark side, I also suffer from panic attacks and severe anxiety due to my ptsd which was brought about by years and I mean (right through high school) years of bullying due to my ethnicticity.

Eventually I did find my voice and this is why I am now strongly opinionated and if I don't agree with something I'm not scared to say it either on the internet or in real life situations. I know how to defend myself if needed.

The people that make racist remarks are either ignorant, immature or hateful people that were taught to hate anyone who is different to them in any way. Racism is not just about colour, it's about hating on someone's culture and family and ancestors. Racism is about telling someone that they are never going to be good enough because they are less than. Those beliefs come from psychopathic and sociopathic minds not from empathic hearts. Those haters are shallow and uncaring. Their hate and beliefs mean nothing. And yet I don't hate them. Hopefully they will evolve some day.

Tamriel is a diverse land. I get to be a snooty high elf( calling her snooty is not meant as an insult lol )or strong , proud redguard or an endearing and funny khajiit. My scaly Argonian has a lot to say for herelf...don't even start her off on the topic of racism😜😛 I love the diversity of all my characters. My Orc oh what a girl!!! 😆😆😆😆

❤Games without borders.

siddique · May 2019

Most argonians would/should be honored to work on my high elf's farms. That's why we feed you.

PrayingSeraph · May 2019

Chicharron wrote: »

PrayingSeraph wrote: »

Role play racism is perfectly fine, as long as it stays directed at the fictional races. If it bothers you, play a different game. Racism is a big part of TES lore, as are culture conflicts and integration issues. These make the world much more realistic and deep

Out of curiosity

If someone who does not care about the lore plays with an argonian just for the appearance.

Is it okay to be racist with him just because it fits the lore?

Yes, it would be okay for another player to be racist towards the argonian

Reistr_the_Unbroken · May 2019

Can we get rid of the “it’s the internet, get over it,” line? That’s still no excuse to be a jerk.

DocFrost72 · May 2019

Reistr_the_Unbroken wrote: »

Can we get rid of the “it’s the internet, get over it,” line? That’s still no excuse to be a jerk.

That would be fair if the intent of that line was to excuse the person saying the things. It is not. The intent is to say you could put capital punishment as the only possible outcome and someone on the Internet will still say the word.

You cannot stop stupid.

Unlike in real life though you have handy dandy ignore functions if the person is being a real jerk so you don't have to look at their words. If what I read is true and console has no mute function, ZOS should add that and enforce the rules they already have (which they already do).

SeaGtGruff · May 2019

Thank you, everyone, for your comments.

Just to clarify a couple of things, this was on the EU PC/Mac server, not a console server.

Also, I mostly play on the NA PC/Mac server, and my main character on that server is a Breton. So possibly it was someone who's noticed my Breton character on the NA server and recognized my account name from that character, or someone on my NA friends list, a fellow guild member, someone I'd crafted gear for on the NA server, etc. I didn't recognize their character name; and since I didn't notice their comments until I was about to log off and switch servers, by that time I couldn't look around to see if I could spot them and see what their account name was.

I didn't take the comments personally, and wasn't even certain they were aimed at me-- and by "me," I mean my character. If it was someone who does know me from the NA server, they may have been making a joke they thought I'd laugh at.

Gandalf_72 · November 2021

Yes @SeaGtGruff
I received racist comments playing in ESO from other players.
I'm sending you a private message about that because this is an old thread and some details are too private and even risk being trolled if written publicly.