Capcom has added a disclaimer to both volumes of Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection (opens in new tab), a re-release of 10 games in the spin-off strategy series, warning of "insensitive cultural depictions" at the start of the game. It does not specify what it is about, but as soon as this warning was discovered on the game forum "Resetera" (opens in new tab), users began posting examples of what the game contained that probably fell under this description. The game has not been changed.

The full disclaimer reads: "Capcom respects diversity and inclusiveness in its games and community. Please be aware that the games in this collection may contain insensitive cultural depictions, but are presented as they were in the original works to maintain their authenticity." It states. The comparison to the message Warner Bros. currently displays in front of older animated films is obvious.

Specific examples highlighted by Battle Network players include a black character who raps, an example of the main character Ran going to Netopia (an approximation of America) and being immediately attacked by blacks, another character in that city praying to "my God and the chicken he provides." Examples include telling the story of offering A boom box, a basketball hoop, "You just got out of the crib. Go suck on your mama's titty."

"'Battle Network 4' also has 'Netfrica,' where everyone lives in shacks and worships irrigation computers as gods," writes Resetera user Lori (opens in new tab).

"But no one in their right mind plays BN4 in the first place.

The description of Netfrica on the Megaman wiki reads (open in new tab): "People live in huts made of straw and mud. One of their customs is to search the Internet for statues of water gods. Whoever finds it becomes a champion. Because of the hot climate and lack of water, the natives also worship a "water god."

Opinions are divided as to whether adding a disclaimer is sufficient, or whether Capcom should have taken a more practical approach and changed or removed problematic elements in the game. Some believe that a disclaimer is the only way to address these issues, as it acknowledges the problems but leaves the game content as is and leaves it up to the player to decide. Others argue that Capcom should have retranslated certain parts of the script or removed certain content altogether, claiming that the choice to market the game in this way benefits from "anti-black content (opens in new tab)."

There are different perspectives on how to handle such subject matter, and it is a broader cultural topic than just games. Children's author Roald Dahl may not seem the most compatible with "Mega Man Battle Network," but he is the most recent and notable subject of this ongoing debate. The public outcry over the decision was so great (opens in new tab) that the publisher was soon forced to announce that it would continue to sell the original and unaltered books.

"From reading these replies, it is clear that there is no right answer," noted Resetera user Livewire.

"If Capcom released the game as is without saying anything, people would be very upset. If Capcom removes content from the game, people will be angry. If Capcom issues a statement acknowledging the bad content, people will be angry."

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Capcom is beginning to address the issues contained in some older titles. With the success of the "Resident Evil 4" remake comes the even bigger question of how to remake "Resident Evil 5". It will not be enough to just paste a disclaimer.

.