Google removes controversial 'Slavery Simulator' game a month after outrage in Brazil

Google has taken down a controversial mobile game called ‘Simulador de Escravidão’ (or ‘Slavery Simulator’) that allowed players to buy, sell and even inflict torture on black characters.

The Android game that was downloaded more than 1,000 times, created by Malaysian games developer Magnus Games was taken down from Google’s online store in Brazil after it sparked outrage in the country.

The game was released to Google’s Play Store on April 20 and downloaded more than 1,000 times before it was removed following the uproar on social media.

“The game casts the player in the role of a slave owner who can buy and sell black characters, and inflict various forms of torture on them. The game was withdrawn, a little over a month after its release, but remains playable for the more than 1,000 people who downloaded it over the past four weeks, Russia Today quoted a report of Brazilian publication Globo as saying.

“Blatant racism,” Renata Souza, a black activist and politician in Rio de Janeiro, tweeted on Wednesday. “The image illustrating the game has a white man surrounded by black men. It is absurdly violent. Google and the developer must answer for this crime of hatred and racism.”

Concerned over the controversy that erupted on social media, Brazil’s Ministry for racial equality came into action and contacted the developer, Magnus Games, as well as Google to implement measures to restrict racist content online.

“The racial equality ministry reiterates its irreversible commitment to eliminating racial inequalities and promoting policies that curb the dissemination of racist content online, in football stadiums, and in society as a whole,” Russia Today cited the governmental body as saying in a statement this week, referencing the abuse directed at Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior during a recent game in Spain.

With inputs from agencies

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