An intentionally offensive mobile game depicting Chinese Americans is causing a stir and even caught the attention of a New York congresswoman.
In ‘Dirty Chinese Restaurant’, the first game by Big-O-Tree Games, players can chase after dogs and cats to serve to customers.
The website also states players have the option to make owner Wong Fu pay his staff in ‘degradingly frugal minimum wages.’
Players are allowed to chop up cats and dogs with a meat cleaver in the game ‘Dirty Chinese Restaurant’
Part of the intentionally offensive game is to make sure restaurant workers are not deported
In the game, players have to make sure they keep the restaurant running a ‘sweatshop’ speed without their employees getting deported. There is also portrayal of illegal gambling in the restaurant.
The makers of the game clearly intend to generate publicity though the blatantly racist basis of the game. The name of Big-O-Tree Games is a play on the word ‘bigotry.’
Plus, the company tagline is ‘because being politically correct is so boring.’
New York Representative Grace Meng, the Empire State’s first Asian-American member of Congress, took to Facebook to blast the game.
New York Representative Grace Meng wrote a Facebook post to ask Google, Apple and Android to not carry the offensive game
The game also depicts the harmful stereotype of illegal gambling inside the restaurant. George Lambropoulos, a game developer, said: ‘Our game in no way is meant to be an accurate representation of Chinese culture’
She wrote: ‘I wish I could say that I was shocked that there is a new video game soon to be released called “Dirty Chinese Restaurant.” This game uses every negative and demeaning stereotype that I have ever come across as a Chinese American.’
From the names used for the characters of the game, to the types of food they cook, to the disturbing depiction of their faces, this game epitomizes racism against Asian Americans.’
She ended the post with a plea to Google, Android and Apple and other platforms to carry the game. ‘Dirty Chinese Restaurant’ likely will not be sold in Google and Apple’s stores because both claim discriminatory games are not allowed.
‘This game epitomizes racism against Asian Americans’: Meng said she wasn’t surprised to see a game advertised that would be using harmful stereotypes against Chinese Americans
Big-O-Tree’s website is registered to George Lambropoulos, a game developer.
He told the Huffington Post Dirty Chinese restaurant if offensive in the same manner as shows such as South Park, Family Guy and Chappelle’s Show.
He said: ‘Our game in no way is meant to be an accurate representation of Chinese culture.’