Valve refunds gamer due to BioShock Infinite's religious content

[ReverieCode]

Players are forced to make choices in games all the time, and most of the time those choices have little bearing on one's personal life. But what if a portion of a game went against your religious beliefs? Apparently one person felt so strongly about a certain part in BioShock Infinite that they returned the game.

Warning: Spoilers follow.

The scene takes place in the beginning of the game. Protagonist Booker DeWitt is set to enter the floating city of Columbia and is "forced" to partake in a baptism. "As baptism of the Holy spirit is at the center of Christianity--of which I am a devout believer--I am basically being forced to make a choice between committing extreme blasphemy by my actions in choosing to accept this 'choice' or forced to quit playing the game before it even really starts," Breen Malmberg told Kotaku. "Of course I cannot hold true to my beliefs and also commit this act, so I am therefore forced to not play the game."

After complaining to Valve, he received a refund.

"The difference here is that you are forced to make a decision that violates those beliefs in order to continue with the game--which is not something I have run into very often," he said, pointing to Modern Warfare 2's No Russian level, which can be skipped.

 

Source: Shacknews

 

This is stupid if you ask me.

 

The use of content like that is what make games as interesting and full of culture as they can be... yet, some guy complains and gets refunded? It's fiction, don't know when people are going to know that.

 

Does his religion allow killing people? Because I'm sure he does it in other games... total nonsense

[Memnoch]

Meh - I think it was probably to avoid the wrath of the spiritual leaders who can make a monsoon out of a teacup.

 

It's my religion if the game is bad I should get a refund ... Valve never listened to that though ;(

[Dr_Mayus]

But he is not being forced to take a baptism...the fictional character in the game is being forced to take a baptism. I don't really see the problem?

 

Also it is a digital download so basically he got the game for free (unless Valve has a way of blocking him from playing it). So is stealing against his religion as well? Also as others have said is it against his religion to brutally kill people because that is what Bioshock is (something he should have known before buying the game)

 

Valve was stupid for giving him his money back because now a precedent has been set and you are going to see a lot more people coming out of the wood work trying to scam companies.

[Memnoch]

Valve can remove content from your account, they just don't like to

[mattybell2117]

He's fine with driving a spinning blade into a character's face and watching bone fragments fly all over the place but a fact baptism and he demands a refund? Makes sense...

[ReverieCode]

Meh - I think it was probably to avoid the wrath of the spiritual leaders who can make a monsoon out of a teacup.

 

Yes, that's true, worse things could happen. But still, it's doesn't feel right

[Dead Weight]

after reading this quote many times i still don't get whats the problem with the baptism and why he is so bothered by it

Edited April 17, 2013 by A-Brawl3r

[rwnica]

I know this comment will piss off a lot of people, but overall religious( any religion) people are nutjobs , this case is just another example, where a person sense of reality is totally ....ed up . Murdering people in the most brutal ways in videogame no problem, but a baptism oh no, that´s against my religion.

 

Probably the same type of person that belives that evolution is a myth and the Earth is 5 thousand years old lol.     

[Parker]

Shame on Valve. If the man had a legitimate reason for a refund I could understand it, but when you buy a game knowing you're going to be murdering hundreds of people and then get offended by a baptism I would've told him to fuck off. The world is turning into a bunch of pussies nowadays and shit like this is the reason why.

 

 

Parker

[Blade-Of-Exia]

"As baptism of the Holy spirit is at the center of Christianity--of which I am a devout believer--I am basically being forced to make a choice between committing extreme blasphemy by my actions in choosing to accept this 'choice' or forced to quit playing the game before it even really starts,"

 

 

So baptism is the center of his religion, then how is it blasphemous to take part in one? Is it because its fake? 

I could see if his religion didn't believe in baptism but this is just beyond dumb.

People like this baffle me.   

[ReverieCode]

So baptism is the center of his religion, then how is it blasphemous to take part in one? Is it because its fake? 

I could see if his religion didn't believe in baptism but this is just beyond dumb.

 

I thought the same. In fact, I even consider that the news story can have expressed it wrong, which explains it a bit... otherwise it's plain dumb

[daftprophet]

 

People are too sensitive/self centered these days.  

Edited April 17, 2013 by daftprophet

[skidmarkgn]

Who the Hell cares?  The guy didn't freak out and sue or go on some "hands across America" tirade... he just got his money back.  Plenty of people have gotten refunds on purchases for goofier reasons than this.  Don't understand why anyone thinks this is news worthy, just seems like religious flame war fodder to me.

Edited April 17, 2013 by skidmarkgn

[ZombeeJoggernaut]

Jut another reason why religion in general is ridiculous, and how people can take advantage of nearly anything because of it. 

[Dr_Mayus]

Ok to everyone bashing religion you can just stop now. People are idiots, not religion.

 

It wasn`t religion that made some woman sue Mcdonald`s because her coffee was hot, it wasn`t religion that had that customer yelling at my associate yesterday because his shirt was the wrong size and it wasn't religion that is responsible for all the other idiots you see out and about.

 

So please knock it off because all you are doing is generalizing and that isn't cool and it just makes you come off as ignorant.

[ReverieCode]

It wasn`t religion that made some woman sue Mcdonald`s because her coffee was hot, it wasn`t religion that had that customer yelling at my associate yesterday because his shirt was the wrong size and it wasn't religion that is responsible for all the other idiots you see out and about.

 

Exactly. The point of the post wasn't meant to criticize religion - it's about how serious people take some fictional things (like the ones who blame games like Grand Theft Auto for "inducing to violence").

[Mr_MovieMan29]

Video games are one of the last things I want to be contaminated with religious or culture sensitivity....it's a game, and it's a story. Just because you don't agree with a story, that does not leave it open to cause a scene. I did not like The Avengers plotline, that does not mean I demand a refund for it. Jeez, c'mon. If entertainment had to keep everyone's interests happy, it would hardly count as entertainment anymore.

 

But, as long as this does not become common, I don't care. At least it did not become a sudden national crisis

[Herwest299]

I know this comment will piss off a lot of people, but overall religious( any religion) people are nutjobs , this case is just another example, where a person sense of reality is totally ....ed up . Murdering people in the most brutal ways in videogame no problem, but a baptism oh no, that´s against my religion.

 

Probably the same type of person that belives that evolution is a myth and the Earth is 5 thousand years old lol.     

 

Now maybe I'm taking this comment way to seriously but that's just stupid. I have Christian friends who are absolutely devoted to their faith and they were absolutely fine with the game. The way you say religious people are nut jobs is just plain offensive. You seem to just get your views on religion from extremists and people like this.

[Christopher]

Man, a lot of hate for this guy.

I personally am fine with him getting the refund. The game is M for Mature, and not all M games are mature for the same reasons. If he felt uncomfortable with the games content, regardless of how most of us might feel, and he felt it was offending him, I'm glad he got a refund. He wasn't making a mountain saying everyone that plays the game should die for agreeing to this "forced baptism," but instead decided "The game isn't for me, so I wont play it and will attempt to get my money back."

The content in the game seems strong in a lot of senses, and this guy didn't necessarily want that. He may not have known what he was getting into when he bought it, so it is fair for him to get the refund, IMO

[Bullstomp]

"Religion is the opiate of the masses" - Karl Marx

 

There is nothing wrong with religious people in general. Many of the best people out there follow religious principles. Now religious fundamentalists, that is a different story altogether. Thats where you get much of the evil that happens in the name of religion; the Crusades, the Inquisition, terrorists, etc.

 

This guy seems like religious fundamentalist attention-whore. I personally wouldn't give him the refund. I would respond "Show me where in your religious doctrine it is acceptable to kill random people and I'll cough up the cash."

[Wolvie_181]

Wow.

 

Umm did the gamer know it's just a game (I mean he wasn't the one getting the baptism)

 

I think it's just an excuse to get money from Valve IMO.

Edited April 17, 2013 by wolverinefangirl

[FatSuit]

Oh please... the whole mindset of Columbia is like a religious cult based on American patriotism. Of course there will be some religious stuff in the game. "Oh no, I'm offended... I demand compensation for my hurt feelings!"

 

And I guess all kinds of gratuitous violence, harsh language, and nudity is fine in games... but trying to make a political/religious point through gameplay isn't allowed.

[BSAA_Advisor]

Another case of a gamer, just flat out complaining. Like it's a game, get over it. It's not like they held a gun to his head and told him "YOU HAVE DO THIS!". Some gamers take games way too seriously.

Religion and games very rarely mix well.

Edited May 14, 2013 by BSAA_Operative

[Eddy_C_Kan]

Ok to everyone bashing religion you can just stop now. People are idiots, not religion.

 

It wasn`t religion that made some woman sue Mcdonald`s because her coffee was hot, it wasn`t religion that had that customer yelling at my associate yesterday because his shirt was the wrong size and it wasn't religion that is responsible for all the other idiots you see out and about.

 

So please knock it off because all you are doing is generalizing and that isn't cool and it just makes you come off as ignorant.

 

So much wisdom :') Good to know smart people are still out and about!

[WolfyRaiden]

Not surprised religious people are always but hurt if you say something about there religion just take a look at BroTeamPill he made a 2 second joke about Muhammad and all the religious freaks are now disliking his videos and saying they will find and kill him lmao between the guy is fine with murdering, burning, slashing people but a little religion and he wants a refund? rofl.