Concerned about trivialization; Hindus are urging Sony Corporation and its subsidiaries to depict Hindu deities, temples, traditions and concepts with respect and accuracy in video-game “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy”; when it is released on August 22.
This action-adventure video game is developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, both Sony subsidiaries, for the PlayStation 4. Set in India, it is centered around tusk of Hindu deity Lord Ganesh and Hinduism is reportedly going to play a pivotal role in the narrative while it explores Hindu temples and deities.
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, hoped that the final product of this video-game would showcase the Hinduism concepts, traditions, objects and deities authentically; matching their characterization as portrayed in ancient Hindu scriptures instead of giving its own fantasized or re-imagined version.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted that Hindus wholeheartedly welcomed entertainment industry to immerse in Hinduism, but taking it seriously and respectfully; as refashioning of Hinduism scriptures, symbols, traditions, concepts and deities for mercantile greed was likely to hurt the sentiments of devotees; and misrepresentation created confusion among non-Hindus about Hinduism. Insensitive handling of faith traditions sometimes resulted in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols.
With seasoned and skillful professionals at the helm, we did not expect any problem, Rajan Zed said and added that they were just urging for more sensitivity towards faith traditions and careful handling of Hindu concepts and terminology.
Zed further said that Hindus were for free speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees. Video-game makers should be more sensitive while handling faith related subjects, as these games were a powerful medium which left lasting impact on the unsuspecting minds of highly impressionable children, teens and other young people, Zed added.
If Sony Corporation or its subsidiaries or other video-games developers needed any expertise on Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought, he or other Hindu scholars would gladly provide the resources, Rajan Zed stated.
Kurt Margenau and Shaun Escayg are Game Director and Creative Director respectively of “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy”, which is priced at US$39.99 and can be pre-ordered now. Naughty Dog, a video game development studio located in Santa Monica (California), claims to create “multi-million selling, award winning games”; while Sony Interactive Entertainment, with Andrew House as President, is headquartered in San Mateo (California). Kazuo Hirai is the CEO of Sony Corporation, a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo and founded in 1946, whose Mission is: “A company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity”.
Source: World Hindu News (WHN)