Bethesda’s Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has been continuously pumping out epic video after epic video to get fans hyped up to step back into the boots of BJ Blazkowicz. The Wolfenstein franchise is a 20 year old legacy that has continued on the staple of taking out Nazis, despite that – the controversy surrounding the pummeling topic continues to rise. Bethesda recently took the opportunity to confront the accusations that the latest Wolfenstein title carries a political left-wing agenda, despite its long-track record of similar content, head on.
Videos by ComicBook.com
In response to the #NoMoreNazis tag that was associated with the latest video to promote the upcoming game about killing nazis, Pete Hines, Vice President for Public Relations and Marketing over at Bethesda, had this to say:
“Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago. We aren’t going to shy away from what the game is about. We don’t feel it’s a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we’re not worried about being on the right side of history here.”
Because the series has been known for this same narrative for 20 years, Hines makes it clear that the location setting for the upcoming title is a coincidence and that fans of the series will enjoy the latest installments, just as they have previous games. He also went on to discuss that since the series has “always been anti-Nazi,” it makes sense that the marketing campaign should also be anti-Nazi.
“[In the game] freeing America is the first step to freeing the world. So the idea of #NoMoreNazis in America is, in fact, what the entire game (and franchise) is about. Our campaign leans into that sentiment, and it unfortunately happens to highlight current events in the real world.
At the time none of us expected that the game would be seen as a comment on current issues, but here we are. Bethesda doesn’t develop games to make specific statements or incite political discussions. We make games that we think are fun, meaningful, and immersive for a mature audience.
In Wolfenstein’s case, it’s pure coincidence that Nazis are marching in the streets of America this year. And it’s disturbing that the game can be considered a controversial political statement at all.”
For more on the upcoming title and Bethesda’s stance on the controversy surrounding their marketing strategy, you can check out the full interview with GameIndustry here.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus will be available for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 27th, with a Nintendo Switch port coming in 2018.
