The MMORPG Black Desert Online Online is currently getting a class called the Shai, which has already caused excitement in advance. This is because it has a childlike appearance. Now players are complaining in the forum that Black Desert is “censoring” them in Europe and North America. They would be wearing a burka or pajamas down to their knees.
Why is the class sensitive? The “Shai” is not only a class but also a race. The Shai can be seen as a so-called “Loli” race: This is a race that appears particularly young, although they are actually already adults.
The Shai are a such “girl race” in Black Desert that is now coming to the MMORPG.
In Asia-MMORPGs that are ported here to the West, Loli races are a sensitive topic because these “Loli” races are often depicted in a sexualized manner. The most well-known example is the “Elin” from Tera.
What was the reaction in advance? The Shai were indeed controversially discussed in the community, also with us on MeinMMO:
- Some see a sexualization of childlike figures and have a problem with it. They strictly oppose the introduction of such races
- Others view the Shai completely differently and vehemently reject such criticism. Those who see it so critically must have a problem themselves. Fans of the Shai are massively annoyed when they are accused of “pedophilia”
In any case, this is a topic that the Black Desert community is indeed passionate about.
Character creation of the Shai in Europe looks significantly different
This is the current status: Currently, players can already create a “Shai” in our version of Black Desert . However, they can only truly play the Shai from June 26th.
At the moment, they can only see the Shai in the character creation. This character editor is a big deal, after all, character creation in Black Desert is considered the best in the genre.
However, the Shai here in Europe and North America is covered with a kind of “pajama” that does not exist in other versions.
This “pajama” is glued on and cannot be removed. While character creation in South Korea can also happen in underwear, the Shai in our version is covered with the basic pajama. Only other outfits can be worn over it.
Players yell: “You’re afraid of a shitstorm”
This is how players react: In the English-speaking western forum of Black Desert it is said that the Shai wears a burka. They simply put a gigantic thing on her down to the knees. It looks terrible. If you make changes to the editor now, for example, adding a tattoo, you can no longer see it (via community.blackdesert).
Players are complaining about a “preemptive censorship”, Black Desert has given in to the naysayers. They are probably afraid of the reaction like in Tera and the Elin.
Now they cannot even see when they change the body what effect it has – because the pajama is hanging over it.
Many also generally reject any form of censorship.
There are also some who defend these changes. They find it “creepy” that someone wants to put the Shai in underwear.
The thread on the topic has now almost 1000 postings and is the current big topic in the English-speaking forum.
Black Desert cites “cultural differences”
This is what Black Desert says: A player wrote a ticket and there is an answer from a GM included (via community.blackdesert).
In the response from Black Desert, it is stated that they made the change to take into account the cultural differences between their own region and others. Therefore, they sometimes change things in the game.
