This week, images surfaced that suggested the PlayStation 4 version of Beyond: Two Souls “white-washed” certain characters when compared to the PlayStation 3 version.
Quantic Dream Co-Founder David Cage responded to these claims by sending game assets to Eurogamer, with one of those images above (PS3 version top, PS4 version below).
Additionally, Cage issued a statement to Eurogamer about the original screenshots appearing on Twitter this week “with comments mentioning that some characters in the Embassy scene would have been “white-washed” compared to the original PS3 version.”
After talking about how Beyond features over 300 unique characters, with the cast featuring many different races, including some Arab characters in the Embassy scene, he explained:
The scene takes place in what is obviously a middle-eastern embassy, with characters who are obviously from the middle-east, wearing obviously Arabic clothes and speaking obviously Arabic.
What was reported is that a couple of guards and passers-by in the Embassy appear to have a lighter skin compared to the original game.
This is due to two reasons:
1. The lighting has changed as well as the skin shader we use, leading to slightly lighter skins in general (which can also be seen on Jodie’s white skin), although some black skins are a little bit darker (which has not been reported…).
2. All characters have been upgraded on the PS4 version compared to the PS3, which sometimes led to creating a new face that can be different from the previous one (as well as different clothes or accessories). The skin tone or type of few characters may have changed in the process, although only a couple of characters out of 300 have seen their skin getting slightly lighter (without changing their racial type to keep the consistency of the characterization).
Talking about the skin color of two guards in the context of a game like Beyond is absurd, and for me personally, upsetting. Quantic Dream has been actively promoting cultural, gender and racial diversity in all of its past and present games, as well as in our own company. Quantic Dream is a studio in which people from around the globe, of all races and religions work together and share the same passion for crafting meaningful emotional experiences.
We sadly regret that we have to justify ourselves when the skin color of a passer-by has slightly changed for technical reasons, but we would like to reassure our fans and tell them that Quantic Dream will continue to promote racial and gender diversity in games, as well as positive human emotions and values.
In other Beyond news, Quantic Dream said, “Beyond Touch version 1.04 is now available on iTunes, compatible with PS4. Android version to follow soon.”
You can see more game assets by following the link below.
[Source: Eurogamer]
