An Oversight in Cultural Details
Since its release last week, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has been under the microscope, with fans examining every inch of the game. Among the various details scrutinized was a Cuban flag prominently displayed in the home of character Miles Morales, and others scattered throughout the surrounding area. The issue? Miles and his mother Rio Morales identify as Puerto Rican, not Cuban. Although the two flags bear similarities, their colors are distinct, and the oversight did not go unnoticed by the gaming community.
According to the City University of New York:
The similarities between the Cuban and Puerto Rican flags are not accidental. The Cuban flag was designed in 1849 by Narciso López, a pro-independence exile living in New York City. The design for the Puerto Rican flag was adopted by a committee of exiles living in New York during the mid-1890s.
The Community Speaks Up
This discrepancy was first brought to light by a Reddit user, TheHouselessTurtle, who posted a screenshot of the Cuban flag in Morales' apartment, questioning its presence given the Morales family's Puerto Rican heritage.
This sentiment quickly gained momentum across social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter). Another player pointed out that while the home environment featured the wrong flag, a suit unlockable later in the game displayed the correct Puerto Rican flag, adding to the confusion.
Insomniac Games Acknowledges the Mistake
Insomniac Games, the developer behind the Spider-Man series, was quick to respond. James Stevenson, the Community and Marketing Director at Insomniac Games, acknowledged the error on the same day the game was released.
While he did not specify when the mistake would be corrected, Stevenson assured players that a fix is in the works to replace the Cuban flag with its Puerto Rican counterpart.
Upcoming Fixes and Community Engagement
While it might seem like a minor detail, flags are a powerful symbol of cultural identity, and getting it wrong can be seen as a slight to that community. Insomniac Games’ prompt acknowledgment and commitment to rectifying the error is a sign of the developer’s attention to detail and respect for its audience. As for when the fix will be implemented, that remains to be seen.
Gaming in 2023 Be Like...
In today’s age of high-detail gaming, small errors can become big talking points, especially when they concern matters of cultural or ethnic identity. Insomniac Games has shown that they're listening to their community and are willing to make things right. It's a reminder that even in virtual worlds, attention to cultural detail is more important than ever... But let's not lose our minds over simple mistakes.
~Smash
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