What was meant to be a momentous occasion in the cultural shift of video games has turned sour after many noticed a distinct link between the new character and the 2019 Christchurch terror attacks.
Ubisoft, the developer of the immensely popular online game Rainbow Six Siege, announced on Monday that they would be adding a new playable character to the game.
According to the character’s biography on Ubisoft’s website, Rauora, whose real name is Hāpai Iwini, is a 29-year-old from the Rārata iwi in Christchurch.
Rauora was a captain in the New Zealand Military, succeeded in the New Zealand Special Air Service trials, and has been a lifelong practitioner of kaupapa Māori.
What was initially seen as a momentous moment for Māori representation in gaming quickly took a turn for the worse when fans noticed odd details in the character’s backstory.
Not only was Rauora born in Christchurch, but their birthday March 15, coincides with the date of New Zealand’s darkest day, the Christchurch terror attacks.
“The overwhelming response I have seen in the gaming community is shock and disbelief that Ubisoft Montreal the developers of Rainbow Six Siege were oblivious to the significance of the character’s birthplace and birthday,” said Adrian Clark, a game expert and academic at the University of Canterbury.
“Some have even questioned whether it was a deliberate choice by someone on the development team.”
The decision to give Rauora a March 15 birthday has left many players puzzled and angered.
“I’ve played the game since release and was so excited to see a Māori operator announced today, but I have no clue what Ubisoft was thinking using March 15 as Rauora’s birth date,” a Reddit user commented.
“There are 365 days in the year, and you chose the day of New Zealand’s worst mass shooting to be the birth date of a character? Who actually signs off on this?” another user questioned on X.
Ubisoft has yet to comment on the matter.
Photo Credit: Ubisoft
