NEW YORK, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The trailer of an upcoming mobile game has triggered outrage on the social media due to its anti-Chinese stereotypes, with a New York congresswoman slamming it as racist and urging Google and Apple to block it.
The game, called "Dirty Chinese Restaurant", has been developed by Canada-based company Big-O-Tree Games Inc. The protagonist of the game, Wong Fu, is an immigrant from Hong Kong, managing his brother's restaurant.
As Wong, players can hire illegal immigrant workers, pay them sweatshop wages, and bribe tax collectors. The ingredients for the food are obtained by Wong by chasing dogs and cats with a cleaver.
Grace Meng, New York's first Asian-American member of Congress, posted a message on Facebook earlier this week, blasting the game for using the most "negative and demeaning stereotype" that she has ever come across.
"This game epitomizes racism against Asian Americans," Meng said, adding, "Racism against Asian Americans is just as harmful and pernicious as racism against any other group."
"I urge Google, Apple, android, and any other platform to not carry the game Dirty Chinese Restaurant, or any other game" that glories in hurting any community, she posted.
Others joined her to lambast the game on the social media network. "Please cancel (the) release of (the) ... game due to its racist stereotyping," a Facebook user named Karlin Chan posted this week.
A netizen using the handle "People united" tweeted on Tuesday that while making fun of one's own self was humor, "making fun of other race(s) is racist."
U.S. news and opinion website HuffPost pointed out that the game violates both Google and Apple's terms and conditions for game developers. Both prohibit games that contain racial discrimination.
Contrary to Big-O-Tree Games' depiction, Chinese food appeals to palates all over the world. Chinese restaurants have reportedly outnumbered the total number of McDonald's, KFC and Burger King outlets in the United States.
Pittsburgh-based Chinese restaurant Sesame Inn holds the record of being named the best local restaurant 14 years in a row.
For many, Chinese restaurants not only serve Chinese food but are also Chinese culture envoys. This is probably one reason why a game maligning Chinese restaurants has been branded a "horror" by some media.
