Ubisoft responds to PETA’s anger over whaling in Assassin’s Creed 4

Wednesday, 6th March 2013 18:04 GMT By Phil Owen

Yesterday, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued disgusted comments over the fact that in Assassin’s Creed 4 you’ll have the ability to go hunting for whales. Today, Ubisoft’s Stone Chin defends the game’s depiction of this old practice.

In a statement to Polygon, Chin said:


That’s an amusing spin to put on it, but it’s a logical one. Just because a thing is depicted in media does not mean it is being “glorified.”

What do you folks think? Is including whaling going to far?



  1. aaron_avelino


    #1 2 years ago
  2. The_Red


    OK. I haven’t been happy with AC4 stuff so far but that part was really good.

    #2 2 years ago
  3. fearmonkey

    Oh great, now they have the pirate association calling them out for judging their lifestyle.

    #3 2 years ago
  4. Erthazus

    Witcher 3 is going to be next. They have whales too.

    #4 2 years ago
  5. Froseidon

    To be honest, PETA go too far for everything. It is a game and the fact that whaling is in the game is a good thing, considering Assassin’s Creed has prided itself on history.

    I’m surprised they didn’t hate on AC3 for hunting, but, whatever gets their motors going.

    #5 2 years ago
  6. SplatteredHouse

    In not so many words, they’re telling PETA to stop headline grabbing. There’s no reason to conclude that depiction in video game should lead to increase in popularity for a niche savage activity, that much of the world does not support, or even in some cases, permit to take place. Honestly, I would have thought PETA had bigger fi…;)

    #6 2 years ago
  7. DSB

    Groups like PETA don’t care about the big fish, or the issues, they just want to make a buck by bullying anyone who doesn’t think like they do, and provide Hollywood starlets with a chance to promote themselves by flashing their tits for the umpteenth time. I’m sure the mink of the world are humbled by their sacrifice.

    It’s a bit like when a gay rights group goes after some idiotic basketballer for using the word “gay” in a negative context, instead of worrying about very real persecution in other places.

    Actually fighting for those causes doesn’t get them in the news, so it doesn’t get anyone writing checks, so they don’t give a shit.

    It’s a pathetic scam.

    #7 2 years ago
  8. Edo

    Stone Chin…what a f*cking awesome name!

    #8 2 years ago
  9. Dragon246

    Does anyone even hear fools called PETA?
    Their protests contain naked people, do they condone roaming naked on the streets?

    #9 2 years ago
  10. splashofartstudios

    Im a Vegan…and I totally HATE PETA with a passion…. people like them make others view us badly.

    #10 2 years ago
  11. sg1974

    PETA is an animal rights organisation in the same way that Spinal Tap is a rock band. That is, they were contrived to exist, but they are not really real. Far more about the members than any activity. The big difference is Spinal Tap don’t actually take themselves seriously, whereas the rich models who dominate PETA think they are the most important people on earth, sent by creation to be better and more worthwhile human beings than the rest of us.

    The Tap rules, by the way.

    #11 2 years ago
  12. YoungZer0

    A rather nice reaction, but still – just once – I’d like to see a spokesperson respond with a simple “LoL” and that’s it.

    #12 2 years ago
  13. redwood

    but is it glorified? I mean do they show it as a bad thing? that remains to be seen, right phil?

    #13 2 years ago
  14. Rocketbilly

    So, does the game actually let you hunt and kill whales? I wouldn’t put it passed PETA to jump to a false conclusion on such a thing, however the response from Chin seems to be an admission that whaling will be a part of the game. If so, why would that be in the game? Are they including it because fans demanded such a feature?

    I have personally never had a desire to go whaling in a video game. Given that it is an illegal practice which still goes on today, I would equate it with having the ability to own slaves in previous Assassin’s Creed games. A slavery mini game could have been historically accurate in all the previous games, but they didn’t include that as a gameplay option. Did they just not think of it or did they deem that kind of thing inappropriate?

    I think a developer should include whatever content they choose in a game, however, if they are going to defend the inclusion of whaling, then why didn’t they include more notorious practices of antiquity in the gameplay of earlier games? Ubisoft has generally played pretty fast and loose with what they deem to be appropriate in the Assassins Creed series. As I said, I think they should do whatever they want, but I find their inconsistent reasoning to be indicative of a greater interest in profit than in free expression.

    #14 2 years ago
  15. Shuklar

    Why hasn’t any of these gaming companies called PETA on their bullshit? They’re complaining about virtual reality. So I guess that means they’re all finished. Lets all give a hand to PETA for solving all the problems with animal treatment in reality, that they now have time on their hands to complain about the treatment of non-existent beings.

    Are there actually people that see these ads, and feel motivated to donate to PETA? All they make me want to do is hunt down their marketing team and throw boiling grease on them. I can only imagine how someone who donated to them feels, knowing it was to pay some moron who thought this was a good idea.

    #15 2 years ago
  16. MadFingerz

    @14 “If so, why would that be in the game? Are they including it because fans demanded such a feature?”

    erhmm, I would say they are including it because they think it will be a fun activity to do in the game. It has been very common for open world games to have this sideline activities you can do. I guess it’s also connected with the game’s economic system. If they do this well, it will be a hard thing to accomplish but that can net you a large ammount of gold in one go.

    #16 2 years ago
  17. Froseidon

    @14 They love being historically accurate for the time period they’re in. That’s probably why its in the game. Hunting was in AC3, didn’t really need to do it, but its definitely in the game for historical reasons.

    #17 2 years ago
  18. Cobra951

    Let’s stamp out cruelty against virtual animals! Don’t eat anything with a digitized face!

    #18 2 years ago
  19. Gregard

    Assassinating / killing hundreds of other men, in every way imaginable? Fine. Killing and skinning all kinds of wild forest animals? Fine.

    But hurting a woman? No way! The opposite? That’s fine! (Tomb raider, I’m looking at you). And killing a whale? Omg butchery!!!

    What the hell!!!!

    #19 2 years ago
  20. JA88ERW0CK

    People for the Ethical Treatment of AI?
    Please stick to saving real whales. I promise this video game will not make me want to go harpoon a whale.

    What about all the deer, rabbit, bears and more that we killed and skinned in AC3?

    New DLC Idea Edward must fight off the crew of the Sea Shepherd. Watch out Paul Watson has a piece of Eden and he plans to use it.

    #20 2 years ago
  21. Schwarzerwind

    But hey, all that murderin’ and killin’ is A-OK, right fellas?

    #21 2 years ago
  22. salarta

    PETA shouldn’t even be acknowledged at this point. The core goal they claim to espouse is a good one, the ethical and humane treatment of animals, but they say and do a lot of things that range from strange to insulting and verging on extremist in nature. I consider them to be no different from the NRA… well, maybe the NRA is better. But that’s still not saying anything good.

    If we acted this way for everything, Oliver Twist would be banned from all society for “promoting” child labor and abuse of children.

    Edit: Also, I didn’t realize the person before me was necroing a month old article until after I made this comment.

    #22 2 years ago
  23. Rosseu

    PETA “secretly” killed thousands of dogs and cats recently. They hold no authority over killing of virtual whales. Fuck them.

    #23 2 years ago
  24. mikjoros

    If you can’t tell the difference between right and wrong then you should not play the game. So it depicts things, that does not mean that a gamer is in any way condoning the act itself. People need to chill and stop wasting time trying to get a rise out of everyone. The Association of Pirates called they want their theme back. Oh, and for your information pirates get drunk, plunder, kill, steal, visit brothels, and make money any way possible and by any means. It’s a fact Jack! “Si Robertson, Duck Dynasty”

    #24 2 years ago
  25. jftg335

    seriously? even if it was glorified which evil Fuck,PETA I have something to tell you: FUCK YOU AND YOUR FUCKING HYPOCRISY for god´s sick

    #25 1 year ago

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