Crystal Dynamics: Players Might Evolve Their Perspective on New Lara Croft

UPDATE --- As you can see from the comments below, Jason Killingsworth of Edge has pointed out that, "these comments were from an interview we conducted at E3 before Rosenberg-gate kicked off. So he wasn't being rolled out as any kind of damage control." ---UPDATE

The PR Damage Limitation exercise being carried out by Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics has now seen a company representative stating that, "I feel like some of those players might actually evolve their perspective. They might look at it in the beginning and say 'I’m protecting her,' but as they grow with her, become closer to her, they’d start to think 'I am her' giving them the fantasy and fulfilment of being Lara Croft.'"

This comes from art director Brian Horton who has been brought out to tip cooling, sexless water all over the firestorm of sexist, 'legacy' thinking blurted out by the games executive producer Ron Rosenberg.

Ron's outburst of 1950's thinking (or 21st Century 'Misspeaking') has already been countered by Darrell Gallagher the studio head at Crystal Dynamics.

But this hasn't stopped the organisation from rolling Brian out in front of Edge. Brian's defence also involves the "my wife doesn't think it's so bad" argument.

"She’s a gamer, but there are a lot of games that I make that she’s not that interested in, it (sic) doesn’t appeal to her." That is an unequivocal sample group. Brian goes on, showing immense insight...

"She’s seen me develop this game through the whole process, and I’ve never seen her more invested and empowered as a woman." What? Watching her husband develop a game means that she has never been "more invested and empowered as a woman."? Seriously?

He goes on, "She’s like, 'This is the videogame woman I’ve been waiting for my entire life,' and I’ve heard other women say this as well. They realise this is someone they can relate to: she’s not just a buxom woman who is in the game for cheap visual thrills." That is an incredibly convenient thing for his wife just to spontaneously come out with.

But there is more of a defence from Brian himself, "The way we’re trying to treat Lara is not 'oh, we’re making a game about a girl'," continues Horton. "We’re making a game about someone who is inexperienced and who has to learn how to become a hero.

"Now, the fact that she is a woman is not lost on us, and that’s an important part of the dynamic of it being Tomb Raider, but it’s not our primary concern to distinguish that she is a woman. We are playing up the fact that she is human and believable. So far the reaction has been very positive from the people who have seen the game, they’re starting to care for her and I don’t think they’re as eager to objectify her, in fact I think they want to protect her."

And then there's the Evolution...

"I feel like some of those players might actually evolve their perspective. They might look at it in the beginning and say 'I’m protecting her,' but as they grow with her, become closer to her, they’d start to think 'I am her' giving them the fantasy and fulfilment of being Lara Croft."

Read more at Edge