Cybertypes and Maplestory

I was reading the about the cybertypes and it really reminded me of this example in this children friendly game, Maplestory by Nexon. Maplestory is a side-scrolling MMO and like most RPGs you get to choose a class. In most classes like warrior or mage you can choose any skin colour during character creation but when the Aran was introduced, the default skin was tan and to change it you had to pay cash. Nakamura describes the cybertype as having,

"generated a form of pervasive blackness

in video games that honors a hypermasculine, material, anti-intellectual, and

violent cybertype."

This definitely applies to the Aran as the class prides itself in being the strongest warrior class with high damage through weapons. The racial juxtaposition of tan skin and brute strength is not so subtle in this case. However Nexon did change this upon releasing it in the global server but the lack of criticism before the change is quite disturbing in my opinion.

-Jacob Hui