343 Industries Removes Police Siren Nameplate from Halo: Master Chief Collection Due to “Current Climate”
343 Industries removed a nameplate that features police sirens from the Halo: Master Chief Collection. This is due to “the fact that it is polarizing” in the “current climate.”
The nameplate, which simply features the blue and red lights used by law enforcement and emergency services across the world, was first brought to widespread attention by popular streamer @Moses_FPS.
The streamer would make fun of the studio and claim that the nameplate was added because “343 must not watch the news.”
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@Moses_FPS also asserted that the nameplate was a commentary on the current state of social unrest in America sparked by the recent death of George Floyd.
In reality, the nameplate was actually included as a tribute to Halo: ODST.
The tribute involves an unnamed Rookie and his ODST teammates who must work alongside the police and emergency services of New Mombasa to fight back a Covenant invasion.
@Moses_FPS’ tweet received an overwhelming amount of criticism from fellow Halo fans. Many asserted that the streamer was being oversensitive towards a non-political image.
@ReclaimerStudio observed how “Since the first Halo game we play as a child soldier kidnapped and raised to be an anti-insurrection super-weapon of a colonial empire, but police lights are the real problem because it’s offensive to snowflakes.”
User @NakaiCanon recognized “the controversy behind the nameplate” and pointed out how “America isn’t the only country on earth that has a police force.”
They also informed @Moses_FPS that “the NMPD has a role in ODST, so it made sense for it to be included.”
“Just wait till you see what color the multiplayer teams are” joked @pixelflaregfx, in reference to the default red and blue color schemes used in Halo’s multiplayer modes.
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However, despite the widespread mockery directed towards @Moses_FPS’ tweet, 343 Industries Halo Community Director Brian Jarrard joined the discussion and agreed that the nameplate’s inclusion was “a sensitive direction in the current climate.”
“We are going to address it” Jarrard promised fans.
Jarrard further explained that the nameplate had “nothing to do with supporting or not supporting the FICTIONAL police of New Mombasa,” and noted that “the fact that it is polarizing is why it’ll be addressed.”
Ultimately, as a result of being “addressed” by 343 Industries, the nameplate was completely removed from Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
The decision to remove the nameplate was not well-received among Halo fans. Many expressed their disappointment that 343 Industries caved to the feelings of a single individual.
This issue was raised most vocally by user @GamerJLee, who was in disbelief at how “When the argument came about the name plate they listened to one person.”
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@Moses_FPS would go on to mock those who defended the nameplate’s inclusion, even going so far as to direct message @GamerJLee solely to insult him.
“Haha get owned you dumb neckbeard loser, maybe you’ll finally realize no one worthwhile cares what you troglodytes have to say” read @Moses_FPS’ message.
When @GamerJlee took issue with how @Moses_FPS seemed to be the only “guy who they listened to when it came to a decision for their game,” Jarrard responded to his concern with the claim that “this isn’t about one person’s viewpoint. Just happened respond to that post atop my feed but there’s plenty of feedback including from our own team.”
Jarrard would ultimately state that “we balance feedback with our own internal team input and make decisions.”
He then ended the conversation with with the declaration that “with all due respect, it’s behind us now.”
What’s your take on the removal of the nameplate due to a single complaint? How do you feel about 343 Industries taking the word of a single person over fans?
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