Nintendo confirmed a racially insensitive animation detail regarding the character Mr. Game & Watch will be patched out of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
During a recent Japanese livestream, eagle-eyed viewers noticed one of Mr. Game & Watch’s animations had him wearing a feather on his head, evoking negative stereotypes of Native Americans.
Source Gaming reached out to Nintendo on the matter, to which they provided a statement that the animation detail does not reflect the company’s current values.
During Nintendo's Japanese livestream, one of Mr. Game & Watch's attacks was shown off. It was referencing offensive depiction of Native Americans.
We reached out for Nintendo for an statement. The feather will be removed from Mr. Game & Watch's attack. pic.twitter.com/dOwNqjrV8J
— Source Gaming (@AllSourceGaming) November 7, 2018
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mr. Game & Watch’s move set takes inspiration from his past appearances in the Game & Watch handheld line, including 1982’s Fire Attack, where the feather in question is based on. Nintendo previously removed the feather graphic in Game & Watch Gallery 4, where Fire Attack was playable once more.
This visual detail of the feather was never in Mr. Game & Watch’s animations in prior Super Smash Bros. installments, nor shall it be once it’s removed from Ultimate when it launches December 7th.
