Injustice 2 Mobile developer NetherRealm Studios has apologized for an in-game Pride Month celebration event that tasked players with defeating Poison Ivy.
The apology was released on Twitter, where NetherRealm and publisher Warner Bros. acknowledged what many fans described as a tone-deaf event. The "Global Pride Challenge Event" tasked players with fighting Poison Ivy, a canonically bisexual woman in the DC Universe. In doing so, players were awarded Harley Quinn tokens, a currency that can be spent on unlocking new in-game skins for the playable characters. This was in reference to the character's romantic relationship in the comics.
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"We recognize associating our latest Global Challenge with Pride was insensitive and inappropriate. Real life violence against the LGBTQIA+ community and women within that community in particular is all too common and we should actively engage in efforts to end LGBTQIA+ violence, not normalize it. We apologize to the greater community, but especially LGBTQIA+ members. We are committed to listening and doing better," reads the apology published by NetherRealm Studios.
A Pride Month celebration that incentivized players to "beat up" a member of the LGBTQ+ community was deemed insensitive by the game's community and many participants across social media. Further outrage was prompted after NetherRealm tweeted out a visual stating that Poison Ivy had been defeated 175,000 times. The image has since been removed from Twitter.
Despite the apology, the event ran through to completion and was not adjusted or canceled by the developers. NetherRealm did confirm that all rewards earned during the challenge are still eligible and that participating accounts will receive the tokens the day after the event ended.
Injustice 2 Mobile released in May 2017 alongside the console and PC versions of the game. Set within an alternate DC Comics universe, the game chronicles the story of a Superman that has been driven mad by the death of Lois Lane and his unborn child. The fighting game is reminiscent of NetherRealm Studio's other major franchise, Mortal Kombat.
Injustice 2 Mobile is available for free on Android and iOS.
Source: Twitter
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