After the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse went into the public domain, the iconic Disney character already found its first non-Disney appearance. A creepy version of Mickey would feature in the upcoming survival horror Infestation 88. However, the game’s name has been changed to “Infestation: Origins” after the developers were accused of promoting antisemitic references.
Antisemitism is a racist ideology that shows hostility towards or discrimination against Jews, and anyone who harbors such feelings is called an antisemite. Many fans noticed such antisemitic references in the game and were angry at the developers, Nightmare Forge Games. The X (formerly Twitter) user Josh ‘Anoriand’ Fagundes listed all those references from the game’s trailer and description.
Fagundes and many others pointed out that the game’s description references Fourteen Words, also known as 1488. The latter is a reference to two slogans by David Eden Lane, the founder of the now-defunct white supremacist terrorist organization The Order. Moreover, the trailer also had a footage section with the date October 13, 1988, which could be written as 08/13/88 and could be a reference to 14/88.
Fans also spotted many German World War 2 references in the trailer. There is a signboard in the trailer saying “TG • 44 SST,” which many believe refers to the German rifle STG 44. Fans also pointed out how players would be using poisonous gas to eliminate the “outbreak of vermin” and could be a reference to another WWII tragedy.
However, a section of fans still believes these were only coincidences and have nothing to do with any antisemitic references. Some are surprised to see how using a number has caused this much drama within hours of the game’s announcement.
Developers claim the antisemitic references were purely accidental
Nightmare Forge Games addressed the allegations about their game having antisemitic references, especially the usage of “88” in its name. They claimed to have chosen the year 1988 simply for its symmetric design and were unaware of the antisemitic meaning behind “88”. So, they changed the game’s name to “Infestation: Origin” to avoid trouble.
Despite changing the game’s name, fans didn’t stop accusing the developers of promoting antisemitic references. Some even claimed this was simply an attempt to cover their acts, but they can’t hide anymore, as everyone knows about their ideologies. Meanwhile, one user suggested the developers hire Jewish sensitivity readers to remove those references from the game.
After this huge controversy around this upcoming survival horror game, it would be interesting to see what response it gets upon its release in 2024. Regardless, we will keep fans updated about everything related to Infestation: Origins.
