Google removes 'Slavery Simulator' game from store following a wave of criticism in Brazil

CNN  — 

A crippled entitled “Slavery Simulator,” wherever players tin “buy and sell” enslaved Black characters, has been taken down from Google’s app store aft wide disapproval from Brazilian social media users.

The app, developed by Magnus Games, was launched connected Google’s Play Store connected April 20 and was downloaded much than 1000 times earlier it was removed connected Wednesday, according to a connection from Google to CNN Brasil.

On Wednesday, Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an probe into wherefore the crippled was made disposable connected the Play Store successful the archetypal place, it said successful a statement.

Prosecutors requested “specific accusation astir the game” from Google, adding a “great fig of racist comments” were besides identified successful the Google platform.

Within the game, users could “exchange, bargain and merchantability slaves,” images show. “Choose 1 of 2 objectives astatine the commencement of the enslaved proprietor simulator: the Path of the Tyrant oregon the Path of the Liberator. Become a affluent enslaved proprietor oregon execute the abolition of slaver,y” the game’s statement said.

In 1 of the modes offered to players, the crippled said, “Use slaves for your ain enrichment. Prevent the abolition of slavery and accumulate wealth.”

Throughout the game, prompts to users included: “Slave level: the highest the level, the highest the nett the enslaved volition bring,” and “You request guards! You person slaves but nary 1 is guarding them. Without guards, the slaves volition tally distant oregon rebel. Hire immoderate fighters. Usually, 1 defender is capable for 30 slaves,” screenshots of the crippled show.

The crippled rapidly went viral connected societal media, with aggregate radical criticizing some the crippled developers and Google.

“The normalization of unit against Black radical is truthful wide than past things similar this happen,” Levi Kaique Ferreira, an influencer activistic and professor, wrote connected Twitter.

“Our state was built with the humor of the Black population. People were killed, tortured. A “Slavery Simulator” is not a taxable for games,” lawmaker Denise Pessoa posted connected Twitter.

Another lawmaker, Orlando Silva, made a ceremonial ailment to the Public Prosecutor against the “macabre” game. “This is apology to crime, this is recreational racism, they person to reply criminally,” helium said connected Twitter.

In a connection sent to CNN Brasil, Google said: “We person a robust acceptable of policies that are designed to support users harmless and that each developers indispensable follow. We don’t let apps that beforehand unit oregon incite hatred against individuals oregon groups based connected contention oregon taste origin, oregon that picture oregon beforehand gratuitous unit oregon different unsafe activities. Anyone who believes they person recovered an app that violates our rules tin record a report. When we place a argumentation violation, we instrumentality due action”.

According to Google’s ain platform, the exertion had a standing for “all ages.”

Google itself details, connected its website, that the classification of this class for Brazil indicates that “the contented is suitable for each ages. Sometimes, it tin contiguous immoderate constituent of precise debased impact, specified arsenic childish violence”.

According to the platform, the exertion had a 4-star standing retired of five. Users’ reviews of the app included: “Great crippled to walk the time. But I deliberation it lacked much torture options. They could click connected the enactment to flog the enslaved too”, 1 idiosyncratic wrote, giving it a 5-star rating.

“It is unbelievable that this benignant of contented is disposable and accessible to children,” wrote different reviewer connected the aforesaid day.

Within the mobile app, MagnusGames said the “game was created solely for amusement purposes. Our workplace condemns slavery successful immoderate form. All crippled contented is fictional and not tied to circumstantial humanities events. All coincidences are accidental”.

CNN has reached retired to MagnusGames for comment.

Other games created by the developer stay disposable successful the Google PlayStore, specified arsenic “Mafia Offline Killer Simulator,” a detective game, and an “Election Politics Simulator.”

CNN Brasil has besides contacted the Brazilian Association of Game Developers (Abragames) and is awaiting a response.