Microsoft's Marketing Department Refused to Let Black Woman Character on Fable II Cover

Eurogamer recently published a feature on the late Lionhead Studios, the team behind a variety of treasured games and franchises, including Fable and Black and White. While a lot of information was revealed in the feature, an alarming detail in specific emerged - Microsoft's marketing department refused to allow a black woman Hero of Bowerstone on Fable II's cover.

Speaking to Eurogamer, ex-Lionhead employee John McCormack said the following:

They were going, you can't have a black person on the cover, and you can't have a woman. And you want a black woman. And I was like, yes, I do, because it's about be whatever hero you want. No. It's a white guy. That's just the way it is. We know what sells and that's fucking it. Stop the arguing. I was like, fuck you! That was a huge fight.

They said, what's the most unsuccessful Disney film? I was like, I don't know. They went, Princess and the Frog. Work it out. I was like fuck you, man. I hated it.

I was screaming at them in conference calls. I lost it at that point, because they just weren't getting the game. Especially because we were the first ever game that had gay marriage, we were about breaking down walls. It was meant to be funny and mature. They just took none of it and just did the usual white guy with a sword on the front.

Considering that Frozen became the fifth highest grossing film of all time in 2014, for instance, Microsoft's marketing department's statement holds little truth. In-fact, the idea that person of colour and/or female protagonists don't sell as well as white male ones is a myth that's stopped progress in regards to media diversity time after time. Games with person of colour protagonists like Telltale's The Walking Dead Season 1 & 2, and The Walking Dead: Michonne have been commercial successes, showing that games with person of colour leads absolutely can sell.

In the years since Fable II's development, I hope the games industry has made progress. Time to put an end to this myth, huh?