Last Updated on December 9, 2021
Video game publisher Electronic Arts is reportedly banning players whose username contains “Kyle Rittenhouse,” citing an “Inappropriate Reference” to “Violence, Terror, and Tragic Events.” Rittenhouse was acquitted in November after shooting three BLM rioters in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020.
“Hello, We received a report about your account or profile name. It may be the name you created on another platform. it may be the name you created on another platform,” a message circulating on Twitter reads.
The message continues, “This name breaks our Positive Play Charter because you may have used words or phrases that harm others or negatively disrupt the game.” The notice does not explain how words or phrases contained in video game username could “harm others.”
So @EA is banning anyone with the name Kyle Rittenhouse cc @freekyleusa @Jillie_Alexis pic.twitter.com/tZu2zwYdNu
— E (@ElijahSchaffer) December 9, 2021
EA then reportedly goes to on to list the violation as an “Inappropriate Reference” to “Violence, Terror, and Tragic Events.” While the shooting of convicted pedophile Joseph Rosenbaum and two other men could possibly be construed as a “Tragic Event,” the law has ruled that there was absolutely not any acts of “Terror” perpetrated by Kyle Rittenhouse.
The official account for Rittenhouse’s legal took notice of the censorship reportedly imposed by EA on Thursday, writing simply “Interesting…” to the screenshot posted by BlazeTV host Elijah Schaffer, who had written “So @EA is banning anyone with the username Kyle Rittenhouse cc @freekyleusa @Jillie_Alexis”
https://twitter.com/freekyleusa/status/1469025091698806787
EA recently released the first-person multiplayer shooter game Battlefield 2042, which has been widely panned by many players for its performance, gameplay, map design, and live-service monetization choices.
Much was made by prosecutors in their failed case against Kyle Rittenhouse about whether or not the 18-year-old had a history of playing first-person shooter video games. Though the awkward attempt to link games to violence was unsuccessful, the question did reignite passions on the left wing against the supposed “white supremacy” and “gun violence glorification” in gaming.
