George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher is a perfect example of how being a member of a terrifying band does not make one terrifying themselves. Onstage as the frontman of Cannibal Corpse, Fisher is known for his violent headbanging and vocals that sound like Satan is passing to a kidney stone shaped like a cheese grater. But most metalheads know that in his private life, Corpsegrinder is a loving dad who plays Walmart claw machines so he can donate the toys to the less fortunate. However, due to resurfaced anger about George once using homophobic slurs in an interview, World of Warcraft has decided to change the name of the character they named specifically after the death metal vocalist.
According to Dexerto, the controversy resurfaced surrounding an ongoing lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, the company that makes World of Warcraft. The suit claims that the company fosters a “pervasive fratboy culture” and is a “breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women.” This prompted several fans to question why the character of ‘Gorge the Corpsegrinder,’ an orc in World of Warcraft who was named after the death metal vocalist, is still around.
The arguments against Fisher being so honored came from a 2007 interview in which, discussing World of Warcraft, the vocalist yelled, “I don’t play no homo Alliance, either. I don’t play no fucking night elves or gnomes — fuckin’ orcs and undead. Fuck the Alliance! Fuckin’ die, you fuckin’ emo cocksuckers!”
You can watch the interview below:
The result of this current scrutiny, according to Loudwire, is that Blizzard Entertainment and Activision are actively seeking ways to address characters within their games that have ties to individuals who’ve made offensive comments. As such, Gorge the Corpsegrinder’s name has been changed to Annihilator Grek’lor.
While this has appeased some fans, other feel it is a Band-Aid on the gaping wound of Activision Blizzard’s sexism issue. As one fan put it, “I literally didn’t even know this character existed until I saw this post and I’m willing to bet the majority of WoW players are the same. Y’all literally just bringing attention to an issue that does not exist or have a single repercussion.”
https://twitter.com/Sooosain/status/1439861970182737924
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Words by Chris Krovatin
