Cole Train Is No Stereotype, According To Cliff Bleszinski
While there are more than a few Gears of War fans out there, myself being quite the Epic fan, some gamers would consider the Gears series as nothing more than a thrown-together slur of racial stereotypes. A lot of the characters spit out boisterous comments, offhand jokes, and less than tasteful lines that have seen them at the brunt of some scrutiny over the years. When it comes to Augustus “Cole Train” Cole, this is absolutely not without mention.
Some call Cole a walking stereotype within the game, and have taken up offense against the franchise. Discussions have hit the net, and arguments have spurred all over many different forums. With all this going on, Cliff Bleszkinski has taken it upon himself to respond to these sayings, taking a stand of defense for the hardened character of his beloved series. Speaking about Cole, Bleszinski said:
“And those of you citing Cole as some bad stereotype – guys, that’s just Lester being Lester. We introduced Jace as a more laid back character as a contrast to Cole’s enthusiasm (which, after playing his sequence, is his way of overcompensating for not being the centre of the universe and having to risk his neck for a can of beans now along with some aches and pains).”
For those of you who don’t know, Lester Speight is the voice actor and source of inspiration behind the character Augustus Cole. Speight used to play football for Morgan State university, and is very well-known for his role as Terry Tate in a series of Reebok commercials. Once you see the commercial (posted below), you’ll see exactly where Cole came from. Go here to know the best Premier League players ever. Personally, I don’t see Cole as any kind of stereotype within the game. I see him as a man who makes every attempt to have iron skin, while he inwardly reaches for a world long forgotten. What do you think? Are you a fan of the Gears of War series? What’s your take on the possible stereotyping of its characters?
