Unleash The Pygmies: Pocket God's Sleeping Giants

Don't Let Sleeping Pygmies Lie is a mini-game in the Pocket God franchise, which started as a gaming app for smartphones and tablets and has since expanded to include a comic collection and various forms of merchandise. In the game, players can play god over a group of primitive, island-dwelling pygmies by controlling their every move and even deciding whether they live or die. Pygmies are a tiny, primitive race of people who are the subjects of the game Pocket God, the comic series based on the app, and the Facebook version of the app. The Pygmies can be killed off in many ways, but they can always be re-spawned onto the island.

Waking a sleeping pygmy

Pocket God is a video game that allows players to "play god" over a group of primitive, island-dwelling "pygmies." The game has been criticized for its depiction of these characters, with some arguing that they are offensive representations of Pacific Islanders. Despite this controversy, the game has expanded into a comic collection and merchandise.

In the game, players can control the pygmies' every move and even decide their life or death. The pygmies interact with their environment through activities such as fishing, collecting firewood, and watching the sunset. They can live on several islands, including Sand Island, Rock Island, Graveyard Island, and Ape Mountain.

The pygmies are described as generally happy and cheerful, and they are easily pleased, often laughing and smiling despite the many ways they can be killed in the game. They are also simple-minded and dimwitted at times, as seen through their eating habits and interactions with their environment.

Idles: humorous actions when the God is idle

In the game Pocket God, players can play god and control a group of primitive, island-dwelling "pygmies", deciding their every move and whether they live or die. Idles are humorous actions that the Pygmies perform when the God is idle, or not moving/interacting with them. These actions were first introduced in Episode 9: Idle Hands and more were added in Episode 24: Idle Hands 2: Caught With Your Pants Down.

• Bouncing a coconut on a pygmy's head.
• Bouncing a coconut on a sleeping pygmy's head.
• A pygmy eating a coconut.
• A pygmy being pinned by a meteor.
• Pygmies being bowled with a meteor.

Additionally, according to in-game analyses, looking up or down also counts as Idles. These actions are a form of comic relief and add to the overall entertainment value of the game.

Guest pygmies: Charlie and Tom

In the Pocket God game, there are two "guest pygmies" named Charlie and Tom. These guest characters are not part of Tribe Ookga Chaka, and their names cannot be changed. Charlie, introduced in Episode 38: Two and a Half Pygmies, is a parody of Charlie Sheen. He roams the island, spouting various catchphrases, transforming into tigers and warlocks, and killing pygmies. Interestingly, there are sacrifices that won't kill him that would ordinarily kill other pygmies. Charlie represents a break from the generic nature of the other pygmies, as he has a distinct personality and appearance, making him stand out from the rest.

Tom, on the other hand, is introduced in Episode 47: Apocalypse, Ow! He is a parody of Tom Cruise and is linked to the Scientology religion. Unlike Charlie, Tom can be killed like a regular pygmy. Tom has a unique ability to initiate the apocalypse on Apocalypse Island, showcasing his power within the game.

The inclusion of these guest characters adds a layer of humour and surprise to the game, as players can interact with parodies of popular celebrities. The guest pygmies bring their own quirks and behaviours, providing a refreshing twist to the standard pygmy interactions.

The pygmies in Pocket God are subject to the players' every whim, and the game offers a range of humorous actions and idles that the pygmies perform. Players can decide the fate of these tiny characters, choosing life or death, and even determining how they die. The pygmies themselves are simple-minded and cheerful, often eating burnt food or dangerous creatures like swordfish. They are easily pleased, always finding something to laugh and smile about, despite their grim circumstances.

The game has sparked controversy due to its depiction of the pygmy characters, with some critics arguing that they perpetuate racist stereotypes of Pacific Islanders and early cartoon depictions of African Americans. The creators of Pocket God initially agreed to stop using the term "pygmies" but quickly reverted to it, defending their characters as not representing any specific human group.

The Pacific Islander controversy

The mobile game Pocket God has faced scrutiny for its depiction of island-dwelling "pygmies" as god-fearing, primitive people. The controversy surrounding the game's release centred on the characterisation of the pygmies, which many perceived to be a racist caricature of Pacific Islanders. The term "pygmy" itself is used by anthropologists to refer to various indigenous tribes of Africa and Southeast Asia.

The creators of Pocket God initially agreed to stop referring to the characters as "pygmies" following the backlash, but soon reverted to the name. They defended their characters, stating, "The fictional characters in Pocket God do not directly or indirectly represent any human nationality, race or cultural people." However, the resemblance between the in-game pygmies and early cartoon depictions of African Americans as savages further fuelled the controversy.

The game developers, Bolt Creative, made several changes to address the concerns of Pacific Islanders, who were highly insulted by the game's content. Initially, they renamed the characters from "Islanders" to "Oogs", but this change was short-lived as it was found that the name change did not resolve the issues. The inclusion of the Moai Statue, originating from Easter Island, a significant cultural site for Pacific Islanders, also caused friction.

The controversy surrounding Pocket God highlights the potential consequences of insensitive characterisations in media. While the creators of the game denied any intentional association with specific cultural groups, the resemblance to Pacific Islanders and the use of racially charged imagery led to accusations of racism and cultural insensitivity.

The Pocket God comic series

The Pygmies are a tiny, primitive race of people who live on an island and are subject to the player's every whim. The player acts as a god, ruling over the tribe and controlling their every move. The Pygmies can be killed in many ways but can always be re-spawned onto the island.

In the comics, the Pygmies are seen to put up offerings of fish to their gods, although Ooga does not believe in or honour these deities. In the climax of the comics, however, Ooga comes into contact with the gods, which are swirling vortexes of colour that act like actual players of the game.

The Pocket God comics have also introduced two "guest Pygmies": Charlie, a parody of Charlie Sheen; and Tom, a parody of Tom Cruise.

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