The vast majority of esports players use a handle when competing rather than their real name. You probably hear the name SonicFox and immediately think of the professional fighting game player, but might not recognize their real name, Dominique McLean. The practice is probably good for brand awareness, as a lot of esports players have digital handles on social media, but it also means that a lot of players will just go by whatever they want. That includes a PUBG Mobile player from India named Subhash Bediya, who, up until this month, was using the handle “Hitler” as a member of a team called “Aryan.” Today, July 17, the player put out a public apology and changed his handle to “Henry.”
Bediya posted a message on his Instagram account confirming the name change and saying he used the handle “without fully considering the weight and historical pain” associated with the name of the leader of Nazi Germany. The full message statement reads as follows:
I want to sincerely apologize for my previous esports ID. And apologize to anyone who’s hurt by it.
It was highly insensitive and hurtful. And I used it without fully considering the weight and historical pain associated with it. It was never my intention to offend anyone or glorify anything negative.
I have changed my esports ID to Henry. Thank you to those who helped me realize this. I’m committed to making sure I represent myself and the esports community with more awareness and respect moving forward.
According to TalkEsports, Bediya was restricted from entering the Esports World Cup under the name, and the event’s associated PUBG Mobile tournament is set to begin next week.
For some context, Indian gaming outlet India Today Gaming explains that “Hitler” is sometimes used casually in the country to refer to “strict” people, and is far less taboo there than it is elsewhere in the world. The team’s name, “Aryan,” is also changing because it, too, has associations with Nazi Germany, and people were rightfully angry that the team was allowed to compete under such a moniker. The team’s name will now be “AxTMG,” a reference to its partnership with Team Modern Gaming.