B.J. Blazkowicz is one of the more popular characters in video game history. But the war hero has always been portrayed as one-dimensional in the Wolfenstein series.
He is the prototypical man who is reeking with machismo, who devoted his life to fighting Nazis. However, his character has developed as several developers took over the game.
Wolfenstein was first developed by Muse Software from 1981 to 1984. Then id Software took over to release the game in 1992 and 2008.
Through 2001 up to 2009, the game was developed by Gray Matter, Splash Damage, Fountainhead, and Raven Software.
Now, Wolfenstein: The New Order is being developed by Machine Games, which took over the franchise in 2014. In the new iteration, B.J. is a family man who dreams of a better life for his loved ones.
Kristoffer Kindh, senior designer for Machine Games, said B.J. is no longer one-dimensional. They tried to put more character into the Nazi-fighting hero. For instance, in Wolfenstein: The New Order, fans will get a glimpse into the life of B.J. Blazkowicz. They will know a little bit about his background and even his family.
He said this was a deliberate decision on their part, so fans will connect with the character. He gave Alan Wake as an example. The designer said people wouldn’t have cared for the story more if the story was just about a “murder bot.”
On the other hand, they do not want to overdo it. With just the right amount of backstory, they can create a more well-rounded character. The trajectory continues in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, which continues the story of B.J.
In Wolfenstein: Youngblood, people are introduced to the twin daughters of B.J. Blazkowicz. After almost two decades following the events of Wolfenstein II, B.J. has gone missing in Paris. Now, it’s up to Soph and Jess Blazkowicz to penetrate Nazi territory and find their missing father.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has been the subject of controversy due to the PC culture. Over the years, the franchise has never changed its theme–fighting Nazis. However, when Bethesda dropped promo trailers for the game, it added the hashtag #NoMoreNazis. Also, as part of the promo, slogans made the rounds, which read, “Make America Nazi-Free Again” or “Not My America.” The slogans and hashtag didn’t sit well with some people who demanded that Bethesda apologize. Apparently, they supposedly incite right-wingers to commit violence.
