343 apologizes for offensive cosmetic name in Halo Infinite

343 came to apologize for a recent incident related to a cosmetic dedicated to the celebration of Juneteenth, an annual national holiday in the United States, on June 19, celebrated in several areas. This day commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and the celebration of African American culture.

But the problem is not in the design of the cosmetic, but in the name it was originally given, that of a monkey called Bonobo, which is one of two species included in the genus Pan.

“We were alerted to a palette choice for our Juneteenth emblem that contained a term that was both offensive and hurtful. The team immediately addressed this issue via an update.”

“We are a studio and franchise that is committed to inclusivity where everyone is welcomed and supported to be their true selves. On behalf of 343, I apologize for making a celebratory moment a painful moment.”

According to Bonnie Ross, who founded and directs 343, Bonobo is the name of a set of internal tools and that it was not intended to be applied to cosmetics.

“While the original name refers to a set of built-in tools, it was not intended to apply to this content and we recognize the damage it may have caused.”