All narrative is political. All stories are social. What a callow stance. www.pcgamer.com/gaming-indus... - ThreadSky

alexwhite.bsky.social • 44 days ago

All narrative is political. All stories are social. What a callow stance.

https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/lords-of-the-fallen-studio-embraces-the-dei-bugbear-says-it-will-not-include-any-social-or-political-agendas-in-its-games/

Comments

hellocthulhu.bsky.social•44 days ago

Wouldn't want their games to completely fail like BG3, Cyberpunk 2077, Metaphor: Refantanzio... whoops, I'm only listing highly successful recent games with strong diversity and lots of politics integrated.

Concord didn't fail because of diversity. Concord failed because nobody wanted Concord.

phegan.dev•44 days ago

If your narrative doesn't question the status quo, it upholds it.

alexwhite.bsky.social•44 days ago

Yeah. I've started calling people like this, "Enthusiastic Supporters of Entrenched Power."

shadur.bsky.social•43 days ago

Even that's giving them too much credit. They don't have enthusiasm, they've got this meek sheepish I-don't-wanna-upset-those-people cowardice, trying to mask tepid blandness as some kind of moral stance.

severinggecko.bsky.social•44 days ago

So instead of trying to make good games they are going for the shit head market. Got it. Never played their stuff and never will.

weirdfictionfan.bsky.social•44 days ago

To be fair this game is garbage with very little imagination of its own. Pretty graphics, but there are much better Souls likes with a lot more variety not to mention plenty to say.

castle88.bsky.social•44 days ago

It was a completely different context, but something I saw recently echoes here - doing nothing isn’t a neutral choice. And "not taking a social or political stance" is code for limiting representation for anyone who isn't a white, cis, straight male ... which is certainly not neutral.

jixstun.bsky.social•44 days ago

So they won't be taking a stance on whether these Lords are, in fact, of the Fallen?

beacaicoya.bsky.social•44 days ago

with a name like that, they were already advertising their policies :-)

cynthiasaysboo.bsky.social•44 days ago

All narratives have political content.

alexwhite.bsky.social•44 days ago

Agreed!

cynthiasaysboo.bsky.social•44 days ago

For my part, I distinguish "has political content" from "political." Put one way: Picasso's Guernica is an explicitly political piece of art. Not true of all of his work. But it all had political content (also, he was a POS.)

alexwhite.bsky.social•44 days ago

I'm curious where you draw the line of political content. Not trying to start something, just want to understand your point in this context. 😁

cynthiasaysboo.bsky.social•44 days ago

I didn't think you were; part of my viewpoint is that there is such a thing as art that is "political," sometimes consciously and explicitly and sometimes neither but still being "political." Guernica is an example of consciously political -- are all of Picasso's works equally political?

cynthiasaysboo.bsky.social•44 days ago

If we examine most pieces of art, we can find so much that is political -- the unexamined assumptions of the artist/creator, the biases that creep in, what they center vs. what they marginalize, etc. You can find this in The Shining, for example. But is The Shining "political"? (I'd say no.)

kitn.bsky.social•44 days ago

Oh yeah for sure, inclusive games are totally failing, just look at the incredibly unsuccessful Baldurs Gate 3 🙄

mapugavalera.bsky.social•44 days ago

BTW, what's the "anti woke" chuds' excuse for #BaldursGate3 success?

kitn.bsky.social•44 days ago

You'd have to ask them, I'm afraid. I'm too busy playing games I actually enjoy. My friends and I do enjoy reading the woke games lists and descriptions on steam though. A lot of it makes no sense.

kitn.bsky.social•43 days ago

I should add we went through this list of over 1,000 games, and a great deal of them were like, very obviously gay hentai games based on their titles. Some loser played hundreds of games with titles like "futa fix dick dine and dash" and added them to his mad NOT RECOMMENDED list 😹

mapugavalera.bsky.social•44 days ago

I also enjoy a lot of such "woke" games, like that beautiful game #TalesofKenzeriaZau.

kitn.bsky.social•44 days ago

I've been playing through the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series and loving them. Hyper masculine soap opera? Yes. Woke? Yes!

mapugavalera.bsky.social•44 days ago

"Get Woke, Go God!"

joostvervoort.bsky.social•44 days ago

I love this description. Feel like there's really something there.

jons253.bsky.social•43 days ago

Reading those lists is hilarious, and also illustrates why "no political content" is a fool's errand - a couple of the Warhammer 40k games got labeled "woke" because female characters weren't "attractive" enough in the grimdark future where there is only war.

kitn.bsky.social•43 days ago

Warhammer is my husband's thing and he just laughs

nonameo7.bsky.social•42 days ago

Their always say that the game isn't "woke" even though by their own definition it totally is

mnez.bsky.social•43 days ago

They flat-out deny it was successful. It's just cope via unreality

mapugavalera.bsky.social•43 days ago

Ah, like they to with the #StarWars films (excepto, sadly, Solo) from 2015 onwards.

alpaca-alex.bsky.social•44 days ago

I have asked them. Their reasoning goes: "Actually, BG3 is totally not woke, because you can kill all the gay people in the game."
When you argue: "That is literally all characters." They will just say: "Yeah, well, the game literally allows you to kill all characters."

kitn.bsky.social•44 days ago

Do you know why they think segways are woke

alpaca-alex.bsky.social•44 days ago

I am afraid I have not yet found that out. (Possibly because they can be mobility aids though?)

kitn.bsky.social•44 days ago

mapugavalera.bsky.social•44 days ago

No comment…

alpaca-alex.bsky.social•44 days ago

Generally their reasoning goes: "Go woke go broke, so if you do not go broke, the game/movie/whatever was not actually woke!" That is how they reason themselves. It is fucking stupid to discuss with them.

mapugavalera.bsky.social•44 days ago

And that’s the audience a lot of studios seem to court these days…

joelsftw.bsky.social•44 days ago

Isn't that kind of hard to do that in Europe?

nihilisticuffs.com•43 days ago

They should focus on making games that don't suck.

ule-leon.bsky.social•44 days ago

Stories make statements, by their very nature a story by existing by having arcs by having characters conflict by having characters interact with a world are making statements about said world.

bluebookballoon.bsky.social•44 days ago

So they are actually saying, they will embrace social and political agendas but these will only be ones that support the existing order.

scrimblepot.bsky.social•44 days ago

Lords of the fallen? Huh never heard of it.

ddalglish.com•44 days ago

After playing Lords of the Fallen, let's say I'm not surprised they lack even the basic understanding of why other, better companies do what they do.

axtimusprime.bsky.social•44 days ago

Co-signed

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

What idiots. As a white, CIS HET dude, I have no problem with diverse characters in games. Or protagonists. Shit, Far Cry 6 had central couple with a trans man and CIS woman together and that game didn’t suffer. It doesn’t bother me playing as a character that isn’t a CIS HET male either …

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Alloy kicks ass. Ellie is an amazing young woman. Both of those series with amazing stories too, BYE.

Why do folks get their knickers in a wad about this? I don’t have fucking force powers but I play games where in a Jedi.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Two of my favorite indie titles last year, The Dungeons of Hinterberg and Caravan: Sand Witch, had lots of diversity woven in and made for excellent story telling and flavor.

underwhelmed.bsky.social•44 days ago

I loved the cast of Dungeons of Hinterberg. The gameplay was fine, but the characters are what kept me invested in the game.

People that need to project a perfect reconstruction of themselves into every media they engage with are missing out.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Yes. The game play could’ve been more challenging (and I’m hoping for a sequel that delivers that) but spending evenings with folks, learning their stories, unlocking things as relationships grew - those were mechanics I’d never really done and the characters pulled me in and kept me engaged.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Diversity and inclusivity isn’t a lie. Just because someone else gets a slice it doesn’t mean there is less for you.

It is more like a buffet. It brings new dishes to the table and you can sample, learn, maybe discover some new types of games and characters you like.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Who knows, maybe in the end you get a little bit of newfound empathy as well? But maybe that’s the point. That’s what all the brosephs and anti-woke people are actually afraid of in the end.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Holly auto correct!

BYE -> BTW
in a Jedi -> I’m a Jedi
isn’t a lie -> isn’t a pie

fleezlow.bsky.social•44 days ago

I really feel like no normal people give a shit about this, and just play the games.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Yes. It’s the odd folks ironically doing the virtue signaling they accuse others of, that moan and complain.

nerdbird.bsky.social•44 days ago

my husband always plays female characters if available. “why would i want to look at a dude when i play?” which is, like, a very straight thing to do. maybe whiny gamers should explore that line of thought some more.

anyway, if they don’t want to play Horizon or Control that’s their loss.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Oh, I forgot Control! I started it once but need to go back and restart it again. Especially since it is SteamDeck verified, IIRC.

I played the FC6 as a female character for no other reason than I didn’t recall having that choice in 1-5 and wanted to do something different.

devicenull.bsky.social•44 days ago

Plus channeling Vasquez from Aliens.

stoffeloni.bsky.social•44 days ago

looking forward to all their great stories about Absolutely Nothing

pbewelsh.bsky.social•44 days ago

"Our games will always be developed to maximise player enjoyment and commercial success" says the developer of renowned critical and commercial juggernaut **checks notes** Lords of the Fallen

yorgl.bsky.social•44 days ago

They honestly should be more worried about their games having no soul (pun not intended ^^)

dannysw.bsky.social•43 days ago

Bye bye CI.

careycuprisin.bsky.social•44 days ago

https://bsky.app/profile/careycuprisin.bsky.social/post/3lffr5s7w4223

jon.camp•44 days ago

Maybe they should try making better games?

elfsternberg.bsky.social•42 days ago

Kind of a weird attitude, given that minority fans are famously loyal when good representation happens, but white straight guys start with an expectation of fealty, and simply get enraged and hateful when they don't get it.

dseitz.bsky.social•44 days ago

I'm a big fan of the Sniper Ghost Warrior series, so it's kind of odd the guys making games where you splatter the brains of Russian oligarchs in loving slow motion are suddenly worried about being "political."

johnannese.bsky.social•44 days ago

“In a world where manly Vikings are outlawed, you play as Gor, who is imprisoned for his Viking manliness. But when the evil Demon Lord returns, Gor’s manliness is the only hope to save a society that underestimates and reviles him. But you’ll have to level up and always be hustling to win!”

alexwhite.bsky.social•43 days ago

I forgot those books existed lol

johnannese.bsky.social•43 days ago

There’s a book? That’s just my guess on what their next game will be about.

scatteredwords.bsky.social•43 days ago

The Gor books are... something else. Although no longer as scandalous as they were when they were first published. But they do have a cult-following.

johnannese.bsky.social•43 days ago

Just looked it up and, wow, I either had no idea or I wound up referencing something I heard and forgot about.

Bonkers.

johnannese.bsky.social•43 days ago

He wrote 38 of them?!?

sterix.bsky.social•34 days ago

Especially since most art draw on writer's experience and/or environment

mbrzz.bsky.social•43 days ago

glad i never bought lotf, scummy decision

jackoften.bsky.social•44 days ago

Oh CI Games? The company whose games all have mixed ratings and who never made anything I wanted to play? I'm devastated. I guess when sales are in the can you have to get attention somehow

jalixe.bsky.social•44 days ago

I remember them for Sniper Ghost Warrior and their games were terrible

flootdraws.bsky.social•44 days ago

I'm guessing that by political they mean "includes people who aren't cishet white culturally Christian men"?

curse-you-bayle.com•44 days ago

this

kingsigy.bsky.social•44 days ago

Considering Lords of the Fallen is bland as hell, I’m not surprised by this. Disappointed, but not surprised.

soyweiser.bsky.social•44 days ago

Sniper ghost warrior also constantly reminded me how much better sniper elite was. The line from the article " the studio priotizies 'excellent user experience with compelling thematics and characters created specifically for core and adjacent audiences,'" even reminded me of that.

kingsigy.bsky.social•44 days ago

Sniper Elite at least embraces how goofy it is while also laying on the "nazis suck" attitude. Even if it's a dumb action title, it has something to say. Sniper Ghost Warrior is just... super serious? I don't even know what to really say about that series, haha.

soyweiser.bsky.social•44 days ago

It is very much: Mom can we have sniper elite?

No, we have sniper elite at home"

The sniper elite at home:

alexanderlucard.bsky.social•43 days ago

They’ve always been a pretty shitty company. CI does not surprise here at all.

untilwemeetagain.bsky.social•44 days ago

Being a straight white guy means that *your* identity is never political. And your agenda is objective and pure.

Must be nice.

kurantatallulah.bsky.social•44 days ago

Now what how this move does nothing to garner any support from gamers.

fangyang80.bsky.social•43 days ago

Like saying we aren't going to allow undetectable invisible gremlins in our coffee shops anymore. Just say you aren't doing the thing that has no definition and no way of being checked to try and grift. Just vice signalling.
Watch their game get burnt on the antiwoke grift pyre anyway.

alexwhite.bsky.social•43 days ago

Anyway, if you want to play a game that actually takes a fucking stand, is inclusive and nakedly political, please enjoy Alien: Rogue Incursion.

silverliningguy.bsky.social•41 days ago

Really? I didn’t expect the Disney era Alien stories to have much bite to it. That’s great to hear.

alexwhite.bsky.social•41 days ago

Hey, if I can be so brazen, try my novels: The Cold Forge and Into Charybdis!

alexwhite.bsky.social•44 days ago

Also, props to @pcgamer.com for the spectacular shade in this article.

exceedhergrasp1.bsky.social•44 days ago

sooo it doesn't have a plot. or characters. or a setting, is what I'm hearing

johnathanochonueve.bsky.social•44 days ago

It's all gotta be white noise.

exceedhergrasp1.bsky.social•44 days ago

finlopes.bgay.social•43 days ago

Can't be white noise either, that's too political.

It's just an .exe that crashes immediately to desktop with a "Fatal Error 14: political and/or social commentary detected." message.

metakaos.bsky.social•44 days ago

"Don't worry folks: we'll make absolutely sure our art says nothing. 👍"

trippybigfoot.bsky.social•44 days ago

Lmao they do not know how to run a business. They saw how shit the original Lords of the Fallen was and decided to redo it? Insane

kaydublya.bsky.social•44 days ago

just the *way* these pinecones use the term “dei” is annoying. they fumble it around and the same ignorant heavy-handed way they do “woke”

“Is this game dei?”

“Did dei make this game?”

get alllll the way fucked you racists. you absolute simpletons

kilogex.bsky.social•43 days ago

Looks like I have a developer that I can ignore now.

pulyx.bsky.social•44 days ago

Shitty studio that made shitty ass game has shitty positioning and be devoid of talent in a heartbeat

sobekhotep97.bsky.social•44 days ago

Whelp, I’ll not be playing Lord of the Fallen then

opalharvest.bsky.social•43 days ago

Sounds like a boring game that lacks relevance

teflonslinky.bsky.social•44 days ago

Wow Lords of the Fallen devs having no ability to imagine anything beyond generic slop.

What a shock.

avioto.bsky.social•44 days ago

Friendly reminder that you can go to CI Games page on Steam, click on 'ignore this creator' and you will never see their games again. Completely unrelated of course.

telomina.bsky.social•44 days ago

Thank you!

shaelynthefae.bsky.social•44 days ago

can you do that on the mobile app, or do I gotta boot up my PC to give them the finger

telomina.bsky.social•44 days ago

I couldnt find it on mobile, did you?

avioto.bsky.social•44 days ago

Steam is so weird lol. Go to Lords of the Fallen page, click on the dev and then the cogwheel.

avioto.bsky.social•44 days ago

Yep should work!

oozeyoozebourne.bsky.social•44 days ago

I just did that myself, and saw this comment here.

shaelynthefae.bsky.social•44 days ago

so this is the political stance they have chosen (because you canNOT make a statement and not make one)

rolecraft.bsky.social•44 days ago

Agreed. 👍

curse-you-bayle.com•44 days ago

modern day gamers

johnathanochonueve.bsky.social•44 days ago

If I can go without seeing another wojak it'll be too soon.

kaltheskeleton.bsky.social•44 days ago

Must be why their games are so successful.

bramslambreakfast.bsky.social•44 days ago

Appropriate take from a studio that has only ever produced mid

mmofallout.com•44 days ago

So the game won't have any non-white, female, or LGBT characters in prominent roles? Because having that is DEI according to the anti-woke chodes they're trying to appeal to.

sdtsanev.bsky.social•44 days ago

Oh no! Now I’m forced to continue to have barely even heard of this company or its games!

accipiterf1.bsky.social•44 days ago

Choosing not to be political is political as fuck.

locke2300.bsky.social•44 days ago

Yes, and also, impossible! Choosing to only include white men is political. Choosing to portray feudalism in any form (working, not working, troubled but fixable) is political. Choosing to have a bad guy is political.