Winter burrow on steam is being released today, (Nov 12th). I went to the forums to see complete chaos. People arguing and calling out the developers about using sweet baby inc. and hiding it, others wondering what the big deal is like myself. It could just be the anti woke gamers, but there were other complaints. I got the demo and I think the game is amazing, and am not understanding why it’s such a flash point. If anyone has some context, that would quell my curiosity. I’m probably getting it later today, regardless.
I don’t understand why they feel the need to hide it.
I can liken my opinion on it to that of Generative AI: Consumers have the right to be informed. Hiding whether AI was used (or SBI/other similar agencies in this case) is not a good look. If a consumer doesn’t want to buy games that SBI has worked on, it is the consumer’s right to know if a game has been worked on by SBI so they can make an informed decision. In just the same way a person would want to know if Generative AI was used in a game, some consumers want to know if SBI or other similar companies were used during a game’s development. And this of course works opposite too. If someone wanted to buy a game specifically because SBI worked on it (which I personally can’t see being a real reason to buy a game, but to each their own) then they too should be able to be clearly informed on the matter.
Basically, hiding something like that is anti-consumer. It gives the impression that the developers are trying to trick consumers into buying something they don’t want.
For example, if there was a video game which directly funded something you didn’t like, let’s say something like directly funding Russia’s war against Ukraine, you would want to know that before you bought the game, right? When you find out where your money went, you probably wouldn’t be very happy, would you? If you had known that information before you bought the game, that likely would have changed your decision to buy the game, right? Now of course, war is a bit more extreme compared to social politics, but the idea is the same. You would feel tricked. You would feel upset. Its the same idea. Consumers want to be informed, and hiding information from consumers is not friendly to consumers. The developers should have just updated the game description to include that SBI worked on the game and left it at that. The drama would likely not have reached its current level.
I’m not sure I’d say the consumer has a right to know, per se, but they may well have an interest in knowing. Whether or not a developer/publisher/whoever opts to provide this kind of information may itself be a factor in consumers making a purchasing decision, and, if some information isn’t being provided up-front, consumers can and should ask questions. Ideally, those questions and the answers would be public-facing.
I am a little miffed at responses down this comment chain somehow seeing your opinions as evidence of bigotry. It’s, like… people can disagree, people can have thoughts about things. Just because someone seems not to agree on one point doesn’t make them your polar opposite on everything, and surely shouldn’t lead to name-calling and gatekeeping. That’s the kind of behavior that leads folks to see everyone on “the other side” as extremists of some kind, if every time you interact with them they just jump to hard responses at the slightest provocation.
To be clear, that part was all directed at the others’ behavior, not really yours.
Signed,
A lefty non-bigot who doesn’t think anyone in this thread (among those whose comments I read) is showing any actual signs of bigotry
This is stupid and it doesn’t make any sense. People should have a right to know if it’s inclusive? If other races are portrayed? If other sexual orientations are portrayed? The only people who mind are bigots, and they can just move on. What’s especially remarkable to me is that bigots aren’t satisfied with not partaking, they desperately and pathetically need others to share that view, because in their minds, then it isn’t wrong.
People have a right to know if a company worked on the game or not, just like they have a right to know if Generative AI was used, or if it funds something they don’t like. It doesn’t matter if you or I think it’s stupid or not.
This has nothing to do with AI, and is still really stupid. You just sound like a bigot.
Okay, I suppose this conversation is over. Have a good one.
We have a right to know if you’re actually a bigot before we include you in our responses.
That’s how it works.