Recently, Arrowhead Studios’ CCO, Johan Pilestedt, spoke out against forcing DEI into games. He explained that ‘if it doesn’t add to the game experience, it detracts’, suggesting that titles with forced DEI aren’t ‘good games’.
Now, CI Games, the publisher behind Lords of the Fallen, has taken a similar stance against DEI in gaming. In a recent investors chat, the company’s global marketing director, Ryan Hill, took an authoritative tone, clearly stating that the company won’t integrate ‘any social or political agencies into these experiences’ because it’s just too risky.
‘Many Players Do Not Appreciate This’
In a statement secured by Strefa Inwestorów during a recent CI Games investor call, Ryan Hill, who heads up marketing on a global scale for the firm, said:
While some videogames have recently taken the opportunity to embed social or political agendas within their experiences, it is clear that many players do not appreciate this, and as a result, we have seen a number of high profile releases underperforming commercially during the last year alone.
Our games will always be developed to maximise player enjoyment and commercial success, and as such, we will not be integrating any social or political agencies into these experiences going forward having observed the high risk this can present.
Like Arrowhead’s Johan Pilestedt, Hill recognised that ‘shoehorning’ DEI into games to tick a box or fulfil an agenda can do more harm than good, as we’ve seen in recent years. It’s one of the reasons why many games are labelled ‘woke’ and subsequently review-bombed.
In a follow-up post on social media, CI Games’ CEO, Marek Tyminski, reiterated that the company will not integrate DEI elements in their games just to fit a political or social agenda.
Do you think forced DEI is a huge problem in games, or is it being blown up too much? Let us know on the Insider Gaming forum.
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