What do y'all think about devs denying there's any politics in their video games? I saw an interview with some of the COD developers saying their new war crime simulator wasn't political at all some time ago, I guess they were just preemptively defending themselves against activists criticizing them, but I think I saw something similar with another game that was clearly anti-american, don't remember which. It might be a shallow thing like they know G*mers hate politics in an abstract way so they just say they're not putting any politics in their game, without really having a specific motivation, but here it seems more cynical.
They're just trying to get out in front of it because G*mers think women in video games is "politics". My answer for G*mers looking for something a-political is to play Pac Man.
Yeah that's what I think a lot of them are doing, but surely some of them might be aware that "politics in my vidya" has become a euphemism, which is why I think sometimes it might be more cynical.
Also it's very disappointing that you're denying the dialectical nature of Pac-Man. No, I will not explain.
but surely some of them might be aware that “politics in my vidya” has become a euphemism
They're probably aware. Thing is G*mers have always been hard to please. If they're not upset about women being in the video game, then the gameplay is too easy, or the story sucks, or the graphics suck, honestly there's no winning with them. My advice to studios is just to make the game they would want to play, like how it used to be. That's how we got groundbreaking and experimental AAA titles, an art now that seems to be delegated to indie games who're willing to take risks while the big studios chase trends.
And yeah Mrs. Pac Man is the first political game.
I mean Wolfenstein (one of the newest ones) said it wasn't political. Far Cry 6 (I think 5 did too) said it isn't supposed to be political even though they interviewed anti-batista Guerilla fighters from Cuba, and looks to be set in Cuba
Edit: NVM i was wrong on Wolfenstein "Is political" but not a commentary on modern day
I think Far Cry is the one I was thinking of that had some anti-imperialist themes but the devs denied the game was political. It seems like it's just an empty statement they can make because they know saying otherwise could invite controversy.
they interviewed anti-batista Guerilla fighters from Cuba
Wait, so it's not supposed to be some weird ass anti-Fidel shit? Or is the bad guy just generic_latam_dictator#1917 and the player is meant to project whatever ideology they hate on him
Far Cry 6 is about the conditions that lead to the rise of fascism in a nation, the costs of imperialism, forced labor, the need for free-and-fair elections, LGBTQ+ rights, and more within the context of Yara, a fictional island in the Caribbean
the Cuban guerilla fighters the team talked to who fought in revolutions in the 1950s and 1960s, they are "absolutely reflected" in Far Cry 6's story and characters. However, those looking for political commentary focused on Cuba specifically will not find it.
But they mentioned being bringing in humor and seeing how FC5 was I expect a basic fascism bad, but also revolutionarys are bad. But I'd love to be proven wrong.
Far Cry is a brand that in its DNA seeks to have mature, complex themes balanced with levity and humor
Just watched it, solid stuff, good breakdown. I didn't know about this dude, don't really watch much video game analysis so this is welcomed recommend for when I do
What do y'all think about devs denying there's any politics in their video games? I saw an interview with some of the COD developers saying their new war crime simulator wasn't political at all some time ago, I guess they were just preemptively defending themselves against activists criticizing them, but I think I saw something similar with another game that was clearly anti-american, don't remember which. It might be a shallow thing like they know G*mers hate politics in an abstract way so they just say they're not putting any politics in their game, without really having a specific motivation, but here it seems more cynical.
They're just trying to get out in front of it because G*mers think women in video games is "politics". My answer for G*mers looking for something a-political is to play Pac Man.
Yeah that's what I think a lot of them are doing, but surely some of them might be aware that "politics in my vidya" has become a euphemism, which is why I think sometimes it might be more cynical.
Also it's very disappointing that you're denying the dialectical nature of Pac-Man. No, I will not explain.
They're probably aware. Thing is G*mers have always been hard to please. If they're not upset about women being in the video game, then the gameplay is too easy, or the story sucks, or the graphics suck, honestly there's no winning with them. My advice to studios is just to make the game they would want to play, like how it used to be. That's how we got groundbreaking and experimental AAA titles, an art now that seems to be delegated to indie games who're willing to take risks while the big studios chase trends.
And yeah Mrs. Pac Man is the first political game.
deleted by creator
Honestly why I've come around to indie games.
Gamers are also really easy to fool. If you say it's not political, they won't independently notice it's political.
deleted by creator
I mean Wolfenstein (one of the newest ones) said it wasn't political. Far Cry 6 (I think 5 did too) said it isn't supposed to be political even though they interviewed anti-batista Guerilla fighters from Cuba, and looks to be set in Cuba
Edit: NVM i was wrong on Wolfenstein "Is political" but not a commentary on modern day
I think Far Cry is the one I was thinking of that had some anti-imperialist themes but the devs denied the game was political. It seems like it's just an empty statement they can make because they know saying otherwise could invite controversy.
Lol Wolfenstein is one of the most political mainstream games ever made
I'm not sure, "All Nazi's should die" seems like a pretty apolitical thesis statement to me /s
And it's even deeper too, like some of my favorite parts are the several bits they do about civility politics
Far Cry 5 absolutely nailed it with not being political because the entire story is a hot mess no one could possibly infer any meaning from anyways
Wait, so it's not supposed to be some weird ass anti-Fidel shit? Or is the bad guy just generic_latam_dictator#1917 and the player is meant to project whatever ideology they hate on him
Well they said
But they mentioned being bringing in humor and seeing how FC5 was I expect a basic fascism bad, but also revolutionarys are bad. But I'd love to be proven wrong.
Cowards afraid of backlash and/or libs with an overly narrow sense of what constitutes politics and ideology.
deleted by creator
Just watched it, solid stuff, good breakdown. I didn't know about this dude, don't really watch much video game analysis so this is welcomed recommend for when I do
His video on Shadow of the Colossus is top 10 of all time yt vid material. Seriously great presentation and research.
deleted by creator
Sounds right up my alley lol. Thanks
Other people are giving recommendations, so I may as well say Life in the Shadow of Midgar, Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House , and Fear of Depths
EDIT: Oh, also, Why Do Horror Games Sound So Beautiful? The section about A Machine For Pigs is genuinely haunting
Nice, thanks dude. Saved this comment so I can check these out