Michael Douse, head of publishing at Baldur's Gate 3 studio Larian, says next year will be "an extremely tough time to ship a game."
"2025 (and beyond) is going to be an extremely tough time to ship a game, with division spilling into everything," Douse tweets. "I have one practical piece of advice that may to some seem controversial, but it’s crucial: anticipate, don’t ignore, or ridicule, or stoke. Figure it out. Navigate the waters even if you think they’re unfair, or that the sea shouldn’t be so rough. The reality is that it is."
Douse's tweet comes after Naughty Dog turned off comments on a reveal trailer for new game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. At the time of writing, it has 129,000 dislikes compared to just 56,000 likes, with comments touching on various topics from product placement to the game's protagonist.
2025 (and beyond) is going to be an extremely tough time to ship a game, with division spilling into everything. I have one practical piece of advice that may to some seem controversial, but it’s crucial: anticipate, don’t ignore, or ridicule, or stoke. Figure it out. Navigate…December 15, 2024
Douse doesn't think these sorts of reactions are going away any time soon. "I think the increasing obsession [with] individualism has created a world where everyone is defending their corner, believing they are right," he argues. "It has increased the perception of 'otherness' and everyone basically wants to find an echo-chamber to feel safe in."
He also explains the simple fact that not all video games are made to be enjoyed by everyone, but this isn't an issue. "I don’t think progressivism is the problem so much as the idea that every game should be for everyone," he writes. "They won’t be. There’s plenty to play."
Turning off the comments hasn't stopped people from complaining that the protagonist, Jordan, is a woman without long, flowing hair, so Douse could be right in suggesting companies face this kind of issue head-on rather than burying their heads in the sand. Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckman did have some kind words to say about actor Tati Gabrielle, though: "She has this intimidating presence to her. We brought her in for an audition, and she blew us away. It was one of those moments — like when I first saw Ashley Johnson as Ellie," he says.
In case you missed it last week, you should check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2024.
