General Gaming News.

[CriticalGaming]

So apparently this game was supposed to be some sort of mega IP (they had comic and novel and all).

One problem, almost no one even heard of it (maybe it was better advertised in japan?)

Anyway, it failed. Goes to show its not just live action stuff.

Action adventure game Unknown 9: Awakening was a 'failure,' says developer, which has cancelled a follow-up project and laid off staff

Reflector CEO Herve Hoerdt says the game featuring The Witcher star Anya Chalotra "didn't come near the company expectations."

www.pcgamer.com

Another Sweet Baby Game in the dirt. I would have never seen this coming.

 

[BrawlMan]

Another Sweet Baby Game in the dirt. I would have never seen this coming.

I am not rooting for SBI, but they ain't harming gaming as a whole. Besides, there's plenty of games where they're consultants for writing (they're not in charge of writing changes nor demand them). Who develops or publishes the game is still in charge of writing.

 

[BrawlMan]

New trailer for Phantom Blade 0
​

 

[BrawlMan]

New Sonic 4 movie logo

 

[bluegate]

Another Sweet Baby Game in the dirt. I would have never seen this coming.

How are they connected to no one knowing about this game?

 

[Satinavian]

So apparently this game was supposed to be some sort of mega IP (they had comic and novel and all).

One problem, almost no one even heard of it (maybe it was better advertised in japan?)

Anyway, it failed. Goes to show its not just live action stuff.

No, that sounds like they planned to make a new mega IP. Aside from the game, they only have an online riddle and a comic with one issue, a book trilogy that is work in progress and some web series put out around the release date.

That is the same nonsense Sony tried with Concord or Universal with Dark Universe.


Some people at the top of big companies get the idea that it would be totally good to have a big, huge IP over many media they can milk and tailor to their projects instead of paying royalties and have to follow whims of the creators.

And then the first projects are not only made to stand for themself but also to establish interest in that new, not yet existing IP. Which usually means pointless cameos, unresolved plotlines, a worldbuilding that looks completely unfinished like it is missing crucial parts and, most importantly, attention and funding shiftig from the product itself (in games : away from gameplay) onto what might come later.



Not a single one of the existing mega IPs were made with the intention to make a mega IP. They all came when a product was really well recerived and the audience than wanted to know more about its world and character.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

How are they connected to no one knowing about this game?

My understanding, and this is admittedly as someone fairly disconnected from that whole situation, is that they're writing consultants with a reputation for being too woke for their own or their clients' good. Since I've never knowingly consumed any media they were involved in, I'm not in a position to comment any further.

 

[Chimpzy]

How are they connected to no one knowing about this game?

My understanding, and this is admittedly as someone fairly disconnected from that whole situation, is that they're writing consultants with a reputation for being too woke for their own or their clients' good. Since I've never knowingly consumed any media they were involved in, I'm not in a position to comment any further.

The claim is that SBI forces/blackmails game developers/publishers into putting the woke agenda and DEI into their games, which then obviously leads to those games failing, cuz Go Woke, Go Broke. Also something about secretly being controlled by BlackRock.

So it goes like this: Unknown 9 involved SBI, SBI made game woke, gamers don't want woke, gamers don't care about Unknown 9, game fails, games is quickly forgotten.

 

[BrawlMan]

The claim is that SBI forces/blackmails game developers/publishers into putting the woke agenda and DEI into their games, which then obviously leads to those games failing, cuz Go Woke, Go Broke. Also something about secretly being controlled by BlackRock.

Not only that, but a lot of there anti-woke grifters try and make claims (usually with little to no evidence to back them up) to blame SBI for games they're weren't even involved in. For example, a lot of those fools tried blaming SBI for the Silent Hill 2 Remake, even though much wasn't changed from the original story, other than improved dialogue. Though some lines were kept the same. You can tell these grifters are fake ass fans or gamers, because a majority of them blamed SBI/"wokeness" for not making Angela "sexy". She's a fucking rape victim you sick fucks! Also, she was made way less attractive in the original and didn't even look 19. All of that was intentional, because abuse victim, but these idiots wouldn't know subtle story telling if it bit them in the dicks.

On second though, I'll root for SBI, because they care about showing people of different cultures, races, religions, and genders properly, without bad or negative stereotypes. Which are exactly what consultants do in this case, and more companies should use them, if they're not sure about something or need more race, cultural, or religious insight they know nothing about and can't assume. They're giving me exactly what I want. Anyone that has a problem can go fuck off and cry to their mom about it.

 

[Chimpzy]

There is ‘hope’ that GTA 6 will cost as much as $100, says analyst | VGC

A video game industry analyst has said that there is “hope,” in the games industry that GTA 6 could cost up to $100 so that other companies could raise their default prices as well.

www.videogameschronicle.com

And here I was just beginning to accept $70 as the new default price. The worst part is, this is something T2 would totally do. And then it's gonna be EA and Ubisoft, then A/B and Sony, and it's gonna keep spreading faster than the rate of new Starbucks locations opening.

Eastern publishers (except Sony) will probably the last ones to join in, but it's gonna happen eventually.

Sure, they can do that, if they really want people to only buy and play one or two games a year anymore. Or rather, do so even more than they already are.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I am not rooting for SBI, but they ain't harming gaming as a whole. Besides, there's plenty of games where they're consultants for writing (they're not in charge of writing changes nor demand them). Who develops or publishes the game is still in charge of writing.

You know my problem with them isn't the fact that they exist, or even the fact that they are a consulting group. My problem is that they are grifters and their consultation ALWAYS yields a worse product. Their drive is to make strange characters and push social agenda's into games which ultimately is done in a very half-assed and lazy way because the "writers" they have on staff have no real talent or skill in creating anything.

Unknown9:Awakening was supposed to be the start of a "cinematic" universe for them. But I can't imagine they are going to continue to get funding moving forward considering the horrible collapse of most of the things they touch. EDIT: The studio was shutdown by Bandai (who owned it) so...

How are they connected to no one knowing about this game?

Kim Blair the CEO of Sweet Baby, was heavily involved in the game. More than a mere consultant. Kim is I believe a producer and head writer for the title, and SBI handled a lot of the Promotion for it, but it only went out to certain channels because they wanted this to be a real feministic game. Or some such shit. I saw a video of Kim promoting the game a little while before it came out, but I can't find that video now.

Reflector entertainment was owned by Bandai Namco, and Reflector brought on Kim as the "story Architect" to create the beginning of a Transuniverse. And well the game didn't do so hot and apparently the studio is now shut down.

Sweet Baby Inc. Client Reflector Entertainment Forced to Reorganize, Admits Failure of Kim Belair’s Unknown 9: Awakening Hurt The Studio

Reflector Entertainment is reorganizing after the failure of Unknown 9: Awakening, which was worked on by Kim Belair of Sweet Baby Inc.

thatparkplace.com

Sweet Baby is not the only agenda driven consulting firm talking to these companies. But very few games involved ever find success. Spider-Man 2, God of War Rag, are the only ones that come to mind, but Sweet Baby doesn't even display the games they've worked on anymore on their website, and wikipedia's list is very incomplete.

 

[CriticalGaming]

Not only that, but a lot of there anti-woke grifters try and make claims (usually with little to no evidence to back them up) to blame SBI for games they're weren't even involved in. For example, a lot of those fools tried blaming SBI for the Silent Hill 2 Remake, even though much wasn't changed from the original story, other than improved dialogue. Though some lines were kept the same. You can tell these grifters are fake ass fans or gamers, because a majority of them blamed SBI/"wokeness" for not making Angela "sexy". She's a fucking rape victim you sick fucks! Also, she was made way less attractive in the original and didn't even look 19. All of that was intentional, because abuse victim, but these idiots wouldn't know subtle story telling if it bit them in the dicks.

On second though, I'll root for SBI, because they care about showing people of different cultures, races, religions, and genders properly, without bad or negative stereotypes. Which are exactly what consultants do in this case, and more companies should use them, if they're not sure about something or need more race, cultural, or religious insight they know nothing about and can't assume. They're giving me exactly what I want. Anyone that has a problem can go fuck off and cry to their mom about it.

Speaking of other "consulting groups". Another consulting group of grifters called "Hit Detection" worked on the Silent Hill 2 Remake, as sensitivity and inclusivity coaches whatever that means. https://www.hitdetection.com/

 

[BrawlMan]

My problem is that they are grifters and their consultation ALWAYS yields a worse product. Their drive is to make strange characters and push social agenda's into games which ultimately is done in a very half-assed and lazy way because the "writers" they have on staff have no real talent or skill in creating anything.

It's not really a grift when you're just consulting. Once again, the developers in charge of actual writing don't have to fully fall through with the consulting, if they don't want to. SBI gets paid either way. SBI Helped with the second Alan Wake game and the game did not underperform because of them. Remedy Went really high on the budget and they didn't even change their writing. They just asked for some quick pointers, and that was it. It worked out in the end for the story and characters they have involved.

You usually keep getting your information second hand from the anit-woke grifters, so i'm taking what you're saying with less than a grain of salt.

Reflector entertainment was owned by Bandai Namco, and Reflector brought on Kim as the "story Architect" to create the beginning of a Transuniverse. And well the game didn't do so hot and apparently the studio is now shut down.

Lots of "potential cinematic universes" failed so that doesn't make them any different another company in any regard as far as i'm concerned. Really not much of a loss, and you don't win a damn thing either.

But very few games involved ever find success. Spider-Man 2, God of War Rag, are the only ones that come to mind,

All games live and die on their own merits. The developers and/or publishers are still in charge overall and get the final say their games writing and what they want to do. Not SBI.

Speaking of other "consulting groups". Another consulting group of grifters called "Hit Detection" worked on the Silent Hill 2 Remake, as sensitivity and inclusivity coaches whatever that means.

Not a grift, once again, when they did exactly what they said they would do. SH2R became a huge financial success within three days. The writing still hinged on mainly Bloober and the old guard that advised them Your "example" don't count for shit and doesn't go anywhere. Stop drinking of the anti-woke grifters bullshit. You are a slave to their memes and shallow " philosophies".


Edit: You have a real big hate boner for any type of consultant company. What did they do, slap your mama? Even before I knew about SBI or knew of their existence (I only knew about them around 2022), I said it before and I'll say it again: There's nothing wrong with hiring a cultural consultant or consult a company to make sure you nail a characte(r's) race, religion, or culture properly without negative or lazy stereotypes. A positive portrayal of these characters or settings is nothing wrong. Consultants are hired for movies at times or if they needs somebody to say "hey, this is accurate or inaccurate", etc.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Yeah, Just because SBI was involved doesn't mean all games suck; God of War Ragnarok and Hogwart's Legacy both had SBI involved but they were both successful.

Does representation matter? Oh absolutely. It took many years before video games finally began to have proper Korea representation, and not just for China or Japan. Consulting is one of the oldest practices in the world, and will definitely be needed in the gaming industry in the long run.

However, I think where SBI fumbles is their attitude; The CEO lady made it no secret:

And I should know, because as part of my Master's program, one of the courses I took was regarding consulting. Consultants are supposed to advice their clients on how to better improve their products/solutions. They are supposed to be in line with clients values and visions, and you can't just bully/gaslight your client to make the games YOU WANT.

Of course a major change is needed if the situation calls for it, but SBI seems to use scare tactics on every projects regardless of the needs.

TBF. I do think some of the games that they were involved in that failed hard would've done so regardless of their involvement; The suicide squad game still would've failed because of the live-service bullshit. Also, these companies that goes on about "we're progressive and accepting of all" only has bare minimum understanding of DEI.

So in the end, it's the culmination of publishers that doesn't understand what DEI really means, and on SBI for using such tactics. GOW: R and HL were rare exceptions.

 

[CriticalGaming]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Who ever could have seen this coming?

EDIT: Bloomberg is a annoying website you might not be able to read it. It says Dragonage sold below 50% of expectations barely selling roughly 1.5million units.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Who ever could have seen this coming?

EDIT: Bloomberg is a annoying website you might not be able to read it. It says Dragonage sold below 50% of expectations barely selling roughly 1.5million units.

I'm more surprised the ex-FIFA game did so poorly. I'm guessing FIFA pulling out and not letting EA use its name anymore probably had something to do with it. Just shocked that after years of stupid idiots shilling out to every EA soccer game, this was the entry that finally underperformed.

I don't think Bioware is gonna shutdown; EA needs them for SWTOR.... for now. Maybe the next Mass Effect game will truly be their last hope

 

[meiam]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Who ever could have seen this coming?

EDIT: Bloomberg is a annoying website you might not be able to read it. It says Dragonage sold below 50% of expectations barely selling roughly 1.5million units.

So significantly worse than all other title (maybe except origin, which was a new IP at the time, back when market were much smaller). That's pretty terrible.

Also, crazy to think the gap between origin and inquisition is about half the gap between inquisition and veilguard. When and why did all game company decide that the best way to proceed was to release less game? Like inquisition was one of their best selling game, why not have something out a few year after? They pushed out 2 like a year after origin.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

How are they connected to no one knowing about this game?

SBI bad because they get rid of tits and ass; therefore, anything SBI failing is good.

 

[CriticalGaming]

So significantly worse than all other title (maybe except origin, which was a new IP at the time, back when market were much smaller). That's pretty terrible.

Also, crazy to think the gap between origin and inquisition is about half the gap between inquisition and veilguard. When and why did all game company decide that the best way to proceed was to release less game? Like inquisition was one of their best selling game, why not have something out a few year after? They pushed out 2 like a year after origin.

To me it strikes as part of the lack of creativity problem we've been seeing in media lately. These shitty agenda driven writers have no creative ideas to make anything new anymore, so they have to piggyback on reviving old IP's to get anything out the door.

Bringing back old IP's like Dragonage and Mass Effect just seem like desperation moves because nobody at the studio has any better idea. And because these people are hacks, they revive an old IP with a fucking dogshit game, which only serves to kill IP further.

 

[Bedinsis]

EA Origin is shutting down.