Sweet Baby Inc, a consultancy known for assisting game developers in refining narratives and characters, has come under fire for allegedly imposing specific agendas in video games. The company has faced backlash for integrating particular social and political themes, sparking controversy within the gaming community.
The issue gained traction when a Steam enthusiast, Kabrutus, created a curator page titled “Sweet Baby Inc Detected” to highlight games influenced by the company’s consultancy. Attempts by Sweet Baby Inc to remove the page only increased its visibility, drawing significant public attention.
Elon Musk, a notable figure in the tech and gaming industry, joined the critics of Sweet Baby Inc, accusing the company of damaging the gaming industry by meddling in creative processes and attempting to censor individuals. His comments have intensified the scrutiny on the company's practices.
The scandal expanded to include other entities like Black Girl Gamers, which was consulted for the game Forspoken by Square Enix. The discussion around their involvement brought up issues of colorism and texturism in gaming. Colorism refers to discrimination based on skin tone, often within the same ethnic group, where darker-skinned individuals face more prejudice. Texturism deals with discrimination based on hair texture, with negative biases frequently directed at individuals with kinkier or curlier hair textures, commonly found among those of African descent.
Black Girl Gamers’ announcement of seeking a Black woman to create content for Dungeons & Dragons further fueled the debate, leading to accusations of discriminatory hiring practices. These incidents have highlighted broader discussions in the industry about diversity, representation, and the impact of social narratives on gaming content and storytelling.
Grand Theft Auto VI, slated for release in 2025, is nearing the final stages of development. Recent leaks suggest that the game could occupy an astonishing 230 gigabytes, positioning it among the largest projects in gaming history.
The trend of increasing game sizes has become more pronounced, with blockbusters like Call of Duty, Destiny 2, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, and Ark: Survival Evolved taking up between 100 to 150 gigabytes due to the need for high-detail textures, models, and expansive worlds.
The leak related to GTA VI highlights that the game's size could set a new benchmark, reaching around 230 gigabytes. It is anticipated that the game will undergo optimization and data compression stages before its official release, which might reduce the final size, but it is clear that Rockstar Games is preparing one of the most extensive and visually striking worlds in the history of the industry.
It has also been noted by the reliable source, the Twitter account PC_Focus, known for accurate game size information, that GTA 6 post-installation might occupy 228.5 GB. This size could be associated with an unoptimized version of the game.
Epic Games has decided to cease support for older Windows operating systems through its Epic Games Store platform. Starting June 2024, the Epic Games Launcher will no longer support Windows 7, Windows 8, and 32-bit versions of Windows 10. After this date, the launcher installed on these operating systems will not receive any updates. However, Epic Games will continue to support 64-bit Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS 10.13 and higher.
The discontinuation of support for Windows 7, Windows 8, and 32-bit Windows 10 does not mean that the Epic Games Launcher will become unusable on these systems immediately, but it signifies the end of official support. Consequently, Epic Games will no longer provide technical assistance to users on these older operating systems. Over time, the functionality of the launcher may degrade or cease to work altogether.
Ninja Theory has officially confirmed the inclusion of a photo mode in the upcoming adventure action game, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. The announcement was accompanied by the release of four new screenshots showcasing the capabilities of this feature, captured using the game's built-in tools.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is set to release on May 21 for Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms. The game will be immediately available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on the day of release, providing instant access to the new title.
Microsoft and Ninja Theory have also clarified that the duration of the new game will be comparable to the first installment, indicating a thoughtful narrative and well-crafted gameplay mechanics. Senua's Saga: Hellblade II will be released exclusively in digital format at a price of $50, making it accessible to a wide audience of series fans and newcomers alike.
Richie de Wit, founder of the consulting firm Bear Knuckle, has stirred controversy in the gaming industry with his statement about ending the careers of game developers who oppose diversity, inclusivity, and equity. Bear Knuckle is described as an inclusive business development consultancy for seasoned and aspiring game developers.
De Wit expressed his intolerance for harassment, violence, and threats against developers, minorities, and women in the gaming industry, stating he would not engage in discussion but rather take action against those who oppose modern inclusive agendas. He mentioned directly blacklisting individuals and influencing their employment opportunities in the industry.
This bold stance attracted attention from Mark Kern, a former Blizzard Entertainment veteran, who commented on the situation, highlighting the coercive nature of inserting specific narratives into gaming. Kern's remark, "I like when they outright say: 'Yes, it's true, we will include agenda-driven content in games, OR YOU WILL NEVER WORK HERE AGAIN!'" underscores the tension between advocacy for social values and freedom of speech in the gaming sector.
Black Myth: Wukong, an action RPG based on the Monkey King legend and the 16th-century novel Journey to the West, is set to release on August 20, 2024. Developed using Unreal Engine 5, the game has garnered significant attention due to its impressive trailers released over the years. A new trailer showcases the game’s graphics powered by GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs, employing NVIDIA's technologies including DLSS 3 (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and ray tracing, enhancing performance and visual quality.
The game promises a blend of cinematic storytelling, a deep narrative, and innovations in combat and enemy interactions. NVIDIA's DLSS 3.5 technology, an advanced AI model for higher quality ray-traced images, will be supported in the game, offering improved image quality and enhanced performance.
Blizzard Entertainment has announced an update for Diablo IV, scheduled for March 26, which will include ray tracing support. The update will bring significant changes to the gameplay, including character balancing and improvements for various classes, such as Barbarians, Druids, and Necromancers. Players will see increased damage, changes in resource generation, and adjustments to unique items and legendary aspects.
Additionally, Diablo IV will be available on Xbox Game Pass on March 28, giving subscribers access to the game as part of their subscription. This event will be part of the continuous expansion of the game's world and content, including new events, stories, seasons, and rewards.
The upcoming game in the Star Wars universe, Star Wars™ Outlaws, is set to offer players an enhanced gaming experience with the inclusion of DLSS 3 and ray tracing technologies. Powered by NVIDIA, DLSS 3 aims to boost game performance and image quality, while ray tracing will bring realistic lighting effects to the game's environments. Additionally, NVIDIA Reflex technology will be utilized to reduce input lag, ensuring a more responsive gameplay experience.
Players will step into the shoes of Kay Vess and her companion Nix, embarking on missions for the galaxy's criminal syndicates. The game promises an engaging storyline and dynamic gameplay, where players' decisions will directly impact their reputation within the galaxy.
The Epic Games Store has launched a new promotion, allowing gamers to add Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and The Bridge to their collections for free. This limited-time offer provides an excellent opportunity for players to explore these diverse gaming experiences at no cost.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, known for its immersive cyberpunk world and deep narrative, and The Bridge, a puzzle game that challenges players with physics-based scenarios, are available until March 21st. Following this promotion, the Epic Games Store will refresh its free offerings to include Call of the Wild: The Angler and Invincible Presents: Atom Eve.
This promotion is part of Epic Games Store's ongoing effort to enrich gamers' libraries with a variety of titles, ensuring there's always something new and exciting to play.
In a significant turn of events in the gaming industry, Embracer Group has announced the transfer of a substantial part of its assets, including the developers behind the Metro series, 4A Games, and Zen Studios, to Beacon Interactive. The deal, initially reported to be worth $247 million, actually amounts to around $500 million, including all obligations.
This clarification, outlined in a letter from Beacon Interactive's CEO, Matthew Karch, corrects previously disseminated statements that were deemed "misleading". Alongside 4A Games and Zen Studios, other notable entities such as Aspyr, Beamdog, Demiurge, Shiver, Snapshot, Tripwire, Tuxedo Labs, and 34 Big Things are also transitioning to the new owner.
The transfer of such a significant number of prominent assets signifies substantial changes within Embracer Group's structure and bolsters Beacon Interactive's position in the video game market. This event opens up new possibilities for the development of the acquired studios and their upcoming projects.
