Sweet Baby Inc. serves as consultants hired by developers to address inclusivity requirements for government grants.
Before delving into this topic, it's essential to consider various perspectives. Regardless of personal preferences regarding "woke" elements in games, it's crucial to understand that players and most developers are not to blame; rather, the focus should be on critiquing the game itself. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the inclusion of token, predictable, and disruptive narratives in gaming. However, it's worth noting that not all stories featuring "woke" elements are inherently bad. Games like "Signals", "Undertale", and "Baldur's Gate 3" successfully incorporate such themes. Conversely, titles like "Assassin's Creed: Valhalla," "Horizon Zero Dawn: Forbidden West," and "Mass Effect: Andromeda" have faced criticism despite having potential and having great success in the past. The injection of "woke" elements can be viewed as a symptom rather than the root cause.
One significant factor contributing to this trend is the funding obtained through government systems that often come with checkboxes, a practice prevalent among Government Contractors. Games developers may hire consultants like Sweet Baby Inc. to address inclusivity requirements stipulated by government grants. Grants from the US government, for instance, may have stipulations enforcing a percentage of workers from specific racial, gender, or creed backgrounds. This percentage directly impacting the amount of the grant. Similarly, research or National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants might require or prioritize narratives featuring certain demographics. While the extent of these requirements varies case by case, they undeniably influence storytelling. It's challenging to discern the full scope of these conditions, given that grants at the multi-million-dollar scale are typically case-specific and rarely publicized.
Large game developers and publishers rely heavily on external funding to sustain their operations and mitigate the risk of failure. Most studios can ill-afford multiple game flops, making them dependent on grant money. Paradoxically, while such funding mitigates financial risk, it may inadvertently compromise creative freedom. Much like drinking unicorn blood can save a wounded studio, it leaves them a shell of their former selves. So the green blood injecting checkboxes are arbitrarily inserted into narratives, obvious in their recurrence across unrelated stories. Developers find themselves navigating these hoops to secure funding, while audiences grow weary of repetitive tropes.
Amidst polarization and misinformation, both pro and anti-"woke" factions seek to stir controversy and attract attention to their content. However, scant attention has been paid to examining the workings of this system or tracing its origins. While some attribute the trend to Western politics, the notion that widespread actions causing multimillion-dollar games to adopt such themes emerged solely from political shifts seems implausible when faced with such consistent failures. Survival in the competitive gaming industry demands financial viability, making rapid failures unsustainable... unless one's financial well-being is made from unicorn blood.
Video games offer one of the most affordable year-round hobbies in many countries. With movies costing as much as games but offering significantly shorter experiences, it's evident that gaming holds a special place in people's hearts. Mine especially. While there are undoubtedly individuals with biases, dismissing dissenting voices as merely "ist" is simplistic. However, we do know some "ist" is involved at the fringe on both sides. I would say, instead, it's more constructive to discuss legislative requirements governing government spending on consistently failing video game companies.
Gamers' discontent with Sweet Baby Inc. is understandable, given the perception that the consulting firm plays a role in shaping narratives to meet inclusivity requirements. Owner Kim, a savvy businesswoman, occasionally makes ill-considered remarks. Which is only fueling further frustration. However, there's no value in engaging them regardless of intent. Conversely, consumers have the right to avoid material they find offensive, and if they wish to form groups to boycott certain games, it's their prerogative. Gaming thrives when it embraces diversity of thought and skills while eschewing mundane conventions.
I am going to go pick up my girlfriend from work and probably stream later today. Remember to be kind to one another.