Can diversity go too far? When hiring someone, when striving for it in games?
No. The only way to go "too far", means less diversity, but in a different direction. We are nowhere near that point, ESPECIALLY when hiring people or in game narratives.
Is it possible that forcing someone's hand, telling them what they should write about, destroys the one thing we all value most in games - creativity, freedom of expression?
Nobody's forcing game developers to put more diversity in games; there are people criticizing them for not doing so, which is not the same thing. On the other hand, there is a hate mob yelling at them to stop doing so.
Furthermore, greater diversity leads to more creativity, not less, and greater creativity means not all of the stories are centered on white men.
I liked La Mulana 1 a lot! But then about halfway through a stopped playing for a bit, and it was very hard to go back to because I forgot everything.
This game looks like more of the first game, which I am theoretically excited about, but I don't know when I'll have the time/energy to get into properly. (See also: The Witcher 3, Pillars of Eternity, Torment: Numenera, Divinity: Original Sin)
The issue here is that folks are using a shitty video game to grandstand on the internet. Alex was willing to look past the sexism in Nier in order to give it GOTY. But Shaq-Fu not having any redeeming qualities in his eyes makes the game a punching bag...
Yeah, Nier is sexist, but there are degrees. Nier's not making jokes about women belonging in the kitchen, which is about the level of lazy stereotype bullshit this game does. Saying Nier was good despite being sexist and that this game is bad and also racist and homophobic isn't being hypocritical.
It's not like they're seeking out shitty games that make racist jokes so they can call it out to make themselves look better than everyone else. They're not harassing anyone or calling for anyone to be fired. They're playing a game, a racist joke comes up, and they're saying that's a shitty joke to make. I think calling that "grandstanding" is a gross exaggeration. (And I think racism is still a bigger issue than people grandstanding over racism.)
Protip: Don't say "Over and out." on a radio. "Over" means you are done speaking and expect a reply. "Out" means you are done speaking and DON'T expect a reply. Use one or the other.
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