The Woke Debate from a Developer's Perspective

[ZedClampet]

If you read Steam forums, the debate about "wokeness" in games is an unavoidable raging fire that is consuming the entire industry. I personally find it exhausting, and I enjoy inclusiveness in games when it is done correctly as opposed to just being thrown in to check a box. Clearly not everyone shares this sentiment, and the anti-woke crowd has become ubiquitous on Steam forums, yet we very rarely hear responses from developers except to say the obvious, which is that they support inclusiveness, which is hardly a convincing argument to those who don't support it. One developer, however, recently went a little more in-depth and shed some light on this issue from the developer's side.

Broken Roads, by Australian developer Drop Bear Bytes, is an ambitious, post-apocalyptic cRPG in the style of the original Fallout games that launched on Steam last year. The final year of development was apparently pretty difficult. The scope of the game caused delays, and during the stretch run, the last 6 months, their publisher, Versus Evil, was closed down by owner tinyBuild. The game and team survived, but not unscathed. The game was released in April of 2024 to middling user reviews on Steam, and low average reviews from professional critics. PC Gamer gave it a 64, largely praising the game but calling it "undercooked".

Drop Bear Bytes soldiered on, continuing their work and are still dropping regular updates to polish and improve the game. They are also still engaging with their players on the Steam forums, showing patience and a remarkable level of professionalism. From the moment the demo was released, there has been a constant drip of players complaining about wokeness because the game accepted a grant from the Australian government for including aboriginal characters in their game. We know about this grant because there is a, presumably required, notice to this effect that you see every time you launch the game.

Yesterday, the developer addressed the latest complaint from a player who wrote,

Bought game. Installed, booted up, very first thing is a long land acknowledgement virtue signal at bottom of screen.

Uninstalled, refunded.

I don't know why devs will do this to themselves. Is it part of accepting government funding, or is this just internal dev back patting and virtue signaling?

I think the developer's response sheds a lot of light on this particular moment of "wokeness" that many angry gamers could benefit from reading.

It's part of almost all media here in Australia. It is definitely part of government funding in our case, as the game received extensive support specifically for the Noongar content (which we simply could not do properly without). There are a lot of sensitivities in Australia in particular and you will see acknowledgements on TV programmes, when flights land in different cities around the country, and in many other places. I obviously cannot speak to all of those other cases but definitely in ours, an Australian game with Aboriginal characters with the story taking place in Noongar areas (or "Noongar country" as it would be stated here) there's no way, either from a political, cultural sensitivity or any other standpoint that we would *not* do this the right way.

This has been an absolute damned if you do and damned if you don't situation for our development throughout. People from other countries have seen the acknowledgement and insta-rollseyes and uninstall without knowing how ubiquitous it is here. We've received extensive praise from some Aboriginal players/people involved with the project, as well as harsh criticism from others. I was warned going into this (by an Aboriginal person who helped us out) that I was going to upset people no matter how much I did, but that they wanted us to proceed because they believed we were doing a sincere best-effort to do this the right way, with Aboriginal Cultural Educators, writers, consultants, people who could take questions to elders etc. And still, we've received backlash from people calling us woke and from people calling us racist and so on. I'm happy with the way we approached the Indigenous content and characters in the game and that we did the best we could with extremely limited resources (people GROSSLY over-estimate the amount of funding we received from the government. It amounts to about 5% of the budget to pay for more than 10% of the content).

The developer ends by saying that he hopes the player will give the game another try after the upcoming updates.

While I find all of this response interesting, it is surprising (maybe it shouldn't have been) to me that the developers not only field complaints from the anti-woke crowd but from the other side as well. There was no route to victory. Everyone is mad.

Another point that I think everyone should take to heart is that most of those who are complaining have no idea what the developer's situation is or why they may be including certain content. In this case, the state of the aboriginal people of Australia is an ever-present cloud hanging over the developer's country, a lightning rod wired to a nuclear power plant. Simply ignoring the situation in a game that takes place in Australia was not an option.

And, of course, few gamers care about a developer's financial situation, or whether or not their publisher closes, nor can they comprehend the massive amount of work and mental strength required to make a game as the calendar races toward the promised release date and the money dwindles away.

Overall, I think this developer response might help to create a little more empathy in gamers, who seem to be driven to righteous anger so many times each day that it is remarkable they find time to actually game. While I believe this anger isn't their fault, but the fault of large AAA companies (but this is the wrong place for this debate), their rage over such things as microtransactions and games-as-a-series-of-DLC, has spilt over into the indie scene and is negatively impacting everyone and every thing. So it was with this mindset that I decided to share this brief conversation.

If you'd like to share your thoughts on these skirmishes of the greater war, I'd love to hear them.

 

[Pifanjr]

The whole anti-wokeness just feels like the last example of manufactured outrage that's probably making some people a lot of money.

 

[January's Ghost]

Some people falsely believe that they have a right to not be offended. In truth every person has a right to offend.

Some people also falsely believe that if they get offended that they are owed some form of compensation, usually the punishment or removal of the offender/offense, but sometimes worse. In most cases they are, in fact, owed nothing.

Satisfaction can come if we just step out of ourselves for a minute and contemplate context. It usually won't stop someone from still being offended, but it makes it easier for them to move on from it and shed the imagined entitlement.

This simple understanding can save everyone, the offended and the offender, a whole lot of unnecessary negative emotions.

I really can't say more because I don't know what the original complainer's reaction to the devs response was.


Anyway, an old saying in creative spaces is that if your work doesn't offend someone you're doing it wrong.

 

[Zimbaly]

I see nothing wrong with "woke" stuff.

The people that hate "woke" are usually bigots and fascist.

I'd say what they can do with themselves, but I don't want to get banned.

 

[ZedClampet]

I really can't say more because I don't know what the original complainer's reaction to the devs response was.

They haven't responded yet and probably won't.

The whole anti-wokeness just feels like the last example of manufactured outrage that's probably making some people a lot of money.

Isn't this sort of a continuation of gamergate? Maybe not. I really didn't pay any attention back then, but I thought it was also about inclusivity.

 

[Colif]

Without looking too hard, I would think what is getting people annoyed at the start of the game is probably an Acknowledgement of Country which is something we see at start of almost every production made here now in the last 20 years or so

Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country - Reconciliation Australia

Incorporating Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country into meetings, gatherings, and events shows respect by upholding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols.

www.reconciliation.org.au

Nothing wrong with saying who traditionally owned land. It just get s a little tiresome if you see it everywhere, and it probably doesn't really belong in a video game.

It got a little push back last year after a referendum was rejected - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Australian_Indigenous_Voice_referendum - by the majority of the population who don't want to give their country away, and didn't probably trust who would be given the right to run the new part of Government. Smelled like a corporate grab for control. An unelected part of Govt that could veto ideas voted up by the electorate.

Not enough people believed it, even among the Aboriginals. They need to convince more people in the next 20 years or so and they can try to steal country again.

I wouldn't call it woke, the thing was around before "woke" was a thing. I remember seeing it in courses in 2014. Its possible it has become worse since but I don't consume much media from here anymore.

 

[ZedClampet]

I wouldn't call it woke, the thing was around before "woke" was a thing. I remember seeing it in courses in 2014.

That's the thing. The people who are complaining about it aren't from Australia and don't even understand what they are complaining about.

As far as it being in the game, I had the impression it was required by the grant they received, but the more I think about it, the more I think that was incorrect

 

[Colif]

It probably is part of the grant, they would have a section on it. WE give you money, you have to say right things.

 

[Pifanjr]

Isn't this sort of a continuation of gamergate? Maybe not. I really didn't pay any attention back then, but I thought it was also about inclusivity.

GamerGate was indeed also manufactured outrage and there's definitely overlap in the type of complaints.

I read this article a while ago about how Steve Bannon realised he could redirect the GamerGate outrage towards political issues:

Steve Bannon learned to harness troll army from 'World of Warcraft'

A new book on Trump chief political strategist Steve Bannon tells how 'World of Warcraft' inspired Breitbart News and Trump's rabid online followers.

eu.usatoday.com

"I realized Milo could connect with these kids right away," Bannon told Green. "You can activate that army. They come in through Gamergate or whatever and then get turned onto politics and Trump."

 

[COLGeek]

Let us not get into contemporary political banter, please. Else this conversation will need to come to an abrupt ending.

Cool?

 

[ZedClampet]

Let us not get into contemporary political banter, please. Else this conversation will need to come to an abrupt ending.

Cool?

I tried very hard to make the original post agnostic, but I didn't think through what a conversation about that post would look like. In retrospect, it was a bad idea. If you want to close the thread, I won't be offended.

 

[Frindis]

We need the best of both worlds. We have games like the GTA series or games like Hatred, Solider of Fortune, Dead or Alive, Duke Nukem, Manhunt, Lucious, and Postal that most definitely rile up some feelings while playing and for some might be too much and turn into a discussion about violence, religion, and negative female perspectives.

Then we have games like Tomb Raider and how the female protagonist has evolved into a more realistic-looking female while at the same time showing a bit more of her past and struggles in life. It's not all the front cover of PC Gamer magazine with large bazookas anymore. For some people that might be too much and it turns into a discussion about body type and such.

I believe we should have both worlds, but I also believe it has to be done well or people are going to be looking at it more critically, like what has happened with the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Shadows. If done well, it will get more praise like with Cyberpunk 2077 and their well-made characters like Judy Alvarez and Jhonny Silverhand.

 

[mjs warlord]

I dont know if this can be described as wokeness because i am not actually sure of its meaning.
When planning on getting a new game i always look at what players are saying about them , i recently saw somebody on a blacksad discussions complaining that Joe dunn , a cat was white and that bobby a rottweller was black. Sonio the house cat was grey and that Arthur tucker is a dog with white fur ????? I am not sure what point the guy was trying to make but the person who started the thread was complaining about race ???

In steams discussions pages their are players complaining about certain characters traits in dragon age veilguard ?????. Their are so many posts about traits that a lot of them have been locked.

In the real world we have people of different gender , colour , religion and people with both mental and physical disability. I see lots of postings by users saying why dont we have this in a game and that is all they complain about. They dont even bother to say if the game is good or bad.

 

[DXCHASE]

I immediately dismiss anyone that uses terms (woke, dei etc.) to berate a game or have an opinion in general because they are already bias/wrong. It is 100% manufactured outrage with 100% of people who try to tear apart a game (or any type of media in general) just being followers/bandwagoners. Itll subside when a new flashy type of insult comes around.

I also find it weird how some people got so mad that you can make a character non-binary. I mean isnt one of the biggest things in a game is being able to be and look like someone youre not? 100% guarantee you that a lot of those folk choose to be women in a game. So its 100% hypocritical to get mad at a game that adds choices like that.

 

[ZedClampet]

So there is one argument they make that I kind of understand, and that is when they take a well-established character and change their race and/or gender because to the fans it could feel like they've lost the old character that they loved. I don't agree with this, but at least I understand it. It is difficult to come to grips with having a new actor, and I guess that the more different the new actor is, the harder it is to adjust. So maybe the better thing to do is to just make a new IP. Instead of trying to convince the audience that an old superhero is now black, for instance, just make a new black superhero. I would love some new superheroes, but companies are too afraid to make new IPs.

 

[COLGeek]

I tried very hard to make the original post agnostic, but I didn't think through what a conversation about that post would look like. In retrospect, it was a bad idea. If you want to close the thread, I won't be offended.

Good for now, just don't to cross that line. Thank you for understanding how this topic could easily go off the rails.

 

[Johnway]

Honestly the whole term Woke has lost all meaning. at the moment it feels like its interchangable from anything from:

- sudden awakening or awareness of social inequality in society and becoming active
- a method to forcefully push an LBQT / race or genda agenda to the masses
- attack on perceptions on beauty and attacking anything beautiful
- being leftist
- and a few other things.

I think it boils down to a couple of things but the main one: Cynicism of businesses trying to be inclusive, justice and equality to earn brownie points.

If we strip away the homophobic, sexists, racists and the morons we're left with the moderates who probably are tolerant and all for equality for those of different genders, races, sexuality. The problem is that people feel that they are getting bombarded with it too much from companies pushing equality too aggressively and its looking a bit fake or shoehorned in that its becoming bloody annoying. its impacting the quality of story writing and quality of games as we have to come up with ideas or reasons to add that stuff in or highlight that issue.

its not helped that there is a narrative that there is an agenda/conspiracy with gamergate, DEI, sweetbaby inc clueless companies reaching out to forcibly change a game for worse to fit those agendas and its a convenient excuse for some people.

I've entertained the notion that perhaps, yes games and media are going slightly ott with it but when i realise i'm playing a game and not real life, i find the whole anti woke people a bit sad. Lets look at an RPG we have one of each class and plus one of each race in my party (a human warrior, an eleven mage, ork berserker, halflings etc etc). Why does that get a free pass but not race and gender?

What about that recent attack how asian devs with stellar blade is the bastion of non woke because of its anime leanings whereas western devs are sucked into woke ideas because people don't look as pretty or more reallife? its a style preference and some of these people i suspect are growing up on anime, porn and fixated as that is the reality they want. They don't want to be reminded of reality or any sense of realism.

In an ideal world, we would just don't care about persons gender,race,sexual preferences and just carry on as if its nothing. Most people do, but there is a loud vocal minority that can't and their tolerance for it is practically zero. hell, some people think its gay to fancy strong muscular fitness models women. Its got to the point i just watch and point and laugh at their insecurities and mental gymnastics to justify their positions. its like listening to a conspiracy theorist - you can't convince these people to change, they have to do it themselves.


Honestly i don't know whether the whole thing is more prevalent in media of other countries or other countries have different social views.

But i'm sure i'm preaching to the masses. I'm sure most people agree. So to keep this topic controversial i shall now come up with reasons why PCG owes me a 4070 TI Super and any future hardware they receive for review belongs to me.... Like that AMD 9800x3d

 

[JCgames]

So there is one argument they make that I kind of understand, and that is when they take a well-established character and change their race and/or gender because to the fans it could feel like they've lost the old character that they loved. I don't agree with this, but at least I understand it. It is difficult to come to grips with having a new actor, and I guess that the more different the new actor is, the harder it is to adjust. So maybe the better thing to do is to just make a new IP. Instead of trying to convince the audience that an old superhero is now black, for instance, just make a new black superhero. I would love some new superheroes, but companies are too afraid to make new IPs.

I often feel this way, but I'm also someone that doesn't like remakes in general. And honestly identity should matter for everyone but I'll be honest when stuff like that has changed and I dint know the source material it doesn't bug me at all. Like I watched swamp thing and had zero clue dr arcane was a guy before that show and how they changed it was prettygood. there just needs to be a lot more creation and chances taken. I also think people that never see people that look different has a far different point of view than some that lives in a place like ny city, there are literally over 700 unique languages and dialects spoken from around the world and diversity is far more than someone from a place that rarely if ever even sees someone with a different color skin.

But the fact is you can create something brand new from the ground up and you will still have woke outrage. Just go read the Lamplighter steam page and the woke thread with people whining about how a tank Character is female or there is an Asian leader that people use slurs about Basically any girl or person of color is anything more than a side bar or fits into a tiny box is outrage Heck there are threads in mass effect andromeda with guys complaing about how many girls are in places of power in the story. Or how just simply it's Unrealistic when a girl kicks butt.

No one complains about spiderman lifting up a car, or ironman being walloped and smashed into the ground so hard he makes a crater and should be dead from the impact suit or not. Or hand held lasers, spaceships warping around the galaxy with magical inertia dampers and magically beaming into space. OR rambo, die hard or Bruce Lee being about as realistic as a unicorn. None of this bothers their sense of reality but when it's a girl doing it, it's fake woke crap.

The fact is the big strong good looking hero that beats up the world, saves the day and gets a cheerleader as a reward is just as much identity politics as anything they hate as woke politics. The only difference is it's the identity they want to see.

I won't hold my breath for the irony of that being realized.