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[LectureMaster]

I’m still every now and then getting questions on whether we force DEI stuff into the games we’re making, so let me make it clear once and for all:

Absolutely Not. I find that entire approach perverted. I’m an artist, I would rather quit than have someone else tell me how we should do our art. That would make a mockery out of everything I believe in.

I’ve been very much outspoken on on how I feel about consulting and I still very strongly feel that if people haven’t lived the process and don’t have to think about the issues at hand 24/7, they will always deliver worse work than those who do.

When it comes to the stories we’re telling, I always approach it from a human angle first and foremost and let the story tell me where it needs to go. If it tickles me to have a gay character in our story and I feel like that character could be fascinating then I will push for that. But I would NEVER make a character gay simply because some outside party told me that it’s hip to do so and that we might face backlash if we don’t.

Art fundamentally doesn’t work that way.

Everyone has stories inside of them that are based on the experiences that they went through in their lives and to me what elevates art beyond just craft is when you’ve reflected enough to know who you are and then let those stories out because those experiences that you lived through are most likely experiences that other people can relate to that will speak to them in a profound manner. Because they’re real.

Ori and the Blind Forest in many ways was about me reflecting on what it was like to see my father dying of cancer when I was 10 and being grateful to my mom. Wisps on the other hand was written when we all started to have kids in the studio and imagining what it would be like to have a kid with a disability.

I wrote the first draft of No Rest for the Wicked quite some time ago and that also came from a very specific place.

I hope that clarifies it for everybody. I’ve had to learn the hard way what it means to be an artist and I’d never let anyone take that away from me.

 

[Skifi28]

 

[delfrickintree]

Thats a lot of words when he couldve stopped at "absolutely not."

 

[Madflavor]

And I’ll continue to support them for it.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Smart man. Stop giving these grifters money. Looking forward to No Rest For The Wicked leaving early access so I can do a full playthrough. What I've played so far is great.

 

[digdug2]

Good. Tell the story the way that you want to tell it, and don't shoehorn things in that are ultimately irrelevant to the story that you are conveying.

 

[mrqs]

ZzzZZzZZzzzZzzz

 

[Fbh]

Didn't Schreier or IGN or some other similar outlet write a hit piece against Moon Studios 1-2 years ago where one of the main complains was that the studio heads were actively "anti woke"?.
Makes sense they wouldn't want to force in DEI stuff into their game, and I'm glad.

 

[Fess]

As it should be.


Btw that bit about Ori just maked the game hit even harder.
Was hoping for a third Ori but he said that he need a long break before doing another Metroidvania. Both Oris were among my all-time greats.

Now they’re making a niche ARPG in Wicked that few are playing, Steam count is around 300. Let’s hope it won’t sink them. The game needs big upgrades, and console versions.

He recently dreamt about making a Banjo game, compete with 3D Mario. MS, let him take on that challenge!

 

[Fabieter]

The only real answer. I also enjoy stuff like life is strange if it's not forced tho.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

He probably got banned on you-know-where like the rest of us.

 

[Gonzito]

Good, and I will buy their games to support that mindset

And by the way, now that we are talking about this company, No rest for the wicked is absolutely amazing, I have played 30 hours and finished all the content from the early access and its incredible, one of the best souls game I have played, and it has his own personality and feeling, is not a clone. I really enjoyed it

 

[cash_longfellow]

 

[Mister Wolf]

Good, and I will buy their games to support that mindset

And by the way, now that we are talking about this company, No rest for the wicked is absolutely amazing, I have played 30 hours and finished all the content from the early access and its incredible, one of the best souls game I have played, and it has his own personality and feeling, is not a clone. I really enjoyed it

I would love to see Moon Studios take a shot at making Castlevania.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

When you make it a public statement, it just comes off as virtue signaling to me, regardless what side of the political coin you fall on. Because that's basically what it is: word salad pandering.

The best games in this regard, IMO, are the ones that just "do it", and whose devs don't have to use buzzwords in the culture war. Just let your work speak for itself.

 

[xrnzaaas]

That's great to hear, but I hope they'll go back to Ori as soon as possible. Seems like they've taken a completely wrong turn with No Rest for the Wicked and now they'll also have spend months (years?) with it since it's still early access.

 

[samoilaaa]

i really liked the ori games and i hope they turn No rest for the wicked into an amazing game too

the fact that they wont add DEI stuff is really good to hear , these days its rare too see devs who dare to speak against it

he should be prepared for review bombing

 

[samoilaaa]

When you make it a public statement, it just comes off as virtue signaling to me, regardless what side of the political coin you fall on. Because that's basically what it is: word salad pandering.

The best games in this regard, IMO, are the ones that just "do it", and whose devs don't have to use buzzwords in the culture war. Just let your work speak for itself.

well considering how vocal is the other side its good to hear some people speak against it

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Ah, the glorious 180 of DEI. Well, let’s hope the employees you quota-hired won’t blow up your company!

 

[Big Baller]

How bout not releasing early access games. I hate that shit.

 

[StueyDuck]

Is this the floodgates? Devs finally speaking up.

I mean moonstudios has earnt the right to say these things. 2 out of 2 hits is a good batting average, I haven't played the early access game yet but I've heard good things so far.

Sadly his social media presence has been pretty stupid throughout time so there's a chance his statement will be lost to some of his other edgy hot takes.

I remember around the Xbox One X and ps4 pro launches he was a proper child console warrior.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Good to hear. I'll be purchasing their next game for sure.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

When you make it a public statement, it just comes off as virtue signaling to me, regardless what side of the political coin you fall on. Because that's basically what it is: word salad pandering.

The best games in this regard, IMO, are the ones that just "do it", and whose devs don't have to use buzzwords in the culture war. Just let your work speak for itself.

Maybe it is virtue signaling but I still think it’s important for people like him to speak up. It’s one of those things where probably most ordinary people agree with him but they’re afraid to speak up out of fear of being canceled.

Plus a huge portion of this industry lives in a bubble with people who still believe the DEI religion.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

When you make it a public statement, it just comes off as virtue signaling to me, regardless what side of the political coin you fall on. Because that's basically what it is: word salad pandering.

The best games in this regard, IMO, are the ones that just "do it", and whose devs don't have to use buzzwords in the culture war. Just let your work speak for itself.

You don't really hear too many devs making this statement in regards to DEI. I agree that you should let your work speak for itself, but this realization that companies like Sweet Baby are being hired for their "consulting" in games has only really hit the masses this past year. I think a lot of devs/companies are trying to sweep it under the rug and not acknowledge the impacts on their games' direction.

To me it's refreshing (and important) that Moon Studios are acknowledging the existence of this practice and putting their philosophy out there into the light for everyone to see. The result of making a statement like this could also educate other consumers that were not aware of the DEI implementations being forced into games. Also it could have a good effect on other devs that feel the same way but are afraid to speak up against it.

 

[Fess]

When you make it a public statement, it just comes off as virtue signaling to me, regardless what side of the political coin you fall on. Because that's basically what it is: word salad pandering.

That’s how he is, talking too much, and pulling strings. I assume he’s out of Resetera now so then he has longwinded talks on X instead, likely doing it to remind people that Moon exist now that they are out of the 1st party bubble with free PR and a big fanbase. No Rest for the Wicked is awesome, but it’s in need of a popularity boost from big updates or console versions, it’s not played much now going by Steam charts.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

This is what DEI gets you:

 

[KungFucius]

When you make it a public statement, it just comes off as virtue signaling to me, regardless what side of the political coin you fall on. Because that's basically what it is: word salad pandering.

The best games in this regard, IMO, are the ones that just "do it", and whose devs don't have to use buzzwords in the culture war. Just let your work speak for itself.

Agreed. It is not like they even have a game where this could be a thing.

 

[Kacho]

Love to see T thomasmahler speak out against this stuff. Much respect. He speaks the absolute truth here.

 

[Fess]

Agreed. It is not like they even have a game where this could be a thing.

They have No Rest for the Wicked and it could be full of the usual western nonsense. But it’s got it’s own visual style and besides big arms the devs has actually dared to make female characters that looks like women with some curves.

 

[cormack12]

Love to see T thomasmahler speak out against this stuff. Much respect. He speaks the absolute truth here.

He's only repeating what I say. I'm the real hero.

 

[Kacho]

They have No Rest for the Wicked and it could be full of the usual western nonsense. But it’s got it’s own visual style and besides big arms the devs has actually dared to make female characters that looks like women with some curves.

Thiiiiyack as fuck

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Agreed. It is not like they even have a game where this could be a thing.

Which makes him even braver. There's a false equivalence fallacy here, since the backlash of saying this is much bigger than the other way around.

 

[Mister Wolf]

They have No Rest for the Wicked and it could be full of the usual western nonsense. But it’s got it’s own visual style and besides big arms the devs has actually dared to make female characters that looks like women with some curves.

Yup. Even within their unique artstyle they acknowledge the sexual dimorphism of our species. The men that wish they were women and women that wish they were men don't like that.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Love Moon Studios.

They make great games and don't allow DEI bullshit in their games.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

 

[Fess]

Yup. Even within their unique artstyle they acknowledge the sexual dimorphism of our species. The men that wish they were women and women that wish they were men don't like that.

Yeah, and lets just agree that it’s about time the western gaming industry acknowledge that hips and thighs exist. In western games women often looks like a headswapped man. Meanwhile out in the real world women go to the gym to build a bigger ass, wider hips, thicker thighs.

 

[Three]

Didn't Schreier or IGN or some other similar outlet write a hit piece against Moon Studios 1-2 years ago where one of the main complains was that the studio heads were actively "anti woke"?.
Makes sense they wouldn't want to force in DEI stuff into their game, and I'm glad.

It wasn't Schreier or IGN it was Venturebeat/Gamesbeat (home of Jeff Grubb at the time) and it wasn't so much about being "anti-woke" but more about the work environment being 'abusive' due to jokes like "killing jews with game development" and stuff like that. The article was probably written due to their departure from working with MS and why they were not part of the acquisition spree at the time.
In the article you can sense Mahler is a little more restrictive (or pushes back) to artistic input from other devs in the same studio let alone external sources. Especially the story about him wanting to add rape to the game and the other devs having to talk him out of it.

The original article:

Despite its beautiful Ori games, Moon Studios is called an ‘oppressive’ place to work

Current and former game developers at Moon Studios, the maker of the popular Ori games, said it is an oppressive place to work.

venturebeat.com

 

[rodrigolfp]

They will not be forced. They will be in naturally.

 

[Moriarty1889]

Devs can say anything but if they hold true to their words then that is to be respected. The whole obsession with the industry for wokeness and all the garbage that it entails is sickening already. Would be nice if games were free of all that trash and were just good games. Crazy idea isn’t it?

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

How bout not releasing early access games. I hate that shit.

Nahh I like the option especially when it’s cheaper.

 

[Fake]

Lets hope not.

 

[SpearHea.:D]

Based. Loved both ori games.

 

[LectureMaster]

Just bought it. It was on my wishlist for a while, I was waiting it to leave early access, but this is the least I can do to support the dev.

 

[Boss Mog]

This is what DEI gets you:

I like how she ends it by saying "it was a triumph", I guess toxic positivity is not only for game studios.

 

[CLW]

This MAN is LITERALLY committing GENOCIDE REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

 

[Mikado]

Wow No Rest for the Wicked looks amazing, visually at least. Looks right up my alley so I'm not sure how I missed hearing about it before? - I guess I was really busy when it came out.

I've got a pretty high tolerance for Early Access jank so I'll check it out - should be enough to keep me busy for the next * checks watch * 17 hours or so until Factorio Space Age releases.

Edit:
N a t u r e I s H e a l i n g

 

[LectureMaster]

Thats a lot of words when he couldve stopped at "absolutely not."

I know you were probably joking but imo it is important that he stated his reasoning, basically as an artist he wants to have the sheer freedom to create work from a nature/human experience, rather than ticking some boxes.

Without reasoning, he would be then no difference than an anti-woke warrior like Grummz. Not that I hate Grummz, but he could be incendiary at times.

 

[bitbydeath]

some outside party told me that … we might face backlash if we don’t.

This isn’t the first time something like this has been said. If people / companies are being threatened they should take legal action.

 

[Plague Doctor]

My man just wants his next game to get shit ratings by the major outlets and be persona non grata on the purple site and many reddit subs. A bannable offense for even mentioning under the guise of providing a safe space for the emotionally broken. Kotaku now is making an ai mad libs template for a future article and to fill in whatever the game his studio develops that works at the time.

Damn. Them huevos.

 

[Bernardougf]

The floodgates are opening... let the truth see the light of day