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[nkarafo]

it didn't sell poorly. but yeah this is my fear about grifters. the last of us 2 is an amazing game. and it's a shame that people can't look past their preconceptions about abby, at some points thinking that she was a trans character, or whatever to actually play it. it's incredible the risks that Druckmann took in telling the story he did. And i'm worried that the takeaway from the reaction will be that people just want safer games that take zero risks. every game needs to tell a predictable and safe story because you don't want backlash from your audience if you try to do anything differently.

I completely trust him and naughty dog to deliver a good game here. whether it does well? it's frankly not looking good because it's become fashionable to pre-hate games and specifically to pre-hate naughty dog games now.

People know Druckmann's intentions are 100% political. All his "artistic choices" are politically driven. That's why he gets the flack he gets and deservedly so.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I've accepted the fact that the only thing I'm interested in is the soundtrack. I'll definitely check that out. But yeah, the world, the characters, the vibe. I'm just not feeling it. Maybe the gameplay could change that? But I'm really not thinking so.

 

[Dusktildawn48]

yeah but not he character people were mad about. there are people who still think Abby is the trans character. the other thing is that i'm not anti-lgbt. so i can't relate to not liking a game because there's a trans character in it.

Because it was forced as fuck. It's the apocalypse, everyones trying to kill you and there are monsters trying to eat you, who gives a fuck about your pronouns?

 

[PeteBull]

No, it is Kumail Nanjiani, a notoriously woke actor.

At least our gay bros will get some eye candy

 

[cebri.one]

Salt bay is a fucking idiot.

 

[semiconscious]

It’s a rather tired looking, cliched character, in a pretty bland game reveal from the biggest devs in this industry. The game might well end up being absolutely amazing, but in our current climate this doesn’t feel like ND putting their best foot forward.

There you go gang. That’s the truth

yep. sooo edgy: messy room, milkshake, jukebox, all inside this badass ultra-expensive piece of high-tech hardware? plus mandatory 'actual adult with eyepatch'? pure derivative juvenile fantasy sci-fi: all they've done is plugged a character from the new saints row into the same badass spaceship every young badass seems to have in this 'future'...

except that, unlike that game, i'm sure this one'll be massively successful...

 

[Boss Man]

People know Druckmann's intentions are 100% political. All his "artistic choices" are politically driven. That's why he gets the flack he gets and deservedly so.

“Bald racially ambiguous lesbians can be space marine heroes” is an important story to tell everyone all of the time forever

 

[Thyuda]

The people still shilling ND are a mystery to me, but they're probably the same people who clap after the credits of the latest Marvel movie in the cinema.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

The people still shilling ND are a mystery to me, but they're probably the same people who clap after the credits of the latest Marvel movie in the cinema.

Taste is lost on some folks. Your loss.

 

[Boss Man]

Did you guys know that racism is bad?

Just making sure. If you are racist by any chance, you should visit me at my house in Vermont and we can watch some movies showing minorities being good.

 

[FunkMiller]

except that, unlike that game, i'm sure this one'll be massively successful...

It will of course make money, but how much depends on what the actual game is. They can’t just coast by on another third person action adventure game, with no fresh mechanics. Not with this divisive character at the heart of it. It’ll have to be pretty groundbreaking to overcome the next few years of cultural war debate around it, if it wants to go over the 8 figure mark.

I can see a lot of ‘it did well, but not as well as their other games’ discourse in a few years.

 

[JaksGhost]

.

The people still shilling ND are a mystery to me, but they're probably the same people who clap after the credits of the latest Marvel movie in the cinema.

The people still bitching about something they’ve thrown away over 4 years ago is a bigger mystery.

 

[The Fartist]

The people still shilling ND are a mystery to me, but they're probably the same people who clap after the credits of the latest Marvel movie in the cinema.

I haven't watched a Marvel movie since the 1st Avengers and I didn't clap. I'm sick of "woke" shit just as much as the next guy in here, but it's ND, I enjoy their games.

 

[Crayon]

Salt bay is a fucking idiot.

I can't hate that guy. One of God's own prototypes.

 

[Thyuda]

I haven't watched a Marvel movie since the 1st Avengers and I didn't clap. I'm sick of "woke" shit just as much as the next guy in here, but it's ND, I enjoy their games.

That's okay. People are allowed to like bad things. Fine with me .

 

[fallingdove]

Nearly 50 pages of:

‘Woke monster! DEI! aaaaarrrrgggghhhh! The evil is here!!’

Vs

‘It’s fine! Naughty Dog GOATS! Stop whining! It’ll be amazing!’

Complete loss of nuance in this discussion.

It’s a rather tired looking, cliched character, in a pretty bland game reveal from the biggest devs in this industry. The game might well end up being absolutely amazing, but in our current climate this doesn’t feel like ND putting their best foot forward.

There you go gang. That’s the truth.

So we know your default position then — ‘Woke monster! DEI! aaaaarrrrgggghhhh! The evil is here!!’

Your response isn’t all that nuanced either. Same as everyone assuming the game is woke because it features a strong female MC.

1. I would be very surprised in the current climate if ND goes full woke on the title. Sony is not about to loose another $200M on a title because it leans too far in the direction of progressive social ideologies.
2. I would much rather ND take some chances with its world and characters than play the same game we have been playing for the last 10 years. The 80s retro-future setting isn’t new but it’s not another attempt to recreate Diablo or Soulsborne or Skyrim or Monster Hunter or Halo or Fortnite.

If this game played like a classic Zelda game with an interesting ND-style adventure story, who cares if it had a female MC in this climate?

 

[nkarafo]

The people still shilling ND are a mystery to me, but they're probably the same people who clap after the credits of the latest Marvel movie in the cinema.

They are probably the same people who would be glad if Vavra was canceled for trying to make a historically accurate setting.

But no, criticizing Druckmann for pushing an obvious agenda is where they draw the line.

 

[The Fartist]

That's okay. People are allowed to like bad things. Fine with me .

 

[FalsettoVibe]

The people still shilling ND are a mystery to me, but they're probably the same people who clap after the credits of the latest Marvel movie in the cinema.

Quite the opposite here. Most sane people know to think for themselves and not to completely judge a game that is years out based on a 3+ minute cutscene and 2 seconds of implied gameplay.

 

[Boss Man]

What, you don’t think women can be effective space marines? Oh, you were in the military you say?

Well, what about this
*points to limited edition bald lesbian protagonist toy on shelf*

Bet you just hadn’t considered that had you idiot??

 

[Windom Earle]

Interesting the volume of this thread is beating the purple dumpster fire. Speaking of which...

 

[Three]

Because it was forced as fuck. It's the apocalypse, everyones trying to kill you and there are monsters trying to eat you, who gives a fuck about your pronouns?

There were no pronouns in that game though. Unless you think that monsters trying to eat you changes who you're attracted to I'm not sure what you're getting at there.

 

[Yoboman]

Unfortunately the grifters do have influence. so grummz and asmongold, angryjoe, etc. will look at this and see that their audience wants negativity on this game. they'll make some videos about how wokeness is ruining games and how terrible this game is. and unfortunately, i think there are enough people that listen to them, that it might affect sales.

They don't, you are in a bubble.

Not a single person has asked you to skip the game.

Who said they did?

 

[Insane Metal]

No, it is Kumail Nanjiani, a notoriously woke actor.

Oh! LOL it is. He is woke but he's funny.

 

[kurisu_1974]

Taste is lost on some folks. Your loss.

Wait you mean their loss right?

 

[The Fartist]

Quite the opposite here. Most sane people know to think for themselves and not to completely judge a game that is years out based on a 3+ minute cutscene and 2 seconds of implied gameplay.

 

[Dusktildawn48]

There were no pronouns in that game though. Unless you think that monsters trying to eat you changes who you're attracted to I'm not sure what you're getting at there.

From what I remember Lev wanted to be called a boy, there's a whole part of the story going back to save Lev's mom who basically disowned her over it.

 

[FunkMiller]

So we know your default position then — ‘Woke monster! DEI! aaaaarrrrgggghhhh! The evil is here!!’

Your response isn’t all that nuanced either. Same as everyone assuming the game is woke because it features a strong female MC.

1. I would be very surprised in the current climate if ND goes full woke on the title. Sony is not about to loose another $200M on a title because it leans too far in the direction of progressive social ideologies.
2. I would much rather ND take some chances with its world and characters than play the same game we have been playing for the last 10 years. The 80s retro-future setting isn’t new but it’s not another attempt to recreate Diablo or Soulsborne or Skyrim or Monster Hunter or Halo or Fortnite.

If this game played like a classic Zelda game with an interesting ND-style adventure story, who cares if it had a female MC in this climate?

I’m not assuming anything about the game being woke. I’m stating that ND have presented us with a rather tired, cliched character, in a bland trailer, that is an obvious source of divisiveness for many people. This could well be a problem for them moving forward and making this game a success.

And then you make an argument that it’s fine this game has a derivative setting, just because it’s not the same as other derivative settings?

This smacks of: ‘unoriginality is fine if Naughty Dog do it’.

 

[PeteBull]

Interesting the volume of this thread is beating the purple dumpster fire. Speaking of which...

 

[Thyuda]

Quite the opposite here. Most sane people know to think for themselves and not to completely judge a game that is years out based on a 3+ minute cutscene and 2 seconds of implied gameplay.

Not a single sane person writes about video games in online forums.

And yes, I know that this includes myself. Nobody is sane here.

 

[nkarafo]

Interesting the volume of this thread is beating the purple dumpster fire. Speaking of which...

Did anyone point out to him that the opposite of an ugly, unlikable, butch looking, arrogant, androgynous woman is not necessarily a "white man"?

And if they did, did they got banned?

 

[shamoomoo]

No. I forgot what it was,but I think it was some kind of survey o

The actress is actually decent looking lets be honest why do these damn studios get these pretty models and make them repulsive in game?

In what way is Tati Gabrielle game model different from her IRL?

 

[The Fartist]

Not a single sane person writes about video games in online forums.

And yes, I know that this includes myself. Nobody is sane here.

That explains a lot.

 

[Ridicululzz]

Interesting the volume of this thread is beating the purple dumpster fire. Speaking of which...

"And I won't let them win..." LMAO

See this is exactly what's wrong with some of these western devs. Instead of trying to make fun games with appealing characters they're also in this culture war mindset.

And then they have the audacity to give a suprised Pikachu face when there's pushback.

 

[DeVeAn]

Interesting the volume of this thread is beating the purple dumpster fire. Speaking of which...

Funny I just read this. WTF man people are weird.

 

[nial]

Even the the last of us 2 sold poorly compared to the first title. It didn't in a vaccuum, but something like 12 million sales compared to 30 from the first one is just poor.

TLOU1 selling 30M is a new one. I know that it did 20M by 10/19, and that's with a lot of double dipping for the PS4 remaster due to no BC, with said remaster also receiving a permanent price cut at $20 by summer of 2018.

 

[SlimySnake]

Nearly 50 pages of:

‘Woke monster! DEI! aaaaarrrrgggghhhh! The evil is here!!’

Vs

‘It’s fine! Naughty Dog GOATS! Stop whining! It’ll be amazing!’

Complete loss of nuance in this discussion.

It’s a rather tired looking, cliched character, in a pretty bland game reveal from the biggest devs in this industry. The game might well end up being absolutely amazing, but in our current climate this doesn’t feel like ND putting their best foot forward.

There you go gang. That’s the truth.

Yep. its a bad trailer. TLOU2 gameplay reveal literally ended with two chicks making out and all everyone could talk about was the combat, graphics and new motion matching animations.

Here they just showed a fugly, unlikeable, prickly character who does fuck all. Even TLOU1's teaser had Ellie and joel kill some zombies. This chick just runs up to a monster and it cuts out.

Awful trailer for a game 4 years in the making. A complete failure of leadership from Neil who happens to be the head of Naughty Dog. And herman who shouldve hired a better marketing crew to make this 4.5 minute long trailer into a better advert.

Of course Neil tells NY Times this is the deepest game they've made. Yeah, well where is it you doofus? Guy works in hollywood now and doesnt realize how important it is to get a reveal right. Absolute tool.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I’m not assuming anything about the game being woke. I’m stating that ND have presented us with a rather tired, cliched character, in a bland trailer, that is an obvious source of divisiveness for many people. This could well be a problem for them moving forward and making this game a success.

And then you make an argument that it’s fine this game has a derivative setting, just because it’s not the same as other derivative settings?

This smacks of: ‘unoriginality is fine if Naughty Dog do it’.

What AAA games are you playing that feature a dystopian, dark sci-fi, cyberpunk theme in space as a bounty hunter theme set to a Trent Reznor soundtrack?

Again, taste is lost on some of you folks. That trailer was outstanding and had distinctive style in spades.

 

[Boss Man]

What AAA games are you playing that feature a dystopian, dark sci-fi, cyberpunk theme in space as a bounty hunter theme set to a Trent Reznor soundtrack?

Again, taste is lost on some of you folks. That trailer was outstanding and had distinctive style in spades.

Google “cyberpunk game”

 

[Fabieter]

Interesting the volume of this thread is beating the purple dumpster fire. Speaking of which...

It's depressing that they don't understand that's its not about a female lead.

 

[fallingdove]

yep. sooo edgy: messy room, milkshake, jukebox, all inside this badass ultra-expensive piece of high-tech hardware? plus mandatory 'actual adult with eyepatch'? pure derivative juvenile fantasy sci-fi: all they've done is plugged a character from the new saints row into the same badass spaceship every young badass seems to have in this 'future'...

except that, unlike that game, i'm sure this one'll be massively successful...

Why are any of the things you listed edgy? Also — most of the “derivative” things you listed are peak 80s references. How do you suggest ND make an 80s retro future game without 80s references?

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Google “cyberpunk game”

soft brain take at its finest if you actually think that

 

[semiconscious]

It will of course make money, but how much depends on what the actual game is. They can’t just coast by on another third person action adventure game, with no fresh mechanics. Not with this divisive character at the heart of it. It’ll have to be pretty groundbreaking to overcome the next few years of cultural war debate around it, if it wants to go over the 8 figure mark.

I can see a lot of ‘it did well, but not as well as their other games’ discourse in a few years.

i just don't see this as being ground-breaking in any way other than technically (which, in itself, will attract people). i'll be happy to be proven wrong. i mean, maybe the fact that every single aspect of the trailer is non-stop cliche city is just an ingenious naughty dog trap?...

i don't think it'll be a great game, but it'll be a competently built, well-polished 'satisfactory' game, & that sony/nd gamer's'll get behind it whoever the protagonist is...

 

[TintoConCasera]

dystopian, dark sci-fi, cyberpunk

I didn't see any of that in the trailer, vibe was more like Marvel's GotG or some Disney shit.

 

[gow3isben]

In what way is Tati Gabrielle game model different from her IRL?

See some screenshots bruh she look wonky as hell

 

[nkarafo]

What AAA games are you playing that feature a dystopian, dark sci-fi, cyberpunk theme in space as a bounty hunter theme set to a Trent Reznor soundtrack?

Of all the things you wrote, the only original thing is Trent's soundtrack.

I mean, you can argue a lot of things about this trailer but "originality"? Really? That's what you are going with?

 

[nial]

Awful trailer for a game 4 years in the making. A complete failure of leadership from Neil who happens to be the head of Naughty Dog. And herman who shouldve hired a better marketing crew to make this 4.5 minute long trailer into a better advert.

Pretty sure that game trailers are made by the studios with their own budget and have nothing to do with marketing expenses (which is something that Hulst isn't in charge of, anyway).

 

[BuddyLaDouche]

My god.. what a thread...

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I think the game looked visually impressive and I’m expecting it to be good. As far as the main character goes, I don’t think it will affect sales in the slightest because the majority of gamers do not care what the main protagonist looks like in their video games. That’s generally why these Western developers keep putting these types of characters in their games.

If gamers really cared about attractiveness and looks, then most Asian games would dominate the sales charts. Why would more gamers chose to play as a hairy monkey in Wukong over a beautiful woman in something like Stellar Blade and the two games are both highly rated and sort of similar in gameplay if looks truly mattered to them?

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I didn't see any of that in the trailer, vibe was more like Marvel's GotG or some Disney shit.

No it wasn't.

The eerie soundtrack, creepy AI companion, desolate shots of the universe and planet. It has more in common with Blade Runner than Marvel GoTG or disney shit.

Of all the things you wrote, the only original thing is Trent's soundtrack.

I mean, you can argue a lot of things about this trailer but "originality"? Really? That's what you are going with?

It's very original. I don't see ANY games with the characteristics being described altogether. Yet somehow it's cliche and played out. Yet you can't point to a single game that combines those elements.