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(The Gamer) Dragon Age: The Veilguard Might Give Us Our First Non-Binary Companion

We really need to hold some sort of Gaming LOLcow of the Year tournament. This year's lineup has quite a lot of strong contenders: Ubisoft, Concord/Firewalk Studios, Dustborn, Sweet Baby Inc, Rebekah Valentine (Black Myth Wukong hitpieces), the Genshin Impact "boycott", and DA: Veilguard.


The Stellar Blade drama. There's material for a full-blown cringe awards.
 

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
Alright, here is one thing i don't understand.

For decades, we were told that games is a niche for "nerds" or "gamers" and that it has to become something for everyone. Remember that?

Remember how Sony made gaming more mainstream with the original Playstation? Remember Nintendo making games more casual with the original Wii? Remember "accessibility"? The most common buzzword the industry would use in every game topic? Remember games being dumbed down so everyone can play them, including people who can't even comprehend games? Remember the industry literally trying to please...

Angry Gary Oldman GIF


Oh, i member. That was my biggest issue with the industry before the woke era started. It was the most important thing, the biggest priority, apparently every publisher wanted the whole population on earth to buy and "enjoy" their games. I mean, at least it makes sense financially, even though such task is impossible. But i could see why they would want that.

And yet, the last 10 years the industry is doing a full 180 and now tries to make it a niche once again. Except this time they don't want it to be for gamers or nerds, they want it to be for the LGBTQ community while trying to push everyone else away. Now they always say things like "this is not meant for you" or "no straight male nerds need apply" or labeling everyone else as "incels/racists/sexists/bigots" etc, while making all these weird design choices to pander to a certain group. Except this time this group is not big enough to sustain such industry.

So what happened to games for "everyone" then? Why are they trying so desperately to make them for a certain niche again, the smallest and most exclusive one yet?
I think ostensibly the way they sold it to management back in the day was “it’s mostly straight white men playing these games, they’re gonna show up no matter what, but just imagine how much we could expand our audience if we make our game friendlier to women, BIPOCs, LGBTQIA, body positivity believers, etc.” “modern audiences are diverse and want to see their identities represented”

But now that the activists have infiltrated these companies and gained positions of power, it’s mask off. It’s pretty obvious that they’re miserable, resentful people who think that patriarchy and western Judeo-Christian culture are the cause of all their misery. And they’re just relishing the opportunity to administer the bullying for a change.

And the rest have gone along with the lies because anyone who speaks up gets fired/canceled and their reputation demolished.

I do think a lot has changed even in the last year. People aren’t afraid to criticize their shit anymore. And companies have lost an absolute fuck ton of money by targeting some imaginary modern audience instead of their actual audience.
 

Da1337Vinci

Member
I just hope that when this game eventually bomb it at least end the story where it's fans is left satisfied. (I won't play it though not a fan)
 

Mister Wolf

Member
I didn't think I needed to put the "/s" after my post. I guess that was the real cope.

I live in a world where men think they can become women and women think they can become men, with the powers that be within society pushing for it to be socially acceptable. No amount of insanity I hear or read nowadays is taken as "so absurd they must be joking".
 
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Fbh

Member
It's directed by a trans woman and the lead writer is a non binary dude, it's obviously going to be full of these types of characters and writing.
Hopefully the actual writing is good and we don't get diversity added in the most unnatural and immersion breaking way like The Rings of Power.
 

solecon64

Member
Honestly, I can't wait for this game to finally come out. Bioware have prolonged their inevitable end for far too long, and it's very clear that they're way too far gone at this point.

Let this be the flop we know it's going to be, let EA do their thing and move on.

We've lost way better studios in the past, current Bioware's existence is just insulting at this point.

vNOffGE.jpeg
 
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i_mean

Banned
I think ostensibly the way they sold it to management back in the day was “it’s mostly straight white men playing these games, they’re gonna show up no matter what, but just imagine how much we could expand our audience if we make our game friendlier to women, BIPOCs, LGBTQIA, body positivity believers, etc.” “modern audiences are diverse and want to see their identities represented”

But now that the activists have infiltrated these companies and gained positions of power, it’s mask off. It’s pretty obvious that they’re miserable, resentful people who think that patriarchy and western Judeo-Christian culture are the cause of all their misery. And they’re just relishing the opportunity to administer the bullying for a change.

And the rest have gone along with the lies because anyone who speaks up gets fired/canceled and their reputation demolished.

I do think a lot has changed even in the last year. People aren’t afraid to criticize their shit anymore. And companies have lost an absolute fuck ton of money by targeting some imaginary modern audience instead of their actual audience.
Sounds like you're saying white men will show up no matter what,,,unless the games have people of color, LGBTQIA, etc in them? Are white people the gatekeepers of gaming? Is it only meant for y'all?
 
thinking a little about it, I don't see this as that big a deal even if it is true. they're not pushing it as some front and center selling point or that you HAVE to use that companion or what not. it's just there, that's all. I think we can accept at least that much. it's when they're forcing us to accept these sorta things without other choices that I'll be against it. thou I've never played any of the other games in the series, so I can't speak for the fans, of course.
 

i_mean

Banned
what the hell are you talking about?
you inferred that this is how it was probably sold back in the day "white men will show up no matter what, let's expand our audience by including more people"...Are you saying were they just incorrect and white men would have never shown up no matter what?
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Sounds like you're saying white men will show up no matter what,,,unless the games have people of color, LGBTQIA, etc in them? Are white people the gatekeepers of gaming? Is it only meant for y'all?
If a game is pushing identity politics we're probably not going to show up, yeah. Voting with your wallet isn't gatekeeping. People hate forced diversity, not diversity itself. There is a distinction there.
 

ThesaurusRex

Neo Member
You’re brand new so we don’t have much to go on. We have people here who unironically go to bat for this crap.
Well let me just dispel any illusions. I enjoy it when art challenges me to be introspective about how I view society by way of metaphor. Dragon Age has been doing that for a while now. The Qunari have a very gendered society, but also have ways for people to cross typical gender divides. Based on what the article says, this seems to be additional exploration on that theme. I’m not so fragile that I can’t handle a discussion about how to fit in in a society that doesn’t understand you, even if the character having that discussion isn’t a straight guy like me. I would think that a hobby that was dominated by social outcasts for decades would be a good place for that conversation.
 

i_mean

Banned
If a game is pushing identity politics we're probably not going to show up, yeah. Voting with your wallet isn't gatekeeping. People hate forced diversity, not diversity itself. There is a distinction there.
So if i a black creator...puts a white person in my creation is that also forced diversity? let's say the game takes place in a made up land in a made up time, there's talking dragons, purple people, you can double jump, die and shake it off like nothing happened.
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
So the talking points for this game to date have been full frontal nudity, more lines of dialogue than ever, and a mentally ill character with a fake gender.

I don't know if I am rooting for Bioware to be shuttered after this flops so I don't have to see what they've done to Mass Effect or if I'm rooting for Mass Effect to come out so I can laugh at how bad they've butchered my favorite franchise.
Mass Effect was the beginning of the end for BioWare. Larian is the new BioWare. Just let it burn.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
So if i a black creator...puts a white person in my creation is that also forced diversity? let's say the game takes place in a made up land in a made up time, there's talking dragons, purple people, you can double jump, die and shake it off like nothing happened.
You’re either daft or trolling.
 

i_mean

Banned
You’re either daft or trolling.
Come on now...i'm attempting to understand this forced diversity i see often here...everyone seems to have their own take on it, it's a forever and conveniently moving target...what's your take?
 

drganon

Member
I'll be impressed if this game doesn't flop. This series as whole has been given way too many chances, only the first game was any good.
 
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Come on now...i'm attempting to understand this forced diversity i see often here...everyone seems to have their own take on it, it's a forever and conveniently moving target...what's your take?


Could we discuss particular cases? Each has a different explanation.

As a general rule, "forced diversity" happens when it breaks the lore/worldbuilding. This applies to races or "genders".

If in an isolated town there are people of many different identities, that's forced, because that place is isolated. Just an example.

In the case of DA, it's just that the authors self-insert in the story, which is peak forced diversity.
 

CrippledGod

Banned
The Gamer writes a thousand articles per day. I am not giving then clicks for some random "assumption" based on a video that somebody made.
Honestly, online journalism today is a trash can of AI-generated clickbait.
 

JoduanER2

Member

i_mean

Banned
No you’re very obviously being disingenuous under the guise of “attempting to understand”. Be more subtle if you want to troll successfully.
I don't troll, have more things to do...i'm not attempting to understand...i'm asking for YOUR take...you jumped in and answered like you were captain save a hoe...so if you want to talk then talk
 
Man, some of you are so easily triggered and reek of insecurity. If this is just about a character in the game and they don't make me sit through a never-ending monologue full of pandering, I don't care what they think they are.
Game still looks fun to me and if the reviews won't paint a picture of mediocrity I'll play it.
 

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
you inferred that this is how it was probably sold back in the day "white men will show up no matter what, let's expand our audience by including more people"...Are you saying were they just incorrect and white men would have never shown up no matter what?
No, that’s a pretty ridiculous interpretation of what I said.

More like, these activists will try to “fix” some existing IP by making it into something that they imagine will appeal to some new “modern audience” and end up making a big stinking turd that appeals to nobody.
 

i_mean

Banned
Could we discuss particular cases? Each has a different explanation.

As a general rule, "forced diversity" happens when it breaks the lore/worldbuilding. This applies to races or "genders".

If in an isolated town there are people of many different identities, that's forced, because that place is isolated. Just an example.

In the case of DA, it's just that the authors self-insert in the story, which is peak forced diversity.
Well why is it forced if that place doesn't exist? why is the assumption that just because it's isolated it means 1 ethnicity is a universe where anything and everything goes...why is that particular thing the one thing that has to hold to reality but nothing else does?
 
Well why is it forced if that place doesn't exist? why is the assumption that just because it's isolated it means 1 ethnicity is a universe where anything and everything goes...why is that particular thing the one thing that has to hold to reality but nothing else does?


Why does rain fall down instead of up?? The basic rules of how the world works apply to everything and everyone.

The idea of dark-skinned people in a land where there's no sun is fucking stupid; having many races in isolated villages is equally dumb. It's called worldbuilding. There's no good fiction without it. The"anything goes" is the trademark of awful, fake creators.
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Well why is it forced if that place doesn't exist? why is the assumption that just because it's isolated it means 1 ethnicity is a universe where anything and everything goes...why is that particular thing the one thing that has to hold to reality but nothing else does?
Places that don't exist can still have their stablished lore, plus seeing a medieval community full of different races like if it was fucking Manhatan is quite immersion breaking imo.

Imo The Elder Scrolls did this pretty well. Lots of different races, yet still everyone comes from it's own place and they are even racist towards one another. Makes the fantasy world more believable.

Then on the opposite side we have LOTR Rings of Power, with their little medieval communities full of different races and everyone being super nice to one another. Not only that but also stuff like black elves or elves with short hair that just goes to show how much the writters cared about the lore (that being, not at all).

I don't mind diversity in scy-fy settings because seeing multicultural communities in the future is quite believable. On medieval times? Not at all.
 
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Cyberpunkd

Member
Man, some of you are so easily triggered and reek of insecurity. If this is just about a character in the game and they don't make me sit through a never-ending monologue full of pandering, I don't care what they think they are.
Game still looks fun to me and if the reviews won't paint a picture of mediocrity I'll play it.
I would rather learn about how they plan to advance storytelling and narrative in a cRPG.

Oh wait, it’s the same shit as DA:I ten years ago.
 

i_mean

Banned
No, that’s a pretty ridiculous interpretation of what I said.

More like, these activists will try to “fix” some existing IP by making it into something that they imagine will appeal to some new “modern audience” and end up making a big stinking turd that appeals to nobody.
so where does the white men will come no matter what factor into your conclusion? how else is one suppose to interpret that other than it will not appeal to white men.
 

i_mean

Banned
Places that don't exist can still have their stablished lore, plus seeing a medieval community full of different races like if it was fucking Manhatan is quite immersion breaking imo.

Imo The Elder Scrolls did this pretty well. Lots of different races, yet still everyone comes from it's own place and they are even racist towards one another. Makes the fantasy world more believable.

Then on the opposite side we have LOTR Rings of Power, with their little medieval communities full of different races and everyone being super nice to one another. Not only that but also stuff like black elves or elves with short hair that just goes to show how much the writters cared about the lore (that being, not at all).

I don't mind diversity in scy-fy settings because seeing multicultural communities in the future is quite believable. On medieval times? Not at all.
It's no more believable than elves lol...or talking dragons or magic...all i'm saying is if all that is believable then everything is. The moment someone double jumps in a video game or get hammered in the face with a broadsword but heals the next second...is the moment where logic is out the window.
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
So are they going to be cool or it would be some check your privilege f word?
 

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
so where does the white men will come no matter what factor into your conclusion? how else is one suppose to interpret that other than it will not appeal to white men.
I’m not arguing that white men will show up no matter what. I’m saying that’s ONE of the underlying suppositions in these creators’ minds when they decide they’re going to “fix” something to appeal to the supposed modern audience.

It's no more believable than elves lol...or talking dragons or magic...all i'm saying is if all that is believable then everything is. The moment someone double jumps in a video game or get hammered in the face with a broadsword but heals the next second...is the moment where logic is out the window.
Alright man you just went full retard. You know someone has an agenda when they say something this stupid. Welcome to the ignore list.
 

i_mean

Banned
I’m not arguing that white men will show up no matter what. I’m saying that’s ONE of the underlying suppositions in these creators’ minds when they decide they’re going to “fix” something to appeal to the supposed modern audience.


Alright man you just went full retard. You know someone has an agenda when they say something this stupid. Welcome to the ignore list.
cool man!
 

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
So are they going to be cool or it would be some check your privilege f word?
I only played a few hours of Anthem, but I vaguely remembered the only white man in the crew was some soy loser. I found out recently that he betrays everyone later on.

I’m anticipating that’s about the kind of “diversity” we’re going to see in this game.
 

i_mean

Banned
Why does rain fall down instead of up?? The basic rules of how the world works apply to everything and everyone.

The idea of dark-skinned people in a land where there's no sun is fucking stupid; having many races in isolated villages is equally dumb. It's called worldbuilding. There's no good fiction without it. The"anything goes" is the trademark of awful, fake creators.
Then apply that line of thinking to everything then...why can i double jump in a video game? there's gravity no? why can i fly? its video game forum so i'm specifically talking about games here...so in this universe i can double jump i can fly, i can do all of that without rhyme or reason more times than not. It's never explained but you gobble that up without fail... but when it comes to other people, that's when you say oh! world building matters!!!,,,i see it all the time...its the hallmark of the old and awfully insecure.
 

i_mean

Banned
No it's not, and you are doing a diservice to the writters that actually care about the worlds they build when saying stuff like that.
i think video games writers know they are writing for video games...they know a lot of things don't need to make sense,,,just has to make sense in the universe that they create there's a word for it. i forget atm..but it means anything can go.
 
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