TeamKill Media has stirred up a storm of criticism after announcing it would not be releasing its upcoming game, Code Violet, on PC. The studio’s reasoning, posted on X, has drawn ire for its condescending tone and virtue signaling, leaving gamers and content creators alike scratching their heads.
For those asking us about a PC version of Code Violet… the reason we are not bringing it to PC is we do not want anyone modding vulgar versions of the main character as well as other characters in the game.
We hold our voice actresses and actors with high regard, as well as our…
— TeamKill Media (@TeamKillMedia) January 19, 2025
In its full statement, TeamKill Media wrote:
“For those asking us about a PC version of Code Violet… the reason we are not bringing it to PC is we do not want anyone modding vulgar versions of the main character as well as other characters in the game. We hold our voice actresses and actors with high regard, as well as our artistic vision for the game and story and reject any form of destroying that with sexual mods. Making a joke out of our art and possibly tarnishing the reputation of our voice actresses and actors is not worth the extra money we can make.”
The statement struck many as self-righteous, implying that the PC gaming community—renowned for its creativity and modding culture—is somehow unworthy of the studio’s “art.” It also alienated a massive potential audience by assuming the worst about their intentions.
A Firestorm of Backlash
The backlash was swift, with prominent voices in gaming taking TeamKill Media to task for its comments.
YouTuber Vara Dark delivered a scathing critique on X.
So… the plan is to punish an entire platform of potential players because some people might mod the game in ways you don’t like? That’s like saying you won’t serve food at a restaurant because someone might add ketchup.
Your artistic vision can still shine. Let the audience… https://t.co/dYd9yEdY0h
— Vara Dark (@Vara_Dark) January 19, 2025
“So… the plan is to punish an entire platform of potential players because some people might mod the game in ways you don’t like?” she asked. “That’s like saying you won’t serve food at a restaurant because someone might add ketchup. Your artistic vision can still shine. Let the audience decide how they want to experience your game. Mods are a form of expression too, not an inherent attack on your art. Maybe trust your community a little more?”
Her analogy highlighted the absurdity of rejecting PC gamers wholesale over the hypothetical creation of mods that TeamKill finds distasteful. Mods have long been a celebrated part of PC gaming, enhancing games and extending their lifespan in ways that benefit both players and developers.
Francesco Solbak of That Park Place took the critique further on his X page.
Did you just call all modders vulgar? Let’s not kid ourselves—Skyrim didn’t become popular without modders playing a significant role. Also, Rule 34 still exists, so don’t kid yourself about being high and mighty over “vulgar characters.” For God’s sake, someone on your team was… pic.twitter.com/lZmYaI7I8x
— SomeGuyOnPhone (@FrancescoSolbak) January 19, 2025
“Did you just call all modders vulgar?” he asked. “Let’s not kid ourselves—Skyrim didn’t become popular without modders playing a significant role. Also, Rule 34 still exists, so don’t kid yourself about being high and mighty over ‘vulgar characters.’ For God’s sake, someone on your team was responsible for designing the skin-tight outfit on your main character.”
Solbak’s point underlines a key inconsistency: many developers create characters that are deliberately appealing, yet act surprised when fans engage with them creatively, even if those creations deviate from the developer’s intentions.
YouTuber and That Park Place contributor Culture Casino added another layer of critique.
Micah – “We don’t want to make money because someone “could” do something we don’t like or would make us feel bad. ” You’re going to take a lot of flack from the PC crowd but in the future, if you go public or allow yourself to be sold, the motivation would be profit. Good Luck.
— Culture Casino (@CultureCasino) January 19, 2025
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“Micah: ‘We don’t want to make money because someone could do something we don’t like or would make us feel bad,’” he said, referencing Kill Team Media owner Micah Jones. “You’re going to take a lot of flack from the PC crowd but in the future, if you go public or allow yourself to be sold, the motivation would be profit. Good luck.”
This sentiment reflects the practical reality of game development: profitability often hinges on accessibility and trust in the gaming community, including the thriving PC platform.
A History of Condescension?
TeamKill’s statement is emblematic of a broader trend where some developers appear to use virtue signaling to deflect criticism or gain moral high ground. While protecting the reputation of voice actors and preserving artistic integrity are valid concerns, implying that mods inherently “destroy” a game’s vision or tarnish reputations comes across as tone-deaf and dismissive of the audience.
A screenshot from the trailer for Code Violet – YouTube, PlayStation
Modding communities have historically enhanced games, as seen with titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Cyberpunk 2077.
By shunning PC gamers, TeamKill Media not only forfeits a lucrative market but also alienates a passionate community that has elevated countless games through creativity and innovation.
Are you disappointed that Code Violet won’t receive a PC release? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!
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I think the people who made the game would be pleased to know that I won’t sully it with my non-woke bunny paws.
But they might be less happy to realize that I won’t be buying a copy as a result.
Learning requires intelligence.
People consider it the definition of insanity to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result. Insane is not the word I’d use.
This mentality of wanting complete control of your product after you sell it is the height of arrogance. Onto the blacklist they go.
It’s because they’ve seen how people will change products. Disney is an obvious example. Pity the likes of Stan Lee and George Lucas who may only be remembered in the same vein as their Disney iterations.
It’s a different situation. One is selling your IP to a different company and another is selling a comic book to a customer. If said customer wants to doodle over the comic or put it in a shrine, it’s their right as the owner.
And doodling over a copy doesn’t desecrate the IP, the way buying an IP and wokifying it does.
Interesting way to not get embarrassed by players count.
Minecraft, single most popular game in the world, without mods would be a niche game that everyone forgot about in the first year… and would not sell for 2.5 billion $…
Skyrim – without mods the game would still be amazing… but nobody would play it anymore. And they would definitely not release how many editions again? The same goes for other Bethesda games, especially from the Elder’s Scroll and Fallout line…
This is just lol… well, whatever, their decision and I won’t lose sleep over it.
Eh, who cares. This game won’t sell on any platform.
The trailer looks like from an era when 3D animation was new and they didn’t really have any talent to do it. Just bad and massively outdated. And it got 10k views in 2 days. Looks like a massive flop.
Not really a loss for PC gamers, since they make crap games, even according to Woke IGN….
I believe that just caused more mods to appear…. So in a way they will sell more
With emulation I’m sure this will be playable on pc very fast. I’m seeing PS4 exclusive games on a download site pretty fast after release if it popular enough. Wonder how the company investors feel about not getting all the extra money they should after the investment.