Bloober Team CEO Piotr Babieno, who also happens to be the creative lead for the Silent Hill 2 remake asked for gamers to give him and his team a chance on the game despite the game’s publisher, Konami, already confirming it was designed for “modern audiences” and the company hired a DEI consultancy firm.
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Babieno provided some details about the game claiming it’s a “romantic vision of the game from more than 20 years ago.”
He also admitted that the team has struggled during development, “Let’s say [development has been] a daunting journey balancing preservation and innovation.”
Nevertheless, he also added, “Because of those conversations [with Konami], we found a great balance of what we and our partner had in mind. It took us a long time to get there, with a lot of creative discussions and hard work, but we are very happy with the result.”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
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He then asked gamers to give the game and his company a chance, “I am dreaming that gamers will trust us, but I realize that trust is earned through actions, not through words. So that’s why we have a policy of not commenting [on the specifics of the game] and raising hopes.”
“We want to show our ambitions through our work, so we can’t ask for anything more than ‘give us a chance,'” he added.
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
While he wants gamers to give his team and the game a chance, he also noted, “We tried to make all possible fans happy, but, at the same time, be very faithful to ourselves.”
“I really hope that when people play for the first time, they will understand that the choices we made were the best possible,” he said.
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
READ: Konami Confirms Bloober Team’s ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake Designed For “Modern Audiences”
It’s unlikely this will convince gamers and appears to be more confirmation that this game is being sanitized for modern audiences. The game’s publisher Konami had previously confirmed the game was being adapted for “modern audiences.”
The company posted on X, “See how Bloober Team devs working on SILENT HILL 2 preserved authenticity while adapting a horror classic for modern audiences.”
See how the @BlooberTeam devs working on SILENT HILL 2 preserved authenticity while adapting a horror classic for modern audiences.#SILENTHILL pic.twitter.com/NlujUVldWf
— Konami (@Konami) May 31, 2024
In the accompanying video, the game’s Lead Producer Maciej Glomb detailed, “I think the biggest change that we’ve had was actually how to make the game approachable for the newcomers who have not played the original, but at the same time to retain the familiarity of the game that player remembers from 20 years ago.”
Creative Designer and Lead Director Mateusz Lenart added, “Our goal from the very beginning was to maintain the game’s atmosphere while modernizing the gameplay to make it competitive in 2024.”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
Barbara Kciuk, Bloober Team’s Senior Narrative Designer also explained how the company changed the story, “In the remake the story remains largely the same. However, with the magic of modern technology we’re able to expand on some of its aspects.”
Senior Combat Designer Monika Chmura added, “The hardest was designing combat. We want to be as faithful as possible to the original game but also we want players to feel satisfaction while playing, remember that we need to fit in the horror genre [inaudible].”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
This confirmation that the game was being adapted for “modern audiences,” came in the wake of Bloober Team being accused of pushing the DEI agenda by collaborating with a video game consultancy company called Hit Detection.
After the game was showcased during a Sony State of Play video at the end of May, X user Mangalawyer pointed out the change in character designs for Angela from the original to the remake.
He wrote, “In my restless dreams, I see that town… Silent Hill 2: Modern Cheeseburger Remake. You promised me you’d take me there again someday, with a side of fries and a milkshake. But that day never came- The Crimson Chin.”
In my restless dreams, I see that town… Silent Hill 2: Modern Cheeseburger Remake.
You promised me you’d take me there again someday, with a side of fries and a milkshake. But that day never came- The Crimson Chin pic.twitter.com/5FsZsxy3Pz
— LearningTheLaw (@Mangalawyer) May 30, 2024
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Not only was the character design being lampooned, but so was the voice acting. X user really_username wrote, “Please tell me I’m not only one who genuinely thinks the voice acting is way worse now in silent hill 2 remake. Especially for Angela… Here’s some comparisons.”
Please tell me I’m not only one who genuinely thinks the voice acting is way worse now in silent hill 2 remake.
Especially for Angela…
Here’s some comparisons pic.twitter.com/KAYM09YKTc
— a really cool username (@really_username) May 30, 2024
As for why the character of Angela was redesigned from the original game, Mangalawyer speculates it’s due to the influence of game consultancy Hit Detection.
He posted on X, “Bloober Team has hired Sweet Baby Inc 2.0 (Hit detection) a sensitive consulting company, for Silent Hill 2 Remake + ESG Konami. Ever wonder why Maria looks so sanitized? Not spoiling the game, but it’s over, bros. Pack your things. When they said modern audience, they mean it.”
Bloober Team has hired Sweet Baby Inc 2.0 (Hit detection) a sensitive consulting company, for Silent Hill 2 Remake + ESG Konami
Ever wonder why Maria looks so sanitized? Not spoiling the game, but it’s over, bros. Pack your things. When they said modern audience, they mean it💀 pic.twitter.com/E1g3wCQ9ph
— LearningTheLaw (@Mangalawyer) May 31, 2024
As shown in the above post, Hit Detection does list Bloober Team as one of its clients on its website. In fact, the company’s home page states, “Hit Detection is a video game consulting firm with a global presence. We bring decades of experience in games media, consumer electronics, and interactive entertainment to deliver the most comprehensive and accurate insights to clients who have trusted us for many years. Among the esteemed clientele that we are able to publicly reveal, we have provided services to the likes of Bloober Team, Remedy, and Sega.”
The company also notes, “Our commitment to building a team from a variety of backgrounds—including underrepresented groups—is a superpower that allows us to provide unique and varied perspectives, setting us apart from other firms. This diversity is a strength that fortifies our insights and gives us a natural advantage within the consulting landscape.”
Not only is Hit Detection promoting itself using this language, but as noted by Mangalawyer one of the company’s services is “Sensitive Issues Assessment: Our team assesses the risk factors for depictions of character[s] from underrepresented groups, themes, and potential community reactions.”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
Furthermore, not only did Konami confirm the game was being redesigned and there is speculation that Hit Detection is behind a number of DEI changes in the game, but Bloober Team’s Chief Marketing Officer Anna Jasińska informed Dread XP that the company would be modernizing the game.
She was asked, “Was the team given free rein to put their own spin on things? Bloober Team is amazing at its ability to transform the environment around the player, and I’m really hoping we get to see that put to use here for the ‘Otherworld’?”
Jasińska responded, “As aforementioned, we take a very safe approach to any changes. We remain faithful to the original title. Nonetheless, we are applying adjustments to certain areas where things need modernizing due to the passage of time.”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
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Jasińska also informed DreadXP, “We are focusing on bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back in the modernized SILENT HILL 2. Longtime fans shouldn’t worry about us “missing the point” while we’re livening up the title. We faithfully stick to the traditional story canon while remaking the gameplay and updating the graphics from the ground up. These are the reasons why Konami entrusted us with the remake in the first place.
She added, “A big visible change is the adoption of an over-the-shoulder camera, which altered the perspective of a few iconic set pieces, but also meant an overhaul to the combat system. The latest technological achievements do wonder when it comes to making the visuals pop. As you see, we are not straying away from the original concept of making this cult classic; we just have some ideas on how to make the peculiar scare factors more appealing to the contemporary audience.”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
In a more recent blog post Konami Producer Motoi Okamoto and Bloober Team Creative Director and Lead Designer Mateusz Lenart confirmed the remake was changing some of the settings as well as the dialogue.
They stated, “The setting of some events may change, but their impact on the story will remain the same. Even when new locations are introduced, we’ve sought to refer to the original whenever possible so that returning players will feel right at home when they venture out into the foggy streets of Silent Hill again.”
As for the dialogue the duo added, “The central characters from the original story, James and Maria, are at the heart of our remake as well. Their emotional arcs have been preserved, with great care being given to showcasing their emotions with motion capture technology. This allows us to employ ‘show, don’t tell’ techniques more often, which is why some of the dialogue has been slightly altered to add an extra layer of nuance to the character dynamics.”
A screenshot from Silent Hill 2 remake (2024), Bloober Team
What do you make Babieno’s request for gamers to give him, Bloober Team, and the Silent Hill 2 remake a chance?
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