Following Dustborn’s catastrophic launch, one of the game’s developer who uses the name Thea Bergh appeared to confirm the game used assets taken from Grand Theft Auto, disparaged men, and pushes divisive themes in video games.
A screenshot from Dustborn (2024), Red Thread Games
Dustborn launched on Steam on August 20th and the game hit a peak concurrent player count of 83 on August 21st. As of writing the game had a 24-hour peak of 77 and has just 19 people in-game.
Dustborn Steam DB concurrent player chart
READ: Access Media Attempt To Convince Gamers To Buy ‘Dustborn,’ It Is Not Working
Following the game’s release, as initially reported at SmashJT.com, X user HeySlickThatsMe accused Dustborn and its developer Red Thread Games of ripping off assets from Grand Theft Auto Online.
HeySlickThatsMe posted on X, “This new ‘Dustborn‘ game has ripped of GTA Online, copying the apartment layout 1:1 Paintings, tv, rooms and even the small garden are in the same locations.
HeySlickThatsMe on X
In a follow-up, he added, “Here are extra + HQ screenshots since the previous ones were lower quality (i took them from old videos since it’s a quite old interior).”
HeySlickThatsMe on X
And here’s another post he made.
HeySlickThatsMe on X
Bergh responded to the accusation seemingly confirming it. Bergh wrote on X, “This is the funnies s**t I’ve ever seen dude why do you care.”
Thea Bergh on X
Bergh later added, “I’m sorry to inform you that GTAV uses paid pre-made assets boo.”
Thea Bergh on X
Following this, YouTuber Minimal Effort Live uncovered Bergh’s disparaging comments towards men as well as Bergh threatening to push divisive themes in video games.
In one post discovered by Minimal Effort Live, Bergh wrote, “Men as a concept was COOKED.”
In another post, the developer stated, “Men are the weakest link truly.”
Thea Bergh on X
=
On top of all of this, former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern aka Grummz shared that Red Thread Games received funding from a number of government entities for the game. First, he noted, “Dustborn used far more government money than has been previously reported. The Norwegian Film Institute funded the game for 14 million kroner, or nearly 1.4 Million USD. This is in addition to the 150,000 Euros from the Creative EU grant program.”
He added, “Dustborn is basically an antifa training game. You “bash the fash” across the “Divided States of America” by using vocal powers to call people r*cist. The game has 33 players currently on it’s opening week.”
Dustborn used far more government money than has been previously reported.
The Norwegian Film Institute funded the game for 14 million kroner, or nearly 1.4 Million USD. This is in addition to the 150,000 Euros from the Creative EU grant program.
Dustborn is basically an antifa… pic.twitter.com/bNQxPqtPlq
— Grummz (@Grummz) August 26, 2024
In a second post, he added, “The company, Red Thread Games, looks to be funding multiple games through the use of these government grants. The games do not make money, as you can see from the Steam Charts below for their prior games Dreamfall Chapters and Draugen.”
“Their existence seems to be dependent on repeated grants, wastes of taxpayer money that fund games that fail over and over,” Grummz wrote.
The company, @RedThreadGames , looks to be funding multiple games through the use of these government grants.
The games do not make money, as you can see from the Steam Charts below for their prior games Dreamfall Chapters and Draugen.
Their existence seems to be dependent on… pic.twitter.com/1XVAEVLewI
— Grummz (@Grummz) August 26, 2024
He continued, “The company seems to be grifting off EU taxpayers money which are awarded, in part, on ESG criteria. (remember when people denied ESG grants for Indies existed and called everyone a conspiracy theorist?)”
“The Norwegian Film Institute, focuses on productions where the percentage of women in key roles is a factor. Their latest project Svalbard, has received nearly 11 million Kroner so far ($1,050,138 USD) and 150,000 Euro more from the EU Creative Program,” Grummz noted.
The company seems to be grifting off EU taxpayers money which are awarded, in part, on ESG criteria. (remember when people denied ESG grants for Indies existed and called everyone a conspiracy theorist?)
The Norwegian Film Institute, focuses on productions where the percentage… pic.twitter.com/vAwXHC2vUA
— Grummz (@Grummz) August 26, 2024
From there, he wrote, “The rest of the funding is likely through their publisher, Quantic Dream via their SpotLight publishing program. Quantic Dream provides Red Thread Games with additional support, including narrative work, motion capture, photogrammetry and sound design, localization and more. This is likely provide for free in addition to whatever funding Quantic Dreams invests in Dustborn.”
“In this way, Red Thread Games can continue to grift of taxpayer money and produce games while reducing many costs. Quantic Dreams was aquired by NetEase in 2022,” he added.
The rest of the funding is likely through their publisher, Quantic Dream @Quantic_Dream via their SpotLight publishing program.
Quantic Dream provides @RedThreadGames with additional support, including narrative work, motion capture, photogrammetry and sound design, localization… pic.twitter.com/QLiUHq6R0T
— Grummz (@Grummz) August 26, 2024
What do you make of Bergh’s seemingly confirmation the game used stolen assets?
