Red Thread Games, the developer for Dustborn, claimed the conversation around the game “has been drowned out by a tidal wave of hate.”
A screenshot from Dustborn (2024), Red Thread Games
In a post to company’s official account on X, it wrote, “Since we first announced Dustborn, we’ve read your comments and listened to your feedback, hopes and wishes for the game. Over the past four years, our team has poured their hearts into telling a story that’s deeply meaningful to us; a story about the power of words, about building a world where everyone can feel safe, about love, friendships…and robots, of course.”
The company continued, “We expected Dustborn to spark conversation and debate, and looked forward to engaging with our partners in a positive and constructive fashion. Unfortunately, that conversation has been drowned out by a tidal wave of hate and abuse.”
A screenshot from Dustborn (2024), Red Thread Games
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It then declared, “we welcome thoughtful feedback and respectful criticism. We embrace discussion and debate. But we have zero tolerance for hate speech, harassment, and threats of any kind. Those who engage in such behaviour will be removed from our community.”
“To everyone else: thank you for coming on this journey with us. Your support means everything, and your constructive feedback continues to push us to learn and evolve. Together, let’s continue building a world where everyone can feel valued and empowered to share their stories,” the company concluded.
Red Thread Games on X
Of note the company turned off replies and did not provide any evidence of their claims”
Not only did Red Thread Games make a statement, but so did the game’s publisher Quantic Dream. It posted, “We want to express our heartfelt support for our partners at Red Thread Games. We stand united against hate in all its forms and are committed to fostering communities built on understanding and respect.” It too turned off replies.
Quantic Dream on X
Furthermore, X user MadamSavvy, who played the game, notes the game encourages and approves of deception, manipulation, and bullying. She wrote as part of a lengthy response to Red Thread Games, “You want to tell a story about the power of words- why did you choose to use words of hate and hurt for the main character? Why are we forced to use words of violence against our own friends? These are unavoidable moments no matter what you do?”
She questioned, “You say you want to build a world where everyone can feel safe, then why did every single person we come across have their life ruined by the player character and the group? Why aren’t the powers of Pax something like ‘salve’ or ‘healing’….why is everything based on manipulation?”
A screenshot from Dustborn (2024), Red Thread Games
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MadaamSavvy continued, “Where was the love when we bullied Fred and lied about her? Pax’s mother grows opium for a cult that’s never mentioned again. Is that love? Why would she put her own people in danger by growing OPIUM of all things? It’s a highly addictive drug- and it can be used to keep people compliant…..I’m sure you understand what I am insinuating.”
She then reiterated, “Is it friendship when we are forced to manipulate our friends? To Bully Theo? Why can’t we prank Sai while she prays but we can prank Theo- who has done nothing wrong? For you to write what you did, you must like modern SpongeBob squidward torture episodes where he doesn’t do anything to deserve it…..”
You haven’t engaged with anyone though. In fact your own dev threw hate at the concept of crowd funding despite you lot being funded with tax payer dollars from several sources. One is a choice, the other is not. I support every single person’s right to create freedom but support… https://t.co/IhLSf3KPrf
— Savvy | Artist (@MadamSavvy) August 30, 2024
In a previous post responding to Kotaku’s review of the game, Savvy shared more about the game and its encouragement of bullying, deception, and manipulation, “I’m not too sure how people with powers who admit to being con artists can be oppressed, or people with money. Noam is rich, and Pax openly manipulates people to avoid situations. you are forced into triggering your friends and none of your actions cause any consequences as they’ll always reassure you that you did the right thing.”
She continued, “Interestingly enough, Justice is never actually shown to do anything wrong. When you visit your own mother, she is running a cult in the woods and like any cult who needs to make money, they grow illegal drug plants- Opium to be exact. It’s also interesting how we are forced to bully and lie about Fred, the barefoot ginger queen, who just wants us to leave. If the mother is so caring and good, why would she put her people in harms way by growing opium? Fred is left to be reprogrammed and we never hear back from her. I hope she found some shoes.”
“This review also fails to mention much about the ‘memes’ and ‘disinformation’- or rather the fact that the player character is the source of disinformation. It also fails to mention that we are also forced into bullying our friend, Theo, who is a good catholic mexican, while he is having a minor crisis of belief,” she shared. “On the other hand, you aren’t allowed to mess with or bully the sex obsessed overweight Sai (the artist named after paint tool sai) while she engages in Muslim prayer. ”
I’m surprised you didn’t touch on the pro-life aspects of the game. 4 months pregnant and something you don’t learn until hour 8 of the game (assuming you didn’t read promo content like me). When the pregnancy is finally acknowledged, suddenly everyone knows! But even more… https://t.co/vn19Rsjkwx
— Savvy | Artist (@MadamSavvy) August 29, 2024
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In another post, she questioned the game’s hypocrisy, “The ending of the game says words were not the weapon, but it was empathy all along. Could you please explain to my little pea brain how bullying Fred was a form of empathy when we came into her home, did everything she said we did, discovered our mother was growing OPIUM, and then bailed after causing the cops to find the OPIUM farm- which they just torched and then left?”
MadamSavvy asked, “Could you please tell me how it was Empathy to selfishly force Theo, who had done nothing to deserve our mistreatment of him, to do something he didn’t want to do? I tried to avoid this completely but I could not, the game even made me learn how to BULLY in order to proceed?”
“Could you please tell me how it was EMPATHY to take out a lone man in a trailer park who just cared about his tomatoes, speaking about how the government was doing mass surveillance? How was that even disinformation???”
Dear @RedThreadGames
I have completed your game, #Dustborn . I have gotten both 1% and 0% panels at 2 different points but I have a question for you.
The ending of the game says words were not the weapon, but it was empathy all along. Could you please explain to my little pea…
— Savvy | Artist (@MadamSavvy) August 28, 2024
Furthermore, the fact that there is even any conversation about this game is quite surprising given the game only hit a peak concurrent player count of 83 when it launched over a week ago.
Dustborn Steam DB concurrent player chart
What do you make of Red Thread Games’ accusations?
