Game developer Ed Fear, the former Game Lead at Mediatonic Games the studio behind Fall Guys, took to social media to declare that the video game industry is making games to cater to the LGBTQ+ agenda.
A screenshot from Murder by Numbers (2020), Mediatonic
Fear wrote on X, “According to Ukie’s census, 21% of the UK games industry identifies as LGBTQ+. That’s 3x higher than the UK average. 2% as non-binary – 5x higher. 3% as trans – 3x higher.”
He added, “We’re making the games that represent US. If you want “non-woke” games, make them your-f***in’-selves.”
In a follow-up he posted, “and it’s worth saying that while LGBTQ+ people are (wonderfully!) over-represented, I absolutely recognise we still have a lot to do in terms of race, gender, socioeconomic class, etc. Imagine what games we’ll be making when that’s better!”
Ed Fear on X
Fear’s observation of the video game industry appears accurate. If gamers want games that are not woke they are going to have to make them. And there is a path forward to achieve this.
Novelist Brian Niemeier, known for his Comat Frame X Seed books as well as his Soul Cycle series, explains that the answer is neopatronage. He explains that neopatronage is “a concept that advocates the return to a more direct and personal relationship between creators and their audiences. Neopatronage empowers readers to take up the mantle of Renaissance patrons, actively funding the content they want to see and participating in the creative process alongside their favored artists.”
He specifically advocates for creatives to use platforms such as Patreon so they can invite their patrons “behind the scenes while offering them exclusive benefits like free books, first access to new works, and avenues for direct interaction like private group chats and Discord Q&As.”
Nethereal (2015), Brian Niemeier
As for how this model works, Niemeier shares, “As the name suggests, the core of the Neopatronage model is direct patronage. Not only do patrons gain early access to works-in-progress, they have the chance to give feedback and shape the final product. And services like Fiverr directly connect patrons with artists to commission the works they want without having to wait for creators to extend specific collaborative opportunities.”
Furthermore he notes that this model ensures that creators are connected to the people supporting their work, “This direct engagement between creator and audience not only fosters a sense of solidarity, it ensures that creative decisions are driven by reader preferences rather than corporate agendas. By embracing neopatronage, audiences can transcend the limitations of mainstream media and actively contribute to the cultivation of a healthier, more organic cultural landscape.”
Combat Frame XSeed (2018), Brian Niemeier
As Niemeier writes on X the corporations have no intention of moving away from their agendas. But customers can move away from them.
He states, “Hoping that woke megacorps will go back to making product for you is a long wait for a ship that’s never coming in. Much faster & better to seek out creator’s who’ll make the entertainment you want on demand.”
Hoping that woke megacorps will go back to making product for you is a long wait for a ship that’s never coming in.
Much faster & better to seek out creator’s who’ll make the entertainment you want on demand. https://t.co/sieqHXNN9o
— Brian Niemeier (@BrianNiemeier) March 19, 2024
What do you make of Fear’s comments?
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