Remedy Entertainment, a well-known client of Sweet Baby Inc. and the studio behind the Alan Wake series, removed mandatory pronoun selection from its job applications, according to a report from Smash JT.
On paper, Remedy Entertainment seems like the last gaming company that would reject divisive and exclusionary hiring practices. The Sweet Baby Inc. client has a long-standing history of advocating against “straight white males” working in the gaming industry.
However, according to YouTuber Smash JT, the Alan Wake developer has taken a step toward actual inclusive hiring by removing mandatory pronoun selection from employment applications.
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The developer made news when Alan Wake 2 community manager Vida Starcevic expressed frustration with influencer agencies that pitched games featuring “wall-to-wall white men.” Starcevic, who apparently still works at Remedy, has frequently spoken out about implementing racial and gender quotas in the gaming industry.
The company also worked extensively with Kim Belair’s Sweet Baby Inc., a narrative consultancy firm known for pushing DEI narrative elements into AAA games. This includes God of War: Ragnarok, Spider-Man 2, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and Remedy Entertainment’s commercial flop Alan Wake 2.
Sweet Baby Inc. CEO Kim Belair via InclusionFX YouTube
“While Alan Wake 2 received critical praise, there’s not much financial success that comes from that these days,” Smash JT said in his official write-up. “Virtue signaling cannot be exchanged at banks for cash. It failed to connect with players who actually purchase games. The disconnect here was clearly exacerbated by the game’s controversial marketing and narrative choices, rumored race-swapped protagonist, and other story directions that alienated portions of the fanbase Remedy once so effortlessly captivated.”
Now, it seems things might be changing at Remedy. An anonymous insider contacted Smash JT, alerting him to a hiring policy change that removes pronoun selection from the application process.
The pronoun selection page for Remedy Entertainment’s hiring application – YouTube, Smash JT
The original application, seen above, had the usual he/him, she/her, and they/them pronouns listed. But then it went far beyond, listing pronouns like xe/xem/ hu/hu, and fae, faer.
However, Remedy’s current application removes this feature entirely.
The current hiring application for Remedy Entertainment as of 12/17/24 – YouTube, Smash JT
The updated application simply asks for your name, email address, phone number, and resume, while providing a box in which an applicant can include a message like a cover letter.
“While the removal of pronouns from job applications is (finally) a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen if Remedy’s hiring practices will actually reflect a genuine shift back to prioritizing talent and skill over ideological quotas,” Smash JT said. “If Remedy wants to preserve its legacy and financial viability, these changes MUST continue to happen.”
Do you believe Remedy is turning over a new leaf by removing mandatory pronoun selection from the hiring process? Did you play Alan Wake 2? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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