When you post with the official company account, which represents the entire team to the public, you should probably put a little thought behind it.
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The Chinese Room accuses CD Projekt Red of making sexist games
- Thread starter PodcastFips
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Alpha Phoenix
Member
It's still a drive-by shitpost that was made using what is supposed to be the official account of the studio. That's neither professional, called for, nor constructive. It's borderline trolling.
Audioboxer
Member
Well Geralt isn't exactly a looker in the games
Although I do agree with you for the most part. I guess the devs would say it's their interpretation of how the characters look given the books just describe them. I do have no doubts the devs wanted to up the sex appeal and eye candy though.At the very least they could have linked to a slightly better written blog post. It's still strange to use a main company Twitter account to engage in debate with an unrelated studio (unless it's about game dev content). Not saying they shouldn't be allowed to do it but whoever posted it must of known it would kick off and most likely require a PR response to back it up further/diffuse the arguing.
Lord of Ostia
Member
Describing what happens in the novels as just 'titillation' is doing the work a disservice, I think. The books, and by extension the games, are representing a real relationship between two people. In a romantic relationship, that means they will likely have sex. The sex isn't meant to be shameless gratification, it's purpose is to show the connection between the two characters, their vulnerability with each other, their love for one another...or lack of those things if we are talking about Dandelion. There is purpose to those scenes, weight and importance, just like an intimate relationship in real life would have.
OdysseusVA
Banned
Idiots
Yep.
Guess the studio is a little jealous of all their success? CDPR has the right to create whatever games they want. Putting an attractive woman in it does not make it sexist. You don't tell an artist what to create. It's the other way around and if you don't like that art, don't consume it.
Audioboxer
Member
I fully agree, but even with some of the scenes with just cause (or not, because sex can just be sex without heartwarming foreplay), some can still find it cringey/embarrassing or distasteful to watch sex play out visually. That's what I was trying to get at by saying it might be easier for some to take it on via reading/text. Some may even find that more erotic as it leaves it up to your own dirty imagination to picture
NoblesseOblige
Banned
I don't know how you came to that conclusion. If it was simply envy (not jealousy) then there are many other successful studios to go after.
They are trying to bring attention to themselves by trying to wake snakes with CDPR. I never heard of their studio, now I have.
Cabbagehead
Member
Just because it's taboo to society, in some way doesn't mean that all interpretations of that subject. Should be over analyzed or labeled with a known stigma (Somethings are what they are to portray a contextual narrative trope) without taking other things into consideration. Like its been noted, in this thread. It was part homage and in my mind referral in some way to the unfortunately modern pressures in the world. As a good number of Woman (for good or bad) modify themselves to look more attractive and i think this is a reflection of that as well along with the trope in that world. But maybe that's me projecting layers beyond the surface. Yet still even in you're darkest moment a person abit a heavily and illegally modified one is needed in Cyberpunk.
Either way I respect you're opinion. Frankly the world's of Cyberpunk are more cautious tales then anything, a place humanity doesn't want to be.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Again, if that was the objective then why would they have limited it to CDPR?
Admiral Woofington
Member
Yeah it's not jealousy but it does feel like a petty accusation that came out of nowhere.
Didn't the first game feature collectible 'romance cards?'
Plan succeeded.
Audioboxer
Member
I fully think it has nothing to do with going after them due to being successful, but to throw oil on the fire CDPR are a big target because they have some of the most gratuitous nudity/sex scenes in gaming.
I mean sex on a
unicorn
Phoenix Fang
Banned
That's just cold.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
It didn't come out of nowhere. Gamespot made a tweet about it. Chinese Room, being part of the industry, responded to the tweet. Was it brash and devoid of real context? Yeah sure. Welcome to twitter.
Admiral Woofington
Member
And I hope they keep gratuitous sex scenes, put ding dongs and breasts everywhere as long as it's what they want to do. If they get critiqued for it, so be it. But so far by doing the games theyd want to play they have created two of the best rpgs ever.
Audioboxer
Member
And as I edited into my post, some genuinely funny banter about said scenes. Also the drunk scene is just game of the year stuff. It's what entertainment is about, laughing and enjoying real life drama/nonsense cranked up to 11. I don't get to banter with my real friends about
cross-dressing drunk
Alpha Phoenix
Member
I'm actually hoping no one at CDPR takes this seriously enough to even comment on it. Not worth anyone's time or attention if the 'criticism' comes off that way.
dragonelite
Member
Jelly on dat witcher 3 monies
And good on them, at least someone has the guts of presenting human bodies without running away giggling like embarrassed schoolgirls only to think that its way more family wholesome and safe to show instead someone being eviscerated and/or exploded into chunky bits.
Do they do it well? Eh, at least they do it and that's fine with me.
Audioboxer
Member
They may end up feeling their cards are played to give one due to how this is blowing up. A dev stepped up on GAF, but he/she did say they aren't speaking on an official level.
It's definitely fantasized and completely stereotyped compared to most real life sexual encounters. However as I said with the drunk scene a lot of us can enjoy nonsense cranked up to 11 in gaming because it lets us kick back and laugh. It breaks up all the slaughtering, exp gaining, inventory management and other gaming regularities.
Admiral Woofington
Member
Well we already have someone from cdpr here commenting on it, but he's expressed it's his personal opinion and not to be taken as a company statement (unlike the tweet directed at them)
Alpha Phoenix
Member
Yeah, I meant as an official response. Because that would be attention, which is exactly what TCR's tweet seems to be after.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Aren't they just formally CDPR? Their website says they're with Guerrilla.
Audioboxer
Member
I was under the impression they were an artist. Possibly freelance work or work between multiple companies. They'll still get to see life behind the closed doors.
Or that, but still, they've been in the studio trenches.
Admiral Woofington
Member
Oh you might be right. I recall he has said that hes no longer in cdpr. We need an update on that tag lol
Perfect.
Oh it definitely is considering real life sex is often awkward and messy while in The Witcher 3 it's so magical you get
Geralt fucking on top of a Unicorn.
It is however, something at the very least without feeling awkward about it like Bioware who really, really wants to have it but in order to keep it "family friendly" hides away anything "shameful" like a Asari nipple would destroy the entire world concept for a teenager.
Edit: Jeez its not like everyone knows about it by now considering how much that scene was spread around.
Lord of Ostia
Member
Well, I was specifically talking about the novels, and the 2nd and third game. I've never played the first one, but yes I would say the playing cards were definitely sexist, and probably as far from the tone of the novels the games have ever gotten. The game series has improved immensely since then
It's one more stupid comment kneejerk on twitter which twitter is infamous and full of.
Nothing new there, not to say that the studio hasn't taken some knocks for things in past games but these days it seems like any and every company takes shit for something. And when it comes down to it, someone's always going to have an issue with the portrayal of someone in a game for one reason or another. Be it who they are, what they do, how they look, what they act like or even how they dress. Among other issues that might upset them. Doesn't matter what, just going to happen but you can't please everyone, nor should you. Doesn't matter the media, books, TV, movies, art.
Games are no exception with that. It's always been looked down upon as a kids thing, but the nature of gaming has changed and we got a lot more people who like many different things. That can enjoy different experiences. I'm glad for that, I mean I love the Witcher games myself because they're such a different experience than what any other studio does. It's really the Game of Thrones of gaming if you want to make a comparison. Grand on a level with all the beauty and ugliness of the world in a fantasy setting. And that's refreshing, I hope they never censor or hold back from anything they do, we already got enough games that play it safe trying to please as many people and fearful of the climate as it is. But if the games are done well and are of great quality as the previous games have been I doubt many will care.
Sure some will, but you can't please everyone all the time.
Nothing new there, not to say that the studio hasn't taken some knocks for things in past games but these days it seems like any and every company takes shit for something. And when it comes down to it, someone's always going to have an issue with the portrayal of someone in a game for one reason or another. Be it who they are, what they do, how they look, what they act like or even how they dress. Among other issues that might upset them. Doesn't matter what, just going to happen but you can't please everyone, nor should you. Doesn't matter the media, books, TV, movies, art.
Games are no exception with that. It's always been looked down upon as a kids thing, but the nature of gaming has changed and we got a lot more people who like many different things. That can enjoy different experiences. I'm glad for that, I mean I love the Witcher games myself because they're such a different experience than what any other studio does. It's really the Game of Thrones of gaming if you want to make a comparison. Grand on a level with all the beauty and ugliness of the world in a fantasy setting. And that's refreshing, I hope they never censor or hold back from anything they do, we already got enough games that play it safe trying to please as many people and fearful of the climate as it is. But if the games are done well and are of great quality as the previous games have been I doubt many will care.
Sure some will, but you can't please everyone all the time.
Audioboxer
Member
Spoiler that fabulousness bro!
I will agree I think there is room for games to handle sex more realistically, and not David Cage QTE events. The world of The Witcher is far from realistic though. Not entirely fair for them to carry that mantle. Other games can certainly step up though, and who knows Cyberpunk might tone it down to a more realistic level from the
Unicorn
Bioware certainly have more grounded games to explore sexuality, and they have been trying. I was a big supporter of same sex within their avatar creation built realms. If there is one thing genuinely under attack even still in the West its gay relationships.
Xaero Gravity
NEXT LEVEL lame™
I'm not a big fan of The Chinese Room as devs, but this bait has made me lose some respect for them. Sexy =/= sexist as far as I'm concerned.
Audioboxer
Member
Ciri and that is the best, but saddest ending. Aside from the utterly depressing one.
Oh wait, I'm getting mixed up (although that Ciri ending further establishes how independent and powerful women can become in this series). I know what you mean, and yeah, I chose that side quest ending as well as she is straight up better suited to be Queen. The male character there actually gets toned down to brutish stereotypes (although it fits in with the warrior like setting), and is clearly not as suited to the role for creating peace/better world.
Shake Appeal
Member
For those of you who have never studied or read about gender or sex and sexuality, and who may be confused about what sexism is or the "male gaze," or whatever else this is a very digestible presentation/documentary about how some of these things are pervasive in popular culture. It's about advertising, but almost all of it applies to how women are presented in videogames, too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-08qnL_Okw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-08qnL_Okw
Generalpsyduck
Banned
How about we make all female game characters wear burqas. Would that make you guys happy?
It is stupid, yeah, but at the same time it shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's not saying anything meaningful about the dev or about CD Projekt, nor is it really a good starting point for a discussion about how to sexualized images are used in marketing.
I don't get why there is such a long thread about this.
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