Woke Apocalypse: Sony's $200 Million Diversity Video Game Failure
Woke Culture and Its Impact on Gaming
The mantra "Get woke, go broke" seems to be more of a rule than a catchphrase as the failures of woke culture continue to pile up in 2024. The majority of consumers appear to be rejecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in various sectors, including movies, streaming, marketing, and gaming.
Video games have become a prime target for NGOs and left-leaning governments aiming to disseminate progressive propaganda. This is largely due to the popularity of video games among the younger demographic. From childhood to early adulthood, the average western consumer spends more time on video games than on any other form of entertainment. This makes gaming an ideal platform for ideological grooming.
Government Influence and ESG Subsidies
As noted in earlier discussions on activist games like Dustborn, there seems to be a concerted effort by influential entities to control messaging within the video game industry. The US government and the EU have reportedly been influencing gaming through ESG-like subsidies, offering developers substantial sums if they incorporate woke content into their projects.
Sony's recent gaming disaster, Concord, may or may not have been funded with ESG money. However, the content of the game suggests it was influenced by progressive ideologies.
Concord: A DEI Game Failure
Concord, a fairly generic competitive shooter with plot aesthetics reminiscent of Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy', exhibits all the hallmarks of a DEI game. It features a diverse cast of characters, including minority women, fat positivity, at least one trans-woman, and frequent use of gender-fluid pronouns. Sony reportedly invested eight years and $200 million (including marketing) into Concord, only to find that the game failed to resonate with its target audience.
The game's launch was a disaster, with gaming service Steam recording a maximum of only 697 players for Concord. Initial sales figures showed only 25,000 units sold. Sony has since treated the project as a total loss, pulling the game offline after only two weeks and offering full refunds to customers. This represents a $200 million loss for Sony.
Similar Failures in the Movie Industry
This isn't the first time a major company has scrapped a project due to its woke content. In 2022, movie studio Warner Bros. scrapped the $100 million 'Batgirl' film before its release. Reports suggested that the film was so steeped in woke culture and so unwatchable that releasing it would have done more harm than good for the company.
Such drastic responses to product failure are rare among media conglomerates. However, they may become more common as consumers increasingly reject woke content.
The Misconception of Diversity in Gaming
Diversity in gaming often promotes the misguided notion that "anyone can be an action hero". This includes overweight females, the disabled, and non-binary individuals. The entertainment industry, largely controlled by left-leaning entities, argues that modern players need to see themselves represented in movies and games. They believe that failing to provide inclusivity for every minority group is a missed market opportunity.
Activists also argue that excluding these minorities amounts to cultural genocide.
However, companies seem to have forgotten the basic principles of the free market. They should know their primary customer base and cater to their wants, rather than trying to dictate what they should want. Attempting to shame customers into buying a product can lead to the downfall of a business.
Ignoring Basic Marketing Principles
The majority of players do not want to see fat positivity or trans propaganda in their games. These DEI tropes are unlikely to gain popularity or succeed.
Companies like Sony appear to have either forgotten the fundamental rules of marketing that initially brought them success, or they have chosen to arrogantly disregard these rules, assuming they can create their own.
Bottom Line
The failure of Sony's Concord game serves as a stark reminder of the potential pitfalls of pushing a woke agenda in entertainment. It appears that the majority of consumers are not interested in having political ideologies forced upon them in their leisure activities. Companies may need to reconsider their strategies and return to the basic principles of knowing their audience and delivering what they want. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think companies should continue pushing for more diversity in their content, or should they focus more on what their primary audience wants? Share this article with your friends and let's keep the conversation going. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, delivered every day at 6pm.
