Why you shouldn’t support the upcoming game Black Myth: Wukong
Simply put, the creators behind Black Myth: Wukong are raging misogynists.
Founders and creatives of the studio have:
Joked about former female employees hypothetically doing prostitution
Used suggestive/objectifying/derogatory imagery & phrasing in their hiring flyers (under the cut), e.g. “In addition to hookup buddies, we promise to provide more thoughtful services” , “fatties fuck off”, etc.
Written entire think pieces on how video games don’t need female players or developers, how women are biologically inclined towards “softer” modes of gaming than men (there’s also a bit of homophobia mixed in through language such as “fuck sissies”), how some things should just be made for men, etc.
“Fuck sissies, fuck tragic love stories, fuck moon-lit peach blossoms and flute-playing scholars! You don't need the reverse motivation of female players, you don't need to take care of those worms who just want to date chicks. Some things are just for men, their depression, their anger, their pain...”
Made numerous sexually explicit (& honestly incel-like) comments including ones about a female character in Black Myth: Wukong, e.g. “once you get used to this [character design] you can jerk off to it”, etc.
Boasted about how they’re losing followers, who must be women
To no one’s surprise, when people criticise the studio online, they’re met with vitriol about how they’re hypersensitive feminists, too politically correct, etc.
Chinese women have been YELLING non-stop on social media about how bad it is so it’s pretty depressing to see that a lot of non-Chinese gamers, even after reading an IGN article covering the situation, are apathetic. I get that a lot of people are excited about the novelty of a soulslike game based on Chinese mythology, but do you really want to support a studio that actively contributes towards and benefits from misogynistic gaming culture?
Talking about separating the artist from their art is bullshit if you're financially supporting them. Boycott! Pirate!
Here are some sources if you want to see detailed translations, learn more about the situation as well as the misogynistic gaming culture at large China:
i feel like there'd be a particular degree of vulnerability to being headless. to trusting someone with that knowledge and hoping that they don't use it to take the part of you that most people take for granted, the most prominent signifier of your identity, and hold it hostage in order to punish you and/or as a display of power, placing their heel on the monster's neck and holding up its severed visage in victory.