The narrative development and consultation studio, Sweet Baby Inc, has found itself at the center of a heated controversy involving freedom of speech and apparent attempts to shut down its critics on Steam – a claim made specifically by the very vocal slice of the internet that actively opposes their work. As always, things aren’t what they first seem.
Sweet Baby Inc positions itself as a narrative development and consultation studio dedicated to fostering diversity in the gaming industry. The company’s website proudly states that their team collaborates with game developers to infuse diversity into characters, storylines, and writing.
Naturally this draws ire from those people who think merely existing as anything other than a cis-het caucasian male is automatically “political”, which is also automatically bad. You know, the kind unironically using the word woke pejoratively.
Notably, the studio has contributed to recent major titles such as Alan Wake 2, Spider-Man 2, and God of War: Ragnarök. However, the company’s involvement in critically and commercially underperforming games such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has also raised eyebrows and fueled the ongoing debate.
The controversy fully ignited when the “Sweet Baby Inc Detected” group emerged on Steam in late January, openly expressing its opposition to any games associated with Sweet Baby Inc. Since then, online discussions about Sweet Baby Inc regularly trended on social media such as X (formerly Twitter), because of course.
Somebody created a steam curator page that basically indicates in which games Sweet Baby Inc (the company behind most of the woke cancer in video games) was involved
A writer and designer working at Sweet Baby is asking people to report the group to censor them pic.twitter.com/J91aqILCAQ
— Shizu (@BepDelta) March 1, 2024
The Steam group “Sweet Baby Inc Detected”, boasting over 200,000 followers and 80,000 members, has become a focal point for those who oppose the company’s approach to supposedly “forced” diversity in game development. Allegations of the group violating Steam’s code of conduct and promoting casual sexism and alt-right rhetoric within their Discord channel were allegedly reported by an infiltrator.
Attempting to address the situation, Chris Kindred, a Sweet Baby Inc employee, sought to have the group’s curator page taken down, inadvertently bringing more attention to the controversy. Unfortunately, this move seemingly backfired.
Instead, it resulted in an influx of new followers for the “Sweet Baby Inc Detected” group, and Kindred faced consequences as her X account was restricted for inciting harassment, as per the terms of service of the X.com platform. Naturally, accounts openly calling for other humans to lose their basic rights don’t receive such punishment.
just remember that this was your doing, not mine. pic.twitter.com/CtOEPaFbWG
— Kabrutus (@kabrutusrambo) March 4, 2024
As of March 10, the “Sweet Baby Inc Detected” page remains active on Steam, although many discussion threads have been either deleted or locked. The group’s main curator (kabrutusrambo on X) acknowledged Steam’s intervention due to excessive reports and emphasized their commitment to adhering to Steam’s Terms of Service. To maintain compliance, all discussion threads were deleted, and new threads were subsequently locked to prevent further escalation.
The heart of the controversy lies in the nonsensical accusation that Sweet Baby Inc is “forcing” diversity into games. Critics argue that while diversity is essential, attempts to prioritize it over quality compromise the gaming experience. This acts as a dog whistle for hateful groups, and conveniently distracts from the underlying misconception that diversity and quality are somehow mutually exclusive.
Examples of this can be seen with the criticisms of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for the Playstation consoles, where there are side-quests that were seemingly added simply to meet certain diversity check boxes – or at least, its easy to reach this conclusion with enough mental gymnastics.
The question arises: Is Sweet Baby Inc neglecting the core essence of game development in pursuit of a diverse narrative? While the company’s competence as a consultation studio is debated, the controversy has undeniably brought the intersection of diversity and game quality to the forefront.
Sweet Baby Inc’s attempt to suppress criticism may have inadvertently amplified it, drawing negative attention and fueling further debates on social media. The question remains whether this controversy marks a turning point for the studio or if it is just one episode in an ongoing saga of challenges for the gaming industry.
The Sweet Baby Inc controversy serves as a microcosm of the broader discussions surrounding diversity and quality in the gaming industry. As gamers and industry stakeholders engage in conversations about the balance between inclusivity and game quality, the “Sweet Baby Inc Detected” group persists as a testament to the challenges faced by game developers striving for a more diverse gaming landscape.
Where do you stand on the matter between the Sweet Baby Inc consultation studio and its critics voicing their opinions through platforms like Steam? How should the industry navigate the intersection of diversity and game development, as well as freedom of speech vs. harassment?
