Following the List on Sweet Baby Inc’s Wikipedia Page & IMDb
Why People avoid Sweet Baby Inc?
Have you noticed a certain sameness across many of the AAA games released lately? This isn’t about their gameplay mechanics, as they span a diverse range of genres. Beneath the dazzling visuals and complex effects, there’s a shared quality that might raise an eyebrow.
This trend includes a strong emphasis on current political themes, altering characters’ races without regard to their original cultural contexts or established backstories, and messages delivered with the subtlety of a sledgehammer crashing through a window.
Such topics are widely discussed across various media, and the gaming industry is no exception.
It’s well known that companies, including game studios and developers, are being nudged towards these practices as part of their marketing strategies. This is largely because aligning with certain social and political narratives can attract funding and support from major investment firms like BlackRock and Vanguard, two of the largest in the United States. These firms evaluate companies based on ESG criteria, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, to decide on their investment potential.
Scoring high on ESG metrics can unlock significant financial opportunities, incentivizing companies to meet these criteria. BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, has openly stated their intention to influence companies towards greater diversity and inclusion, even going as far as to threaten withdrawal of support for non-compliance.
This climate has made pandering in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion quite fashionable, serving as a potent marketing tool and a way to curry favor with politically active groups. Whether this strategy truly resonates with the actual audience of these products remains debatable, though it’s clear that social media buzz, regardless of its nature, is seen as beneficial publicity.
But what does this have to do with Sweet Baby Inc.?
Sweet Baby Inc., as per their website, is a narrative development and consultation firm based in Montreal, dedicated to crafting “better, more empathetic stories” while enhancing diversity and inclusivity in video games.
Their goal aligns closely with the ESG-focused vision promoted by entities like BlackRock and Vanguard, especially in the realm of video games and entertainment media. Sweet Baby Inc. is hired by game studios to ensure their projects meet diversity and inclusivity standards, advising on character development, narrative direction, and sensitivity issues.
The influence of Sweet Baby Inc. is significant, evidenced by their work on titles ranging from indie projects to major releases like God of War: Ragnarok and Alan Wake 2, which have sparked debate over character changes and diversity initiatives.
It’s crucial to note that while I fully support diversity and representation in games when executed with authenticity and respect, there’s a fine line between meaningful inclusion and superficial tokenism.
In the cases of characters like Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2 and Angrboda in God of War: Ragnarok, the intention behind their depiction raises questions about the influence of consultancies like Sweet Baby Inc. on creative decisions.
Interestingly, efforts to increase diversity sometimes overlook the nuances of cultural accuracy and representation, potentially overshadowing the cultures they aim to honor.
Moreover, Sweet Baby Inc.’s role extends beyond character design to shaping narratives and character arcs, with significant implications for game storytelling. While the titles they’ve consulted on have received acclaim, there’s an undercurrent of critique concerning story coherence and character portrayal, highlighting the complex impact of external narrative consultation.
This discussion isn’t meant to pinpoint Sweet Baby Inc. as the sole source of the industry’s challenges but to spotlight them as part of a broader issue where pivotal themes like diversity and inclusion are leveraged more for publicity and profit than for genuine engagement and change.
Take, for example, the Middle Eastern version of Spider Man 2, where certain representations were omitted, likely for commercial reasons, underscoring a prioritization of profit over principled inclusivity.
This scenario suggests a broader industry trend where diversity and inclusion, despite being noble goals, are sometimes reduced to mere tools for financial gain, encouraged by the likes of BlackRock and Vanguard.
Say goodbye to Sweet Baby!
Who works with Sweet Baby Inc.?
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