Gamers from the Microsoft Windows 98 and early Windows XP era will wholeheartedly remember the amazing, groundbreaking cult classic Tomb Raider games. There have been many new-age Tomb Raider games released over the years, but everyone will agree that nothing has so far matched the status these three games hold which are now back with Tomb Raider Remastered.
The game’s developers, Crystal Dynamics, paid tribute to gamers on the eve of Valentine’s Day by releasing three of the cult classic Tomb Raider games remastered for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
What promised to be an amazing launch, which can still be, but one ‘Trigger Warning’ has diverted some discussions toward a different issue that we, the people living in 2024, face in the world.
On the eve of the release, the creators of Crystal Dynamics released a statement shown in a tweet/post on the X platform which reads:
It has caused a lot of stir in the world of gaming. Especially among fans of the classic Tomb Raider games in question. Responses to this post and in the discussion are on two different spectrums.
Before diving into the discussion happening in today’s world, it is important to understand the context of the post.
In all three games under scrutiny, there is no direct mention of the specific content or thing represented or depicted. But fans were too quick to speculate. For ethical reasons, this article will avoid direct references to the group or community in question. However, speculation suggests that a group of people in one of the games is misrepresented or stereotyped harmfully.
As mentioned above, the article is going to delve into how the changing world has affected the gaming world. And how gamers perceive this change.
By just scrolling through the ‘reply’ section of the post, one can easily assess the type of responses.
One spectrum of gamers is those who see it as a positive change. They praise the company for highlighting this issue so everyone can reflect on past mistakes to improve the world.
While there is another spectrum of gamers who see it in a completely different light. However, there is another group of gamers who perceive it differently. This group heavily criticizes the disclaimer and even declares that they will not buy or play the game at all.
They see it as a forceful push of guilt. They say that there is nothing wrong with depicting things in their own way in an art form. Also, they perceive it as a company succumbing to a ‘woke’ agenda to appease them.
It’s crucial to reaffirm that the article doesn’t agree or align with any potentially offensive viewpoints expressed by gamers in response to the post.
Questions like ‘Should art be bound by morals and considerations for people’s feelings?’ frequently arise in discussions on these matters. Without providing a definitive answer, the article leaves it open for individuals to form their own opinions. As its intention is not to pass judgment, but rather to foster discussion.
Regardless of how viewed, the trigger warning distorted what could have been a great launch for a gaming classic.
In a pragmatic view of the whole scenario, it seems to be a very wise move on the developers’ part to distance themselves from the questionable content in the games. This decision may safeguard their future prospects in terms of game launches. And the overall perception of both the developers and the company. Numerous companies and individuals have faced severe backlash due to similar issues, regardless of their intentions to cause harm or not. In the era of globalization and social media, controversies escalate rapidly.
Games and entertainment media, in general, have faced criticism for being ‘too woke’ due to certain creative decisions taken by studios across the board, and the ideologies they have incorporated into their products and content.
Ultimately, people decide whether it’s right, wrong, or excessive.
