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236 Should Video Game Critics Be Less Negative?
Episode 236

236 Should Video Game Critics Be Less Negative?

Does excess negativity discourage risk-taking art?

Colette & Matt Have Entered the Chat

January 30, 20261h 21mExplicit

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Show Notes

The free to play horse shooter Highguard released this week, and within 5 minutes, the entire Internet agreed that it sucks. Coincidentally(?), the CEO of Larian Studios posted a lengthy comment about how criticism of video games has become too mean and too personal, which discourages artists from taking risks and failing.

This week, we unpack the discourse around hot take negativity, the process of being vulnerable as an artist, and why the business model of algorithmic media pushes so many of us into the trap.

Links discussed in this episode:

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/baldurs-gate-3-studio-boss-calls-out-hurtful-personal-videogame-reviewers-sometimes-i-think-itd-be-a-good-idea-for-critics-to-be-scored-metacritic-style

https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/highguard-devs-say-they-didnt-expect-the-hate-but-theyre-confident-in-their-game-3309463/

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Topics

larian studioshighguardvideo gamesgamingbaldur's gate 3