They say bad publicity is still publicity. Video games have been the subject of controversy over the years, especially in the early 2000s, when government officials went out of their way to ban certain games due to their violent themes. Good times.
Fast forward to today, and controversies have evolved into far more complex issues—often tied to political divisions, as seen with the tumultuous social media discourse surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Developers faced harassment from an army of online trolls, prompting Ubisoft to assemble a full legal team to address the situation. The game also faced backlash over Yasuke’s inclusion, with critics claiming he was never a samurai.
There is a clear divide among gamers today, with endless debates over even the smallest details. But does it really matter?
In the end, these controversies have only amplified the appeal of the games in question. Assassin’s Creed Shadows, despite being the target of a coordinated harassment campaign, remained unfazed, amassing over two million players within its first weekend. It has since become the second best-selling Assassin’s Creed title, trailing only Valhalla—a game whose success was partially fueled by the pandemic, when people were stuck at home.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t the only game to face a backlash campaign that ultimately failed. Two years ago, Hogwarts Legacy was at the center of controversy, with some players attempting to boycott the game due to its association with J.K. Rowling, a divisive figure across the internet.
Yet, when Hogwarts Legacy launched, it became the best-selling game of the year, selling over 12 million copies and generating more than $800 million in revenue. The boycott efforts bore little fruit, and many who once criticized the game now find themselves immersed in its open-world wizarding fantasy.
The same happened with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, where some players expressed outrage over the sexual orientation of its main character. Despite the controversy, it didn’t seem to have a meaningful impact—the game sold two million copies in less than a month, a major achievement for Warhorse Studios.
So what’s the big deal? The internet is a vast space where players of all political alignments gather. Yet, despite these controversies, they rarely seem to affect a game’s success in the way critics intend.
Even Hideki Kamiya, the legendary creator of Devil May Cry, Okami, and Bayonetta, weighed in, stating that video game controversies aren’t really a problem for "normal people"—and he’s absolutely right.
Most players who actually buy and enjoy these games don’t care about online outrage. They have regular lives and jobs—they’re not glued to a screen, engaging in endless debates. The loud minority always exists, but their manufactured drama doesn’t always hit its mark.
This growing rift among gamers reflects the times we live in, and the current political climate isn’t doing the industry any favors. More and more games are becoming targets of outrage campaigns. But as for me, I just want to play and enjoy video games—regardless of the noise.
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