Gaming
Playing History 2 Slave Tetris Mode Removed
Playing History 2: Slave Trade, a Steam edutainment game, came under fire over the weekend for some pretty questionable segments. Chief among them was a minigame called “Slave Tetris” which involved stacking African slaves onto a settlers’ ship in uncomfortable Tetris-style shapes. After an outcry from users on both Steam and social media, the game’s creator removed the mode.
The “Slave Tetris” minigame, which can still be viewed in Let’s Plays of Playing History 2: Slave Trade that were created before the update that removed it, tasked players with stacking Tetris-shaped African slaves onto a ship bound for the Americas. At the same time, the game’s instructions posed the question, “How come the slave traders were so inhumane?” The game would end when players had filled up the entire ship, rather than by clearing lines like in traditional Tetris. At the end of the game, players would be rewarded with some more informative notes, such as “slave ships were often packed to use every square millimetre.”
Serious games, the developers behind Playing History, wrote on Twitter that they had removed the minigame because “it was perceived to be extremely insensitive by some people.” On Steam, they go into more detail. “Slave Tetris has been removed as it was perceived to be extremely insensitive by some people. This overshadowed the educational goal of the game. Apologies to people who was offended by us using game mechanics to underline the point of how inhumane slavery was. The goal was to enlighten and educate people – not to get sidetracked discussing a small 15 secs part of the game.”
Back in September last year, the creators wrote similar responses to comments about the insensitivity of the game. “Our experience is that in the game it really gets people to think about just how absurd and cruel it is – trust me nobody is laughing or finding it a joke to play that kind of Tetris. They do however get a ahaa (sic) experience that will indeed haunt them. They will also discuss afterwards, and most of them will probably remember more than did from most their history lessons.”
While the “Slave Tetris” minigame has been removed, other material that has been found objectionable has remained in-game – for example, there are maths problems that task users with calculating the cost of human lives. While it’s understandable that the creators wanted to make a game that highlighted the harsh realities of history, there certainly seem to be many aspects of Playing History 2: Slave Trade that could have been better executed.
Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.
According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.
He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.
Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.
Gaming
The developer of Stellar Blade for the PS5 Expressing gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support amidst a recent controversy surrounding censorship
Shift Up, the Korean developer, seems to be reconsidering its contentious alterations to the Stellar Blade outfit. In a message to fans, they have urged everyone to stay tuned for updates and expressed gratitude for the passionate feedback from players. For those who may not be aware, a petition gained significant attention over the weekend when gamers discovered changes made to a few of the game’s costumes through a day-one patch.
The launch day update includes a fantastic New Game + mode, but some players were disappointed by the changes made to protagonist Eve’s outfit. These alterations sparked debates about censorship. Director Hyung-Tae Kim later clarified that this was the studio’s original vision, but he acknowledged that it may require further persuasion to win over users. Internal discussions were also underway to address any concerns.
Thanks to all our Stellar Blade fans for your passion & feedback. Stay tuned for updates🤍 pic.twitter.com/jCRzM4OQBS
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) May 1, 2024
There is no definitive confirmation regarding the reversal of the outfits, but considering the language used in the statement and the widespread controversy surrounding the alterations, it is highly likely that a future patch will restore the original costumes. If you want to get a sneak peek at all of Eve’s different outfits and learn how to unlock them, be sure to take a look at our comprehensive guide, All Outfits and How to Get Them.
It’s quite possible. Fans all over the world are interested in Shift Up’s highly anticipated action-adventure game, Stellar Blade. With its captivating post-apocalyptic setting reminiscent of Nier and a compelling protagonist named Eve, it’s no wonder the game has generated such widespread attention.
The game consistently impresses with its stunning visuals and high-octane action, leaving players in awe with each new trailer.
Yet, just like other noteworthy second-party and third-party game releases, fans are pondering: Will Stellar Blade be available on PC?
In this article, we delve into the details to determine the platform availability of the highly anticipated title.
Will Stellar Blade be available on PC? Allow me to provide you with the answer.
Unfortunately, Stellar Blade will not be available on PC, at least not initially. Currently, the game is only available on PlayStation 5 starting on April 26, 2024.
Regrettably, it appears that there is no indication of a potential PC release for Stellar Blade in the future. In most cases, trailers for PlayStation timed-exclusive titles conclude with a disclaimer that specifies the duration of their exclusivity.
In the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launch trailer, it is explicitly stated that the game will only be accessible on other platforms starting on May 29, 2024.
Regrettably, when it comes to the stellar blade, there is no indication of such.
It’s important to note that Sony Entertainment Interactive published Stellar Blade, unlike Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This means that the chances of it being released on PC or other platforms in the near future are even slimmer.
However, it is worth noting that there is a chance the game might be released on PC in the future, given PlayStation’s track record of bringing their exclusive titles to the platform. However, it could be a while before this comes to fruition.
- Gadgets9 years ago
Why the Nexus 7 is still a good tablet in 2015
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 5: is there room for improvement?
- Editorials9 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – How bad updates prevent people from enjoying their phones
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Nexus 5 2015 and Android M born to be together
- Gaming9 years ago
New Teaser For Five Nights At Freddy’s 4
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Google not releasing Android M to Nexus 7
- Gadgets9 years ago
Moto G Android 5.0.2 Lollipop still has a memory leak bug
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Nexus 7 2015: Huawei and Google changing the game