Heather Alexandra's discussions

I think the big thing to establish is that she’s not obligated to reply, which I think we both probably agree on. When someone approaches a dev on Twitter, it’s not the same as approaching them at an official event or forums, and I think it’s fair to at least acknowledge that. It’s a different dynamic and while it’s… Read more

A major thing people seem to misunderstand is that Price is not speaking in an official capacity for the company while on Twitter. That’s a space where she is speaking as a private citizen. The idea that developers should on perpetual call to endure the various nitpicks and armchair design of enthusiasts and rabid… Read more

What the fuck? No? Read more

Honestly, my bar’s low. Just acknowledge it. Pretending a game is vacuous when it’s literally set in Washington DC (and being released in such a charged climate) is disrespectful to gamers. Read more

I’m willing to talk with folks who are uneasy about “politics in games” but I will say this: if you want people to take games seriously and treat them like art, these types of discussion are essential.

I understand that some people want games to be an escape from the world. Sometimes, I log into games exactly for that… Read more

Yeah! It’s a bit of a balancing act and the definition of what “happy” means can shift from genre to genre. When I say happy, I don’t ask that queer characters get nothing but to walk into the sunset. Genre conventions and narrative concerns also are a factor. Often, stories demand a character die. And I’m alright… Read more

“But this is a post-apocalyptic story,” someone might say and they are right. People are going to suffer in that setting regardless of gender or sexuality. That’s par for the genre, but it speaks volumes that so many people I know fear Naughty Dog might retread Left Behind, opting for a predictable tragedy we’ve… Read more

I want make my position on this clear as crystal: this is a stupid argument. It’s disingenuous and hand-wavey nonsense people invoke to absolve creators and writers of self-reflection. Life is more than tragic. It is funny, it is frustrating, it is both comfortable and hard. And even when there is tragedy, it’s not … Read more

You say this as if I’m asking for queer folks to never be touched or suffer harm in games. That the kid gloves should remain on and our stories be precious fluff. I hear variations of this argument a lot, like when I wrote about David Cage’s treatment of woman. That’s certainly not the case; many of the stories I’ve… Read more

Watch Dogs and Alan Wake. Read more

“And it’s disingenuous for the developer pretend otherwise.” Read more

You asked about the politics of selling your fake checkers game and I answered your question. If you think I sit down and ask those questions before buying a Kit-Kat, you’d be wrong.

Bottom line: if you want to buy The Division 2 and just shoot dudes, you can! That sounds fun and I’d do it too if I wasn’t already… Read more

Who are you selling to and where is it available? How much does it cost? Where is the plastic coming from? What are the rules? Does the board have a theme? Do you still say “king me?”

You engage in politics when you buy something at the bodega. You do it even more so when you create a commercial product where you play… Read more

A bit of further editorial: Releasing a game is not an apolitical act. Games say things and the things they say often reflect the values of their creators. Intentional or otherwise, conscious or unconscious. Games are released within certain contexts as well; what artists decide to make, says something about their… Read more

Totally. This is why the headline says “Seems.” That’s a journalism thing. I’ve not seen the game in action and therefore, can’t speak with complete authority. It’s like I said in the piece: maybe this works out and it both interesting from a player story standpoint and provide comment ala MGSV’s nuke stuff. Time will… Read more

That’s true. Using a nuke to defeat the climactic enemy is definitely part of the series up until four, where most factions nuke the Institute. It’s in the series’ blood and emblematic of how “War Never Change”. At least to a certain degree.

But I think there’s a difference between making the choice to blow up Mariposa… Read more

The conference is technically over but now they’re talking about a FromSoft VR game. Alas, I’ve already turned into a pumpkin. Thanks for tuning in and please have a great E3! Read more