Josef Fares has had enough. After his new co-op game “Split FictionWhen his game was labeled "feminist propaganda" by some members of the gaming community, the developer addressed the criticism in a video, countering it in his typical, unambiguous manner. Fares, known for his directness, showed no patience for the obvious prejudices behind such comments.
The “woke” debate: When diversity becomes propaganda
The accusations against "Split Fiction" are reminiscent of the recurring wave of "woke" claims that surface whenever a game or film, intentionally or unintentionally, addresses diversity or feminist themes. This is not a new trend, but rather a familiar toxic tactic employed by those who fear their favorite cultural "escapes" are suddenly confronted with real, societal issues. In this case, the criticism centered on the portrayal of the two female protagonists in "Split Fiction." The claim that this constitutes a form of feminist agenda or propaganda is not only superficial but also reflects a deeper, problematic attitude prevalent in many parts of the gaming community.
Fares' response to that was clear and determined: "I'm not interested in what you have between your legs." For him, the quality of the characters and the story matter, not the gender of the main characters. This attitude is also evident in his previous work. In earlier games such as "Brothers: Tale of Two SonsIn films like "A Way Out" and "The Girl Who Lived Twice," Fares also featured strong male protagonists, but the focus was always on the characters' relationships and unique experiences, not their gender identity. "Split Fiction" is no different. The choice to present two female characters stems from his own inspiration through his daughters, not from any ideological agenda.
Fares' clear stance: It's about stories, not genders.
The point Fares makes here is not just a question of artistic freedom, but also a powerful statement against the culture that tries to brand diversity in pop culture as political propaganda. By directly refuting the accusation of "feminist propaganda," Fares demonstrates that his focus is on narrative and character development, which are crucial to him and his work. This doesn't mean he's against political themes in art, but rather that he refuses to be drawn into an ideological conflict when the sole aim is to tell a strong and multifaceted story.
The criticism of "Split Fiction" has less to do with the game itself and more to do with a larger problem: the widespread prevalence of toxic masculinity and the fear of anything perceived as deviating from traditional norms. Fares, who knows the gaming industry well and often operates in unconventional ways, makes it clear that he won't be drawn into this misguided discussion. Instead, he focuses on authenticity and a clear message: it's not about promoting an agenda, but about telling great stories that resonate with everyone, regardless of gender or background.
The criticism of "Split Fiction" may therefore have less to do with the game itself and more to do with a deep-seated fear many gamers share: the fear that their beloved media could suddenly change to reflect a more realistic and inclusive world. But this change is long overdue, and Fares impressively demonstrates that it's possible to celebrate diversity without compromising artistic integrity.
I have no idea what to say about it, the game just doesn't appeal to me, which is why I won't buy it. Or rather, if you see the trailer, then I can understand that certain themes are associated with it that you don't want to deal with, and ultimately you don't buy the game.
I believe that even if there wasn't a woke agenda in it, people would have lost interest simply because of how the game was presented.
I think it's better if developers address this subtly; for example, CACPOM does it quite well. First, you can create your own freak in the editor, and second, women are portrayed confidently and with sex appeal without being grind-like. For example, Olivia in Monster Hunter Wilds has quite a lot of biceps for a woman, but this is justified by the lore because the armor and weapons are so heavy, and of course there have to be female hunters; after all, you can create one in the editor. Or all the female characters from Resident Evil or Street Fighter.
Cappom has many diverse characters, but it doesn't explicitly address how Western studios do it or try to cram it into your brain.
No matter how you do it, someone will complain anyway.
And by the way, Josef Fares has two daughters, so it's understandable that he's developing something like this with two young women. Of course, I'm not defending the game; it doesn't really appeal to me much, since I thought It Tales Two was really bad, and with Way Out Was, which could have been one of the best games ever, he completely botched the ending, ruining the whole game.
But just to be fair, I'd like to point out that there could be another reason in his case. I can certainly understand that a father would develop a game in which two strong young women experience adventures together and have to stick together, especially if he has two daughters.
“…recall the recurring wave of ‘woke’ accusations that always surface when a game or film, intentionally or unintentionally, addresses diversity or emancipatory themes.”
– Now, let's take a step back! Of course, there are always people who jump on everything and shout "w0ke," but I'd say that the general public only starts making these accusations when emancipatory themes cease to be emancipatory themes and are instead used solely for brainwashing people. A Taash in Dragon Age Vailguard wasn't an emancipatory theme within the game; it was simply clumsily, bluntly, and inappropriately didactic towards the player, and completely forced in a way that tarnished and devalued the entire game.
Above all, the guy who wrote the taashvstpry had some kind of episode himself, dyed his hair blue, and now identifies as pansexual. This means someone experiencing an identity crisis or unaware of their own sexuality abused their job to cram their worries, fears, and personal struggles into Dragon Age and force it on everyone. On top of that, it was incredibly poorly written and the character in question displayed absolute aggression.
If you push things to such extremes and never know when enough is enough, you shouldn't be surprised that people become defensive, keep their money to themselves, and simply don't want to buy that kind of thing anymore. I'm currently watching the series *The Expanse*, and the main character is white and maybe looks a little like a Latino type, if that. He's involved with his colleague, who is Black. This isn't really addressed in any big way; it's not about racial conflict or anything like that. It's just the way it is, and that's the only way to handle it. Later in the series, there's a blonde woman who is very religious and is in a relationship with a Black woman—a lesbian couple with a child. The fact that they're lesbians isn't addressed at all because it's simply part of the show's narrative, and there's nothing to discuss. Instead of a man, she simply has a woman and calls her "my darling"... After that, the show just continues as normal, and you don't feel like you're being lectured or educated. But the fact that everywhere now there are only strong women, everywhere there are lesbian women, everywhere all the main characters have to be dark-skinned, everywhere there have to be characters with sexual disorders, problems, etc., is simply ridiculous. Of course, people are going crazy about it. And when you consider how often it's only made to get points on THE lists and rake in the cash...