A recently released puzzle game called Baba is You is like nothing I’ve ever played. In the game’s first level, you control a character named Baba, and your goal is to get to a flag. The rules of the game are clearly written out on the screen for you to see at all times. “Wall is stop” means you can’t go through walls, and “Flag is win” instructs you of your objective. The rules quickly reveal themselves to be more complicated when you realize you can push the written rules themselves to change the way the game behaves. In talking about this game with a friend, I brought up another game it reminded me of called Fez. That conversation inevitably touched on the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of Fez 2, which my friend had not heard about. I remember it being a relatively small story that was part of a bigger picture, and one that may make a good piece for this website.
Fez had a contentious development, during which its creators parted ways. You can learn more about the specifics in a documentary called Indie Game: The Movie. Around five years and a lawsuit later, Fez came out to critical acclaim. I don’t want to spoil the game’s gimmick here, so instead I will just say that it is very good, and you should play it. A little over a year after the release of Fez, It’s developer, Phil Fish, announced a sequel.
That is not all Fish did though. He is a boisterous character who was once known for making snide and cynical comments online. He came off as particularly abrasive during an interview at the 2012 Game Developers Conference. A Japanese developer asked the panel what they thought about modern Japanese games, to which Fish replied “They just suck.”
This angered a vocal minority of people who were already involved in the online harassment campaign Gamergate. The situation got even worse when Fish came to the defense of Anita Sarkeesian, who is perhaps best known for her video series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games. Sarkeesian was also targeted by Gamergate because of her examinations of the way video games depict female characters. The group then turned its attention to Fish, threatening both him and his family. Fish responded by wiping out his social media presence and canceling Fez 2.
Fez united people in a way that few games do. I don’t know that Fish or anyone else who worked on the game could’ve predicted how much it meant to people. Forums buzzed with players all working together to solve the most difficult or obscure puzzles, creating an entirely new community to work towards this common goal. As I write this, we are nearly six years past the cancellation of Fez 2, meaning it may have been out by now if not for the villainous and vicious comments aimed at the developer. The sequel likely would have created a new community of its own, one that will likely never exist now. Negativity literally stole something from all of us, which cannot be recovered.
Thankfully, other creators are continuing to make art that challenges the way we look at the world, and forces people to come together to overcome those challenges. The Witness, Braid, and Frog Fractions 2 are a few good examples. Another game called Journey brings players together in a different way, which I would do a disservice by attempting to describe here.
Let this serve as a reminder that our actions do make a difference in the world. Showing others you appreciate their contributions can lead to beautiful creations. Going the other way can rob the world of the same thing. Take a moment to thank someone for making something you enjoy. Even if they don’t see it themselves, someone else may notice and follow your example. Spreading both positivity and negativity really is that simple. Choose your path carefully, because it affects all of us.