Shareholders Raise Concerns Over Square Enix's Ties to Controversial Consultancy Firm

A Square Enix shareholder has questioned the company's business relationship with video game consultancy firm Sweet Baby Inc., whose CEO has made controversial statements about "terrifying" developers and targeting "white, cis, hetero males" in the industry. The shareholder's inquiry comes amid concerns over Square Enix's involvement with the consultancy and the potential impact on the company's game development and creative direction.

Uncovering the Controversy Surrounding Sweet Baby Inc.

Sweet Baby Inc.'s Divisive Agenda

Sweet Baby Inc., a video game consultancy firm, has gained attention for its stated mission to "inject woke ideology in the form of inclusion and representation into the video game industry." The company's CEO, Kim Belair, has made headlines for her comments encouraging individuals to "terrify" developers and executives in order to achieve the company's objectives.During a presentation at the Game Developers Conference in 2019, Belair elaborated on this approach, suggesting that developers should "put this stuff up to your higher-ups" and "go have a coffee with your marketing team and just terrify them with the possibility of what's going to happen if they don't give you what you want." Belair argued that this tactic could be justified both "ethically and financially" by emphasizing the importance of "mitigating harm" and maintaining "positive sentiment" around a game.

Belair's Controversial Remarks on "Picky Babies"

Belair's comments have also drawn criticism for her characterization of white, cisgender, heterosexual male gamers as "picky babies" who need to be "catered to" and "fed the same thing that we know that they love." She argued that the industry has "created an entire nation of picky babies" who are "scared to deviate from what we actually want to do" for fear of backlash.Belair went on to suggest that the industry should "invite white dudes to play as other people and experience different things through someone else's eyes," and that if they don't like it, "we're not losing. They're losing, and we're losing because we're going to let them stand in the way of our progress and our innovation."

The Backlash and Boycott Efforts

Belair's comments have sparked a significant backlash from the gaming community, with over 400,000 gamers joining a Steam Curator list titled "Sweet Baby Inc. detected" that effectively functions as a boycott list for all games that Sweet Baby Inc. has worked on. This curator list has become the second-largest on Steam, reflecting the widespread concern and opposition to the consultancy firm's approach.

Square Enix's Involvement with Sweet Baby Inc.

It is against this backdrop that a Square Enix shareholder has raised concerns about the company's business relationship with Sweet Baby Inc. The shareholder specifically inquired about the nature of the transaction between the two entities and whether Square Enix plans to continue working with the consultancy firm.In response, Square Enix President Takashi Kiryu stated that the company would "refrain from making specific comments about individual clients" but emphasized that "providing content that is enjoyable and safe for our customers is also part of what makes a product fun." Kiryu assured that the company would "do its best as creators" as it shifts its focus from "quantity to quality."

The Forspoken Debacle and Luminous Productions Shutdown

The shareholder's questioning also comes in the wake of Square Enix's collaboration with another consultancy group, Black Girl Gamers, on the development of the game Forspoken. Forspoken was a commercial and critical disappointment, leading to the shutdown of its developer, Luminous Productions, which was subsequently absorbed into Square Enix.During the company's financial results briefing, Square Enix Representative Director Yosuke Matsuda acknowledged that Forspoken's "sales have been lackluster" and that there was "considerable downside risk" to the company's earnings for the fiscal year. Matsuda noted that while the game received positive feedback on its action features, the overall reviews had been "challenging."

The Broader Implications for Square Enix

The scrutiny surrounding Square Enix's relationships with consultancy firms like Sweet Baby Inc. and Black Girl Gamers highlights the broader concerns within the gaming community about the potential impact of "woke" ideologies on game development and creative direction. As Square Enix navigates this landscape, the company's ability to balance its commitment to "unforgettable experiences" with the demands of its shareholders and the gaming audience will be closely watched.The ongoing debate over the role of diversity, inclusion, and representation in the video game industry is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. However, the questions raised by the Square Enix shareholder underscore the need for transparency, accountability, and a clear understanding of how these consultancy relationships may influence the final product that reaches players.