This is Partly My Fault

@the.mindful.gamer

20.2K followers · usually 4.1K views a post

Views

17.4K

Likes

983

Comments

155

SoundTikTok sound · dark night beat

Why it worked

The video likely resonated due to its contrarian take on popular games and studios, tapping into existing discussions about game quality, representation, and the perceived reasons behind studio closures. The creator's personal and honest critique, even when unpopular, likely fostered engagement and discussion.

Summary

The creator discusses the recent closures of Xbox studios like Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory, reflecting on why they personally did not play or support games from these studios. They contrast their reasons with those of "anti-woke gamers" and express a desire for more diverse and representative games, while still wanting to play good games.

Structure

1Introduction of studio closures and personal responsibility
2Critique of Hellblade and South of Midnight
3Critique of Psychonauts and Tim Burton aesthetic
4Discussion of Forspoken and its reception
5Reflection on game design and player engagement
6Desire for diversity and better representation in games

Product placement

Xbox (appears as a watermark in the title card, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Double Fine (mentioned as a studio that Microsoft is reportedly closing, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Ninja Theory (mentioned as a studio that Microsoft is reportedly closing, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Hellblade (mentioned as a game made by Ninja Theory, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Psychonauts (mentioned as a game made by Double Fine, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Compulsion Games (mentioned as a studio that Microsoft is reportedly closing, does not act, removing it would not change the video) South of Midnight (mentioned as a game made by Compulsion Games, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Game Pass (mentioned as a service where a game is free, does not act, removing it would not change the video) Square Enix (appears as a credit at the bottom of the screen, does not act, removing it would not change the video)

Original caption

Microsoft Shuts Down DoubleFine, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory and I am Part of The Reason Why #xbox #southofmidnight #hellbladesenuassacrifice2 #psychonauts #gaming

More from @the.mindful.gamer

On-screen text

This is Partly My Fault Microsoft reportedly negotiating closures of multiple Xbox studios, including Psychonauts' Double Fine, South of Midnight's Compulsion and Hellblade's Ninja Theory It'll look "drastically different" next month. I did I did not play or complete from the studios that Microsoft Just axed Just axed Ninja Theory made Hellblade the newest sacrifice and although I found the sound designed to be revolutionary in the combat fun didn't grit fun didn't grit me in any meaningful I also played and didn't contribute financially at all Compulsion Games made south of midnight I was really happy to see a black woman as I played I played it and the soundtrack The The voice acting felt heartfelt but the combat what what is standard in the genre was simply lacking It could have been Swamp but instead they chose get degrees get degrees route and simply made an acceptable distraction an acceptable distraction from the story A story that A story that was simply all depression and grief and sadness And as someone painfully aware the reason why you never really see disabled in public Or what goes into you're and has knowledge many of the every many of the every five seconds stats People don't like to think The story wasn't something I wanted to and engage with and engage with for fun Double fine made psychonauts and I just hate the art style The Tim Burton aesthetic The Tim Burton aesthetic never appeal to me nor his comments about diversity in his films Three games Three games, three studios all shut down in part by gamers like me not supporting These reasons are what what the antiwoke gamers but the conclusion is the And before And before you think I'm secretly antiwoke Lizzie: Dang it, Pooter, I just got that thing set again! I loved forspoken They hated it I thought the combat system was amazing and I genuinely loved I did put the game in Japanese as the voice lines became repetitive after 60 hours To be honest, some are starting to feel like that get created just to receive awards They aren't by any stretch of the imagination but if you genuinely if they had to watch that for the rest, of their They would probably say no probably play the Mass Effect trilogy forever I bought it twice I still haven't and it's free on Game Pass Those studios all all made games I did not play or support because they either didn't appeal to me or didn't grip me enough And I think I'm tired of I'm just gonna accept it I want more and better representation but I also want to revisit on why gamers play Because I Because I may be mindful first but I'm still a and I want to play good games

Transcript

I did not play or complete from the studios that Microsoft just axed. Just axed Ninja Theory made Hellblade the newest sacrifice. And although I found the sound design to be revolutionary in the combat, fun didn't grit me in any meaningful way. I also played on Game Pass and didn't contribute financially at all. Compulsion Games made South of Midnight. I was really happy to see a black woman as a main character. I played it and the soundtrack was amazing. The voice acting felt heartfelt, but the combat, what is standard in the genre, was simply lacking. It could have been Swamp, but instead they chose to get degrees route and simply made an acceptable distraction from the story. A story that was simply all depression and grief and sadness. And as someone painfully aware, the reason why you never really see disabled in public, or what goes into the burger you're eating, and has knowledge of many of the every five seconds stats people don't like to think about. The story wasn't something I wanted to engage with for fun. Double Fine made Psychonauts and I just hate the art style. The Tim Burton aesthetic never appealed to me, nor his comments about diversity in his films. Three games, three studios, all shut down in part by gamers like me not supporting them. These reasons are vastly different from what the anti-woke gamers of the world spew, but the conclusion is the same. And before you think I'm secretly anti-woke: Lizzie: Dang it, Pooter, I just got that thing set again! I loved Forspoken. They hated it. I thought the combat system was amazing and I genuinely loved the story. I did put the game in Japanese as the voice lines became repetitive after 60 hours. To be honest, some video games are starting to feel like movies that get created just to receive awards. They aren't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but if you genuinely asked someone if they had to watch that for the rest of their lives, they would probably say no. Whereas I could probably play the Mass Effect trilogy forever. I bought it twice. I still haven't finished it, and it's free on Game Pass. Those studios, all made games I did not play or support because they either didn't appeal to me or didn't grip me enough. And I think I'm tired of I'm just gonna accept it. I want more diverse and better representation, but I also want to revisit their philosophy on why gamers play. Because I may be mindful first, but I'm still a gamer and I want to play good games.