When it was initially announced, Hatred caused quite a stir. Developers responded to the controversy, and then the game was released on Steam Greenlight. However, all did not go well from there.
For those who need a reminder of what the game is all about, here is their Steam Greenlight teaser:
(And a non-YouTube version for those who need it)
Here is the official PR blurb for what the game is all about:
Hatred is an isometric shooter with a disturbing atmosphere of mass killing, where player takes the role of a cold blood antagonist, who is full of hatred for humanity. It’s a horror, but here YOU are the villain. Wander the outskirts of New York State, seek for victims on seven free-roam levels. Fight against law enforcement and take a journey into the antagonist’s hateful mind. Gather equipment of the dead ‘human shields’, to spread Armageddon in the society. Destroy everything on your way of hunt and fight back when it’s disturbed.
There was no doubt in the developer’s minds of what the game was about. It’s meant to be disturbing, it’s meant to be hateful and highlight exactly how disturbed someone must be to engage in these reprehensible activities. However, that self-awareness didn’t protect them from Valve. After only a couple hours on Steam Greenlight, they received the following message:
We wanted you guys to know that based on what we see on Greenlight we would not publish Hatred on Steam. As such we’ll be taking it down.
According to the developers, they won’t treat this as failure. In only a couple hours, Hatred reached #7 on Greenlight with over 13 000 up votes. There are obviously fans of the game and things are still on schedule for the game to release in Q2 2015. Their press release cites other violent games that are still listed on Steam, such as Manhunt or Postal, but they respect Valve’s decision and will just move on with development.
After about a day off Greenlight, Hatred has suddenly returned without any explanation. The developers apparently don’t even know what’s happening, but at least you can go and vote for the game if it’s something that you’d like to see released. Remember, you can also vote against the game, so if it’s something that you think shouldn’t be shown in public, you can send that message to the developers, too.
I understand where Steam was coming from. There has been a lot of outcry against the game – it is seen as propagating the image of games as purely violent, as graphic and obscene for no added benefit. And, that might have been true of Hatred. However, I simply can’t agree with this form of censorship. The game is about equal opportunity hatred, it isn’t targeting one group, and it is meant to show just how depraved someone must be in order to go on this kind of killing spree. I know, there will be those who are depraved and will see this as some kind of inspiration, and when that happens people will point at violent games yet again and have good cause to do so. That said, if someone is that broken inside that they feel the compulsion to go on a killing spree, I don’t think the presence of (or lack thereof) this game will really change things. As soon as you start censoring one type of game, it becomes a slippery slope before you’re censoring even more. I don’t know if Hatred will be a good game, but I’ve seen far worse on Steam and other outlets. It seems Hatred is a victim of its own success – if it weren’t as popular and criticized, Valve wouldn’t have even cared.
At least the game is back on Greenlight, letting the public decide if it’s worthwhile. Steam is allowed to list or de-list any game they like – as a game distribution channel this isn’t technically censorship because they aren’t stopping a game from being created, although not being allowed on Steam can seriously inhibit a game’s success – most indies strive to get on Steam for a reason.
Do you think this was a good or a bad move from Steam? Should they have pulled it, or kept it pulled? Do games like this belong out there in public view, or is the harm it could do greater than the possible entertainment value? Censorship of any kind (even if technically this isn’t censorship but simply a decision not to sell a product) gets me worried – who makes these decisions and based on what criteria?
UPDATE: Gabe himself apparently reached out to the team to apologize for the game takedown. In an email sent to the studio and shown off on Facebook, Gabe said:
Hi, Jaroslaw.
Yesterday I heard that we were taking Hatred down from Greenlight. Since I wasn’t up to speed, I asked around internally to find out why we had done that. It turns out that it wasn’t a good decision, and we’ll be putting Hatred back up. My apologies to you and your team. Steam is about creating tools for content creators and customers.
Good luck with your game.
Gabe
Yet another reason to love Gabe Newell.
Last Updated: December 17, 2014
HairyEwok
December 17, 2014 at 10:44
I ask this. Maybe I’m just not right in the head like Joker.
Eric
December 17, 2014 at 11:26
Sooo Spec Ops: The Line… which one do you play?
Neji
December 17, 2014 at 10:49
All hail GabeN!
Ross Woofels Mason
December 17, 2014 at 10:52
It’s not my thing but they do have a very valid point about manhunt and postal, both of which are twisted and disturbed.
I think Gabe did the right thing putting the game back up.
Admiral Chief Octacore
December 17, 2014 at 11:04
Yeah, those games are quite crazy
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 17, 2014 at 11:01
Landmine territory. I will say this. I won’t support the game as it’s too dark and twisty for me. But I can’t force my viewpoint on to others as I can’t dictate someone else’s life.
Quo Vadis?
December 17, 2014 at 11:11
That’s not what she said :/
Raptor Rants A Lot
December 17, 2014 at 11:20
Lol?
Quo Vadis?
December 17, 2014 at 11:21
not being dark and twisted *runs far faaaaaar away*
Corrie
December 17, 2014 at 11:02
The Power of Gaben makes everything seem rationalized
#Enlightened
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 17, 2014 at 11:02
WOFT game, but if it floats your murder boat. It amuses me to think how many people will buy it to prove how hardcore they are.
RinceThis
December 17, 2014 at 11:06
We know you aren’t! Runs
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 17, 2014 at 11:08
Buying it for childish reasons? That’s right.
RinceThis
December 17, 2014 at 11:10
Yeah, you’re buying it for all the right reasons!
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 17, 2014 at 11:11
1/10, and not scored like golf.
Quo Vadis?
December 17, 2014 at 11:04
These guys are pushing the envelope as to what really is “freedom of speech, expression and artistic expression.” I will not buy, nor play this game for obvious reasons, but I do support it on grounds of freedom of expression. AND because I would like to see what Anita has to say about it LOL
Corrie
December 17, 2014 at 11:06
To be honest I’m one for the game and will probably pick it up, I believe freedom of speech and that is key in the industry without idiots that either scream censorship or feminism or any other kinda of attention seeking stunt to gain publicity.
The thing that ticks me off is you don’t like the game don’t play it, too many naysayers who haven’t even opened up a game development engine or even have written a single line of code shouldn’t talk like they’re industry experts or shoot down others work because they’re not getting the attention they crave
And that is my weekly rant
Admiral Chief Octacore
December 17, 2014 at 11:07
You forgot the “/rant”
😛
Quo Vadis?
December 17, 2014 at 11:10
Well, its not Rants a Lot ;P
Corrie
December 17, 2014 at 11:11
How could I forget the / ,See your 8 cores are working well for you, your able to correct injustices at super speed while my puny 4 cores are no match
Until you do something that takes 100% then well……:p
RinceThis
December 17, 2014 at 11:07
I have to say I think Gabe did well. I wouldn’t touch this game with a pole but I am sure there are the hipsters of gaming out there that will, just to be different.
Captain JJ glitterati fantasti
December 17, 2014 at 11:11
http://www.quickmeme.com/img/bd/bd2db146741d60661d6eb7e4687db20d47eec41c2b0deb972cc3e5b56f85f1b3.jpg
Ryanza
December 17, 2014 at 11:20
Let’s not forget Soldier of Fortune, it was fun shooting off body parts.
Gaming is not real life. Gaming does not lead to real life actions. People need to stop wasting their time on fake killers (gamers) and focus all their attention to the real murderers and psychos of this world. Start focusing on corrupt world governments and leave freedom of expression in video games alone. The brain reads and sees video games as fake, not real.
Don’t Support DRM.
HairyEwok
December 17, 2014 at 11:31
I dono bro I’d rather let people blow off steam in a virtual world before they go rampaging in the real world.
Ryanza
December 17, 2014 at 11:33
I don’t think that the EFF is going to hate Zuma any less after playing Hatred. The question is, would they kill Zuma after playing Hatred? The the simply answer is no.
Weanerdog
December 17, 2014 at 11:27
I missed the original story, but I think that it was not wanting to associate with something is not the same as censorship. I think that it is as important to have freedom of speech and expression as it is to have the freedom to not associate with things that are against your moral standing.
Ryanza
December 17, 2014 at 12:14
http://www.quickmeme.com/img/cc/cc6bcc202bb7a75fe1d50ff301e1ec666a98357597e6509b4d26dc00c69454be.jpg
RustedFaith
December 17, 2014 at 13:06
All hail the King Gabe!!!!
Diminius
December 17, 2014 at 17:42
It’s just a game… Isn’t it? I support it fully!
quatre
December 17, 2014 at 22:36
The problem I see is that it is targeting a single group, (though this group doesn’t seem to see themselves as a group, yet) Americans