Shadows of the Eternal Developer Arrested For Child Porn, 'No Longer Affiliated' With the Studio

Kenneth McCulloch, a developer at Precursor Games—the developers who want to create a sequel to Eternal Darkness—is now facing child pornography charges according to Bullet News Niagara and the Niagara Regional Police Service.

McCulloch is being charged with "one count each of possession of child pornography, making child pornography available and accessing child pornography," to be specific.

[PopRocks359]

I saw a comment on Joystiq from someone saying they had actually smiled at this story because he thought they "finally caught Dyack red-handed."

I think that speaks volumes itself for how sick some of Dyack/Precursor's haters are. Or perhaps they were trolling.

Anyway, it's good for the studio to distance themselves from someone like that, but it sucks that people are going to connect the two anyway. I get it, they have a shady history; but for goodness' sake, just let them make their damn game.

[MrSwankSinatra]

an whats the issue people have with Dyack???

[majiebeast]

At this point people see him as the villain or even a conman. Ill just state a few known things about him and Sillicon Knights.

-They sued Epic games for their own inabilty to create a good game, then got counter sued for using a modified Unreal 3 engine that they advertised as their own.
-They used a big part of the budget and developers of an xmen game they were developing for Activision for their own project Shadows of the Eternal(codenamed back in the day as Eternal Darkness 2) just Like Gearbox did with the Aliens:CM budget.
-According to various ex-developers the guy was a nightmare to work for and ran the company like a dictator.

Its all here
http://kotaku.com/5955223/w...

[PopRocks359]

People don't like him because he made a lot of bad business decisions for them when they were still known as Silicon Knights and as a result they wound up losing a lot of money and made some lackluster games in the process.

The thing is Dyack is no longer apart of their business department and only works on the games now. So I don't see what the hell people are whining about at this point.

[Blacktric]

"So I don't see what the hell people are whining about at this point."

Nice try Denis.

[PopRocks359]

@Blacktric

You heard it here. I'm apparently Denis Dyack because I don't move in the same direction as an angry mob.

Great argument. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I simply don't understand why people hate this company so much. I get that people hate Dyack for making bad corporate decisions, but he's no longer with the company. So again, what the hell is worth complaining about at that point?

And I'd like an actual answer instead of crap like your comment or more phantom disagrees.

[Blacklash93]

Why are people hammering on the studio for this? I highly doubt they'd do the same if Half-Life 2 or Halo or such had a reported pedophile on the development team.

I get people don't like Dyack, but badgering him, his people, and his game for the icky personal life of one member is complete nonsense.

[Baka-akaB]

Except when stuff like itagaki sued for sexual harassement happens , it is reported as well . So claiming it's about Dyack , and fuled by hatred is way exagerated

[CrossingEden]

true, these people tried to defend naughty dog when people found a phone sex hotline in the game

[jeffgoldwin]

Only way u shud have backlash for a companies employess is if they knowingly covered it up or looked the other way.

Not like a child pornography addict places posters of it in his work cubicle.

[mydyingparadiselost]

Seriously, why is the shadows of the eternals image on this article? This game has nothing to do with child porn or getting arrested, it needs to be replaced with a pic of the person that was arrested. Really game journalists, get your [email protected] together and stop slandering this games name.

[310dodo]

I dont care who this is...

Mr Miyamoto, Kojima, Levine, etc...anybody
if they are guilty of child porn anything.

they should be removed from society.
you cannot fix this "sickness".

[majiebeast]

Okay lets not go down that road. Lets say he is innocent until proven guilty who knows, could just be lolicon hentai for all we know.

[Blacktric]

"...could just be lolicon hentai for all we know."

Thanks for the laugh.

[PopRocks359]

I think a better thing to say would be just because there was one sicko working at the studio doesn't mean the entire staff should be condemned. And it seems a lot of Dyack's haters are using this as a means to further attack the team in question.

[_QQ_]

Its funny because allot of the worlds greatest authors were pleny fucked up,even for their Era's moral standards.yet many people still praise them today for their intelligence and impact on the world,but if this gets out it will do nothing but be a bad name for video games.

Edit:I'm Not Defending the act.

[jeffgoldwin]

I don't see it reflecting on video games at all. Individuals do individual things and that's how they shud be judged unless it was company endorsed.

[_QQ_]

Yes that is the logic, But unfortunately not everyone is as logical as You and I. Example :DK rises Colorado shooting, They found out the guy played Mass affect, Everyone tries to put the blame on Video games. Someone shares and owns child porn... People find out he Develops video games,some fingers will be blindly pointed at video games.

[aliengmr]

Removed how?

I never understand these types of comments when there is very little information.

Get the facts first before advocating this "removal" from society.

[310dodo]

executed.

or life in prison.

you sound like you dont think these charges are serious. you might be a Pedo

[aliengmr]

You just advocated the taking of a life based on no knowledge of what actually happened, what does that make you?

I absolutely think they are serious, but I believe in "innocent until proven guilty". You, however, have already condemned him to death knowing only what he is accused of.

[Campy da Camper]

Problem is there would be no society left. Yes, this crime is henious. So is murder. And rape. And violent robberies, car jacking, home invasion and hate crimes. People strung out stealing my car stereo. Workers at companies who dump toxins in our well water. Big tobacco. The pharmaceutical industries pushing stuff on people who don't need it.

Take them all away and there would be you and frank from accounting left on the planet.

[lucidity]

This guy is what, co-founder of the studio? Central role in forming the narrative in every well-received Silicon Knights?

Story's toxic even if he's not guilty. May as well bury Shadows of the Eternals now.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

I hope he's beaten daily in prison.

[ironfist92]

Why? Has he been proven guilty?

[MultiConsoleGamer]

He hasn't been accused of anything that's debatable. He had actual child porn in his possession. Now if you want to defend a pedophile go right ahead. I personally find that behavior detestable and its a crime not only against children but also against society at large and humanity.

[aliengmr]

@MultiConsoleGamer

He's been accused, not convicted. This is why we have a judicial system.

[jeffgoldwin]

OJ was found not guilty in the judicial system. Nuff said.

[aliengmr]

@jeffgoldwin

And plenty of innocent people are wrongly convicted, whats your point?

That we should resort to street justice? Take this guy out back and put a bullet in him because he was accused of something?

[GdaTyler]

O_O

[FantasyStar]

So this is related to his ability to make games how???