Split Fiction Director Responds To "Feminism Propaganda" Accusations: "What The F**k Is This?"

The director of EA and Hazelight Studios' action-adventure game, Split Fiction has responded to accusations regarding "feminism propaganda".

[Inverno]

Maybe it's cause there's been a lot more focus on this "issue" but it's hard not to see this kind of weird increase of fem protags in games the past few years. Games that start with a male protag then have sequels with fem protags. And too often they're written as tryhards/arrogant. Ive had an issue with protagonists in general in games, hard to suspend my disbelief when a lone dood just guns down an army. Harder when it's some scrawny chick doing the same but as long as they ground their protagonist in the reality they're in I couldn't care less. I will say tho that I wish devs would make their protagonists something other than human, or humanoid (like Argonians, lizard head on an obvious human body is lame).

[Servbot41]

The character's are partially created from and even named after his two daughters. I guess it's woke to have daughters now. His wife should have given him two sons so the game wouldn't be woke, am i rite?

[Cacabunga]

Feminism is another disease that hit our humanity

[Inverno]

I think my comment was misunderstood. There's too many people online talking about female protagonists as if it's an issue, cause they see everything thru politicized tinted glasses. I watch a lot of critique videos and often I get suggested a lot of these YouTube channels with very pissy doods hating on aspects of games cause they see everything as "woke". I'm just pointing out that as the reason why so many get up in arms about female protags. I have no issue with it, I haven't played this game either.
As for the other thing I said it's cause the few games I've played with fem protagonists they're for some reason given a cocky/arrogant personalities which personally annoys me. Jeezus

[NoDamage]

There parts of the world that truly desire that. This outcome is the fault of inclusivity. Nobody cared before and we were still getting female protagonists. Now nothing has changed except there is an industry push towards it which makes everyone second guess intentions...

[Knushwood Butt]

Take a step back

Having a wife is woke.

[MrBaskerville]

It's only free speech if your main character is male.

In reality there is no issue. It's just a bunch of weirdos being insane on twitter and youtube. It's an industry at this point. These people care about the anti-woke conversation they don't give a shit about video games, they just want to whine about non-issues and complain.

[Rainbowcookie]

I mean dude we grew up with a pipe gliding Italian plumber and we were fine. 🤣

[isarai]

"weird increase in fem prtoags" bro they're half our population, and not even close to half our protagonists. There is a valid argument in poor representation, and plenty of examples, but just ragging on an increase in "fem protags" is dumb

[Inverno]

NoDamage said it best. I question the intention, I don't think it's wrong to.

[poppatron]

If you play as a female that makes it a piece of feminist woke propaganda?

What’s is wrong with people? The world we live in makes me sadder every day. What a complete non subject

[Elda]

Agreed.

[oldenjon]

Yeah people lost the plot. Honestly, if you’re still using the word ‘woke’ in 2025 you need a vacation.

[Elda]

Especially when one doesn't even know what it means & using it in a negative way.

[gleepot]

There's definitely still woke things in 2025. This isn't one of them.

[NoDamage]

No that's never been the argument. The lack of actual intention to talk about an issue is what should make people sad. People love just talking past each other.

[Cellblock11]

No it's if you add muscles to that woman or have her head shaved than it's real problem apparently. It seems like more people these days are less interested in actual gaming and more interested in being "outraged" over gaming.

[Noskypeno]

It sucks that this game is on the receiving end of it. Dude just wants to make a game with characters inspired by his daughters. I don't know much about the game, but I don't think it's a super preachy game that just makes it clear that white men are the cause for all the evil in the universe and everyone would be living in peace without them.

[Rainbowcookie]

I like that he takes no crap from anybody and makes creative and fun games. He says it as it is. I think the last 2 years it has become a hot topic. Gamers are sick of it, but we should also be careful to call every thing woke. Unfortunately we have been spewed with the wokeness. I'm all for strong female leads, Samus, Lara . Back in the day nobody would call them woke. I think it's more evident when your whole story etc. Revolves around it like Dragon age veil fart. A game
most people don't even want for free.

[MrBeatdown]

Rainbow? Seems woke!

ELON HELP!!!!

[Rainbowcookie]

Nah not bro. It's the opposite . I had this pic for 11 years never changed it. It was at the time chosen because I'm from South Africa and we are known as the rainbownation. The rainbow always have been cool , can't help some pervert it. Today in hindsight it rather should be different . Puking on the "rainbow"though is something that has been happening the last few years. Funny thing is I know Elon well.

[MrBeatdown]

Sounds exactly like what an illegal DEI would say! Must have got the Biden jab. We're gonna tariff South Africa and make it the 52nd state!

[PanicMechanic]

Hilarious

[NoDamage]

That's the issue...too many people calling everything woke even when it isn't.

[MrDead]

The anti-woke commentators have really found a financially lucrative grift. They make up some BS or call something "woke" and their rabbid hate filled fan base attacks then pays them in subs and ad revenue for the privilege of being lied to.

The guys from Sweden, so getting all this US right wing politics thrown at him must be a culture shock.

[S2Killinit]

This^

[Notellin]

Ridiculous. The three games they have released so far have had 2 male protagonists, one of each, and then two females. They are telling a variety of stories that all feel organic. There is no ulterior motive whatsoever.

[UnbreakableAlex]

Am I the only heterosexual guy who always chooses female characters whenever there’s a choice? Can’t stand watching male characters 40+ hours from behind. Also they take more space so I see less on the screen.

[Knushwood Butt]

Nope.
I quite often do that, although I mostly play the type of game where the character is fixed.

[isarai]

Not always but like half the time i do. Really just depends on what i feel like atm. It's a nice change of pace sometimes.

[Chocoburger]

Not the only one. In Final Fantasy XI, I made a female human character, but I also made sure to tell everyone I was a man.

[Elda]

More stupid bigoted/misogynistic BS. If a video game is a joy to play it shouldn't make any difference if the human protagonist is male or female. Most bigots that use the term "woke" don't know what it really means & using the term for their bigotry. Anyone that has any common sense should know what's going on,be informed,educated & conscious of what's going on around them which is the true meaning of woke.

[Noskypeno]

The problem with that way of thinking is that people see things that might not be the whole truth. For example, let's look at the popular police cases the last 10 years. Were the people killed by police killed because they were black? If these cops were that racist, they would be punished if they did the same thing to white people, which they have done in the recent years and the sentencing was just as lenient if not even more lenient. The thing with "wokeness" is that we have a group of people calling themselves civil rights leaders that the media worships, so if they point out that one of theirs is being persecuted, it must mean that it's only because of the color of their skin and nobody else knows the problems they deal with. What we see on social media or news is just a small portion. We don't always know what caused the events to escalate. People see a 10 second clip and think they know everything now.

[Software_Lover]

......... I haven't heard anything about feminism in regards to this game. People have to stop taking a few social media posts serious. Make a good game, no matter who the protaganist(s) is, and people will play. Looks like a good game, that just happens to have female leads IMHO. Nothing seems forced.

Have I gone through the story to make this assumption? NO. But I have seen games that obviously forced agendas and this does not seem like one of them.

[qalpha]

This is such a non-story, tho. Someone, somewhere on the internet said something stupid?! A slow news cycle, I guess.

[Levii_92]

I’m sure it’s a good game but damn does it look like a generic modern slop.

[Relientk77]

This guy is such a legend. I love that he says what he wants and does want he wants. On top of that he makes great games.

[Knushwood Butt]

He seems to know what he's talking about and have a good sense of humour. Great (and rare) qualities for a leader.

[Profchaos]

The man most likely to give a middle finger to the industry who tells EA to go fk themselves is now accused of making a woke game despite it being based on his daughters and not actually being woke or anything over played two hours there's nothing in here I'd consider woke unless you count the fact that girls exist.

These people need to grow up and get over themselves

[Dandalandan117]

Protect Josef Fares at all cost
He's one of the few remaining creators who's actually passionate about making good games

[tiron8]

Ya know, even if it was a game about women's rights or equality why should that even be a problem?

He and everyone should have the right to creative freedom and to tell the story they want using whatever characters they want.

[Profchaos]

where was the outcry about rdr2 featuring exactly that it's selective outrage lately

[victorMaje]

Josef Fares makes great games, getting my copy this week.

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

Man you young people are just crybabies I swear. None of this woke anti work crap was a thing when I was growing up playing video games. Now devs can’t even make a hero of color, or female leads without some pimple face dork grabbing their keyboard and complaining. SMH such a soft generation.

[jznrpg]

To be fair I live in a rural area and the people I hear saying woke are mostly older. Though I am not around many younger people besides my children and their friends

[Michiel1989]

the only response someone can give to that kinda nonsense