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Superhot VR Dev removes 'sensitive content' from game 4 years after release

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member

“Skip disturbing scenes” toggle was added in a previous update. Considering sensitive time we’re living in, we can do better than that. You deserve better. All scenes alluding to self harm are now completely removed from the game. These scenes have no place in superhot virtual reality. We regret it took us so long.

We’re commited to shipping this update to all vr platforms.

-superhot team

Additional commentary on the Steam forum by one of the devs (the poster is not a dev but is pasting from the Discord for the game; an actual dev pops up on page 2 to confirm it's legit):
This is a valid point to which I have no answer. Yes, we did cut out a portion of the game, one of those that stirred some discussions.

However, I can personally ensure you that this wasn't really due to, how people on Steam like to put it, "snowflakes" forcing us. In all reality - there was no real outside force on us. This really was a decision driven by a feeling that the way the world looks now, the world in which we are and were to a large extent forced to separate from all other people and spend all of our time mostly alone, has changed the way this part of the game works. It's no longer just striking. We felt that people became a bit too lonely in general, to allow our game to incite this heavy depressive feeling. That there's just too much sadness to allow our game (something that should let you disassociate from the reality at least for a bit) drive people a little bit too far.

You know, I won't get into gritty details, but I personally really dislike how mental health institutions are portrayed in media. It's always so dark. It makes people feel like seeking help is equal to self-harm actually.
But in normal circumstances I can just, you know, appreciate the art. The story of, say, Lovecraftian horror. I can put my feelings about the social side of such portrayals aside.
Now, if the world was somehow under influence of a real mental health plague (there's no such thing, but let's imagine), I probably wouldn't be able to put my feelings aside like that.

And that's the thing. Lately there was just too much sadness and loneliness in the world, and we couldn't have predicted it when we made the game. But now the social context of those scenes has changed, so we took action.
Frankly, it's almost 1 AM in Poland here, so if I may - can I ask not to raise ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥? Discussion is fine, but not ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, please
 

ShadowLag

Member
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