Do you know what Kay Vess was originally supposed to look like in Star Wars Outlaws? The rumored original design that has sprung up on a Reddit thread has sparked heated debates on Vess’ character design.
Safe to say, Outlaws is not at least getting canceled by politically charged consultation studios like Sweet Baby Inc. However, the current design of Vess has led a fraction of people to compare her appearance to that of a “Chestless Karen.”
Sweet Baby Inc: Champions or Villains?
Sweet Baby Inc.’s involvement in character representation has always been controversial, especially among those skeptical of diversity and inclusion in gaming. Sweet Baby Inc. is a story-writing company hired to supplement video game studios’ writing staff.
The idea is that a studio can hire them to flesh out a game’s script and storyline. The company is transparent about its goals of approaching writing with a focus on representation and marginalized groups. However, this transparency has also made them a target. For a growing number of players, this focus on representation is a dog whistle for the unwanted insertion of political ideologies or other topics they aren’t interested in.
Project Helix (Star Wars Outlaws) alpha details leaked by Visceral
byu/Ajxtt inGamingLeaksAndRumours
In other words, a distraction from what really matters: making a good game. You can easily find examples of these sorts of people on social media.
The backlash against Sweet Baby Inc. has intensified in recent years. Many releases, such as Suicide Squad, have had Sweet Baby credited as part of the writing staff, and these games have been a major disappointment for many players.
A Sweet Baby credit is now being thought of as leprosy and an indicator of games to avoid. Critics argue that the firm’s influence forces unnecessary diversity into games, overshadowing other aspects of game quality.
However, gaming devs have started taking note of such political pressure from such politically charged firms and have started recalibrating their approach to character design. This has been probably the case with Outlaws. Star Wars Outlaws is also the reason why The Division 3 is being delayed so much.
Total Videogame character assassination by feminist developers: Star Wars Outlaws 2024
— LearningTheLaw (@Mangalawyer) March 5, 2024
They are taking all the beautiful models and turning them into chestless Karens 💀 pic.twitter.com/OSPMstsaMh
Early concept art and rumors suggest her original design was even more diverse, potentially featuring elements that highlight different cultural backgrounds and non-traditional aesthetics. While the final design of Kay Vess already challenges the status quo with her unique attributes, it’s speculated that her initial concept was even more daring in its representation of diversity.
Some of the players see such development as the pushing of the “woke agenda” at the expense of traditional gaming values. For them, firms such as Sweet Baby Inc. are responsible for the “wokeification” of games, a term used derogatorily by those who oppose changes in representation.
The Future of Diversity in Gaming and What it Means for Star Wars Outlaws
While Sweet Baby Inc.’s influence strives to make games more inclusive, it simultaneously faces significant resistance from those wary of such changes. Star Wars Outlaws is already trumping Starfield in an important aspect that many wouldn’t have expected.
The controversy surrounding Kay Vess’s design underscores the broader debates within the gaming community about the future direction of character representation and the role of narrative consultants like Sweet Baby Inc. in shaping that future.
Will the gaming community ever reconcile its differing views on diversity and representation? What did you think of the portrayal of Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
