“Fallen” Game Publisher Discusses Strategies and Revenue

View pictures in App save up to 80% data.

CI Games

CI Games, the studio behind the "Sniper Ghost Warrior" series and the publisher of the "Lords of the Fallen" games, has announced that it will refrain from incorporating "any social or political agendas" into its titles, emphasizing that such decisions carry a significant risk of resulting in commercial failure.

The comments were made during an investor call according to outlet Strefa Inwestorow and picked up by PC Gamer. The company was asked about its “stance on DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] in gaming”.

Global marketing director Ryan Hill is said to have emphasized that the main focus is on delivering “an exceptional user experience through engaging themes and characters designed specifically for both primary and related audiences.” He then allegedly went on to say:

"Although several video games have started to incorporate social or political themes into their gameplay, it’s evident that a significant portion of gamers are not in favor of this trend. Consequently, we have witnessed several major titles failing to meet commercial expectations in the past year."

We are committed to creating games that prioritize player enjoyment and commercial viability. Therefore, we have decided not to incorporate any social or political elements into our future projects, as we recognize the significant risks associated with such integrations.

Hill seemingly did not provide any instances of games that exhibit perceived “social or political agendas,” nor did he clarify how developer CI Games interprets DEI in this context. This stands in contrast to CD Projekt Red, the studio behind “Cyberpunk 2077,” which has a dedicated page outlining its detailed approach to diversity and inclusion.

CI Games' newest title, "Lords of the Fallen," launched in late 2023 and received a mix of average reviews, scoring 70 out of 100 on Metacritic. Despite the lukewarm reception, the game achieved impressive sales, surpassing one million units within the first ten days of its release. A sequel is already in development, set to debut in 2026.

Sources: PC Gamer, VGC