IGN: How Hidden Nazi Symbols Were the Tip of a Toxic Iceberg at Life Is Strange Developer Deck Nine

[John Elden Ring]

Early last year, while working on the next entry in the Life Is Strange franchise, a few developers at Deck Nine stumbled upon something that didn’t belong in their game: Nazi symbols.

Initially, developers noticed a reference to the number 88, and flagged the issue to their bosses assuming it was an innocent mistake. But in the ensuing weeks, others found more problematic signs and in-universe labels, such as references to a racist meme, the number 18, and the Hagal rune. As the number of possible hate symbols mounted, staff grew increasingly concerned that someone was putting these items in their game deliberately as a dog whistle to white supremacists.

Nazi imagery would be inappropriate in most games, but in a Life Is Strange title the dissonance was especially frightening. Since its inception, the series has been lauded for thoughtful portrayals of marginalized individuals. Its most recent entry, Life Is Strange: True Colors, won Games for Impact at The Game Awards in 2021 and a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game. With such a reputation, developers tell me, there was an expectation that any whiff of hate speech would be immediately removed and thoroughly investigated.

But as weeks went by, management remained silent and staff unrest grew. This wasn’t the first time executives had failed to act when marginalized individuals at the studio felt unsafe. According to over a dozen current and former employees across several departments, most of whom spoke to me on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, Deck Nine’s management has long let a toxic work culture fester at the studio. They claim the C-suite has protected multiple abusive leaders, encouraged crunch, and allowed bullying of individuals advocating internally for more authentic representation in Life Is Strange.

Now on the cusp of announcing its next game and struggling to secure other projects, Deck Nine leadership is facing growing internal discontent from those harmed by its inaction. While the developers of Life Is Strange love and believe in the series, many of them increasingly struggle to reconcile the values the games promote with the culture in which they are made.

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[Zzero]

Recruit HR reporters, get reports to HR (and reports to reporters.) Have fun lying in your bed.

 

[Dick Jones]

I had the same thing happen to me years ago with a different game. I was playing Medal of Honor: European Assault and the amount of hidden Nazi symbols was appalling. You can go back and check of you don't believe me. I don't want to see this in my WWII game.

 

[Sunrise Ninja]

People aren't happy working on these woke games unfortunately.

 

[Nhomnhom]

I liked the first Life is Strange but that game oozed wokeness and I remember people jumping on me for simply acknowledging that reality.

The second one never seemed interesting to me and the pandering was somehow even more heavy handed. You woupd think that these artsy types would appreciate subtlety but that doesnt seem to be the case.

 

[Johnic]

I had the same thing happen to me years ago with a different game. I was playing Medal of Honor: European Assault and the amount of hidden Nazi symbols was appalling. You can go back and check of you don't believe me. I don't want to see this in my WWII game.

Son of a...You're right. I just checked and you're right.

Just to make sure this wasn't a one off thing, I went and checked a few other MoH games, like the original one. And wouldn't you know it, I found more!

Sons of bitches!

 

[Dick Jones]

Son of a...You're right. I just checked and you're right.

Just to make sure this wasn't a one off thing, I went and checked a few other MoH games, like the original one. And wouldn't you know it, I found more!

Sons of bitches!

I started another game by EA that the only way to progress is to shoot minorities. It was disgusting the number of Japanese people I had to shoot in Medal of Honor: Rising Sun.

 

[Cool hand luke]

Son of a...You're right. I just checked and you're right.

Just to make sure this wasn't a one off thing, I went and checked a few other MoH games, like the original one. And wouldn't you know it, I found more!

Sons of bitches!

Wait til you get a load of Wolfenstein. The whole series was infested from day dot. I never asked for this!

 

[Dick Jones]

Wait til you get a load of Wolfenstein. The whole series was infested from day dot. I never asked for this!

 

[klomzi]

People aren't happy working on these woke games unfortunately.

Better to have woke games than nazi supported games.

 

[Sunrise Ninja]

Better to have woke games than nazi supported games.

Nazi doesn't even mean anything anymore

And woke games don't sell so that means no games.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

I liked the first Life is Strange but that game oozed wokeness and I remember people jumping on me for simply acknowledging that reality.

The second one never seemed interesting to me and the pandering was somehow even more heavy handed. You woupd think that these artsy types would appreciate subtlety but that doesnt seem to be the case.

I didn't play 2 it sounded like shit , I love the first one & before the storm though

 

[Would_you_kindly]

Son of a...You're right. I just checked and you're right.

Just to make sure this wasn't a one off thing, I went and checked a few other MoH games, like the original one. And wouldn't you know it, I found more!

Sons of bitches!

Medal of honour is far better than cod & battlefield

 

[Would_you_kindly]

Better to have woke games than nazi supported games.

Boycott NASA bro

 

[klomzi]

Nazi doesn't even mean anything anymore

And woke games don't sell so that means no games.

Nazism hunted down and killed 6 million people, children, women and men because they weren't Aryan.
Nazis gassed, killed, torturned and burned people because it was fun.
Sadly there are people today that are sharing that ideology.

 

[Box]

Nazi doesn't even mean anything anymore

Nazism still exists, it's called Israel and Zionism now.

 

[Box]

Nazism hunted down and killed 6 million people, children, women and men because they weren't Aryan.
Nazism is scum of the earth.

Looks like israel is about to beat that Number with the Gaza holocaust, truly scum of the earth. Killing women and children simply because they weren't Jewish.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

Nazism still exists, it's called Israel and Zionism now.

You're looking for a ban here mate

 

[Box]

You're looking for a ban here mate

What for pointing out israeli war crimes? Facts are not anti semitic.

There's verifiable proof that Israel is deliberately targeting women and children.

If we can call out evil like Nazism we can also call out evil like Zionism which this year alone has murdererd 30 thousand palestinian women and children

 

[TubzGaming]