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Game Science, the maker of Black Myth: Wukong, has been accused of sexist recruitment and social media posts.
This is according to a new report from IGN’s Rebekah Valentine and journalist Khee Hoon Chan.
In 2013, studio co-founder and lead artist Yang Qi wrote a lengthy Weibo post saying games for men and women differ due to biological differences.
He then drew on various stereotypes concerning the interests of the two genders, suggesting he would need to take up those of women to make “soft and effeminate things.”
The report also alleges that back in 2015, Game Science’s recruitment ads featured sexist images and headlines, which IGN said that it has verified.
While one of these posters read, “don’t screw your colleagues”, it also implied that friends with benefits was a perk at the office. Another ad was allegedly fatphobic towards potential job seekers.
In 2020, Game Science co-founder Feng Ji reflected on a video of Wukong going viral on Weibo. Feng expressed his thoughts using some graphic sexual language.
The IGN report also delves into broader issues of sexism within the Chinese games industry.
One of these cases involved Gunfire Reborn developer Duoyi Games. It said CEO Xu Bo fired 11 female staffers as part of an internal investigation. An employee alleges that CEO Xu Bo laid off the women because he “didn’t want another feminist bitch” at the studio.
