Highlights
- Sea of Stars, developed by Sabotage Studio, has removed Jirard Khalil’s cameo from the game following accusations of charity fraud directed towards The Completionist.
- The game has gained widespread acclaim for its adaptation of 16-bit era RPG charm and has won awards such as Best Independent Game at The Game Awards 2023.
- Sabotage Studio made the decision to remove the NPC based on Khalil in order to maintain a positive and optimistic space around Sea of Stars, but it stressed that it is not trying to pass judgment on Khalil.
In the wake of controversy, the developers of Sea of Stars announced that they have removed Jirard Khalil’s cameo from the game. The popular YouTuber, better known as The Completionist, was one of the most vocal supporters of Sabotage Studio’s hit RPG prior to launch, earning him an in-game appearance. But following accusations of charity fraud directed towards Khalil, that’s no longer the case.
Sea of Stars has proven to be one of 2023’s biggest indie game success stories. In a year jam-packed with quality titles across the board, Sabotage’s homage to 16-bit era RPGs won over many fans of the genre with how it adapted the charm of games like Chrono Trigger for the modern day. Add to that stellar visuals and music and it’s no surprise that Sea of Stars has garnered plenty of acclaim, including awards like Best Independent Game at The Game Awards 2023.
Sea of Stars is 2023’s Chained Echoes
Sabotage Studio’s Sea of Stars is 2023’s standout indie RPG, earning its place alongside other recent classics such as last year’s Chained Echoes.
Khalil has come under scrutiny recently after Karl Jobst and SomeOrdinaryGamers accused The Completionist of charity fraud. Said accusations allege that the YouTuber has been withholding funds gained through his family’s charity organization, the Open Hand Foundation, and his IndieLand charity livestream, along with failing to report donations. As a result, Sabotage is updating Sea of Stars to remove Jirard the Constructionist, a NPC based on Khalil, from the game, according to a Discord post by studio president Thierry Boulanger that has since made its way onto social media.
Boulanger’s post explained the reasoning behind this move, stating that the studio had been “carefully monitoring events over the past few weeks” and decided to remove the NPC out of a desire to “maintain a positive and optimistic space” around Sea of Stars. Boulanger stressed, however, that the studio is not trying to pass judgment on Khalil because of said events.
These accusations against The Completionist haven’t painted a pretty picture, with Jobst and SomeOrdinaryGamers accusing the Open Hand Foundation of withholding over $600,000 in donations raised for dementia research. Khalil has since responded to these claims, apologizing for not being more forthcoming about when the money in question was going to be donated, but refuting the allegations that the foundation was committing fraud.
Regardless of whomever is right here, the current situation surrounding The Completionist’s charity work has soured enough for Sabotage Studio to want to distance Sea of Stars from it. For now, it looks like fans of Khalil will have to accept that Jirard the Constructionist will no longer be appearing in the game.
Sea of Stars
Set in the same world as 2018’s The Messenger, Sabotage Studio’s Sea of Stars is an RPG that takes inspiration from Japanese classics like Chrono Trigger. Featuring a dynamic turn-based combat system and platforming-based exploration, Sea of Stars is an ambitious and gorgeous addition to the role-playing genre.
- Released
- August 29, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Sabotage
- Publisher(s)
- Sabotage
