Lords of the Fallen’s CI Games rejects DEI to ‘maximise player enjoyment and commercial success’

CI Games refuses to add diversity, equity and inclusion to its titles because the company considers doing so a “high risk” to its products’ commercial success.

CI Games won’t add any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in its future titles because “it is clear many players do not appreciate” it.

After ‘Helldivers 2’ boss Johan Pilestedt recently insisted developer Arrowhead Game Studios would avoid “shoehorning” DEI into its titles, CI Games – which published the 2014 action-RPG title ‘Lords of the Fallen’ – has said it also won’t integrate “any social or political agencies” into its games because the studio considers it a “high risk” to its projects’ commercial success.

In a statement made to Strefa Inwestorów at a recent CI investor call, global marketing director Ryan Hill said: “While some video games have recently taken the opportunity to embed social or political agendas within their experiences, it is clear that many players do not appreciate this, and as a result, we have seen a number of high profile releases underperforming commercially during the last year alone.

“Our games will always be developed to maximise player enjoyment and commercial success, and as such, we will not be integrating any social or political agencies into these experiences going forward having observed the high risk this can present.”

Hill added CI Games remained “committed to producing player-first video games that prioritise an excellent user experience with compelling themes and characters created specifically for core and adjacent audiences”.

In a follow-up post to X, CI Games’ boss Marek Tyminski reiterated the company’s stance on DEI.

Commenting on the Hill’s statement, Tyminski said: “Exactly. No, we will not.”