The art director of Obsidian’s much-anticipated RPG, Avowed, Matt Hansen, has sparked significant controversy by directly confronting Elon Musk regarding the game’s inclusion of pronoun options. This move could potentially jeopardize the game’s success in a market increasingly resistant to ‘woke’ content in video games.

Matt Hansen also has expressed views that have stirred significant debate like this
Admission of Discriminatory Hiring Practices: There have been claims that Hansen has admitted to and even bragged about discriminatory hiring practices against white men within the gaming industry.
“I want to go back to living in the woods´´ – He claims
Here´s the link to the post where he claims to have priority for Black artists instead of White artists posted by Grummz on twitter from a Asmongold´s video
“Avowed is in deep trouble”
The reaction on social media platforms like X has been mixed, with some users condemning Hansen for what they perceive as divisive comments, while others might support his right to express personal opinions, even if controversial. However, there’s a general agreement that such public statements could have repercussions for both Hansen personally and professionally, as well as for the game’s commercial success
2024 has been marked by a strong anti-woke backlash within the gaming community. High-profile titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Concord, Dustborn, and Star Wars: Outlaws have faced commercial disappointments, often linked to their integration of progressive themes.
In light of this trend, the decision to include pronoun selection in Avowed has stirred debate. Critics argue it’s an unnecessary nod to ‘wokeness’ in a fantasy setting, a view echoed by Elon Musk, who tweeted, “Having pronouns in a fantasy video game is utterly unacceptable.”
The controversy deepened when media reports hinted at Obsidian possibly concealing the character creation screen, where these options would be visible, to avoid early criticism.
The official Avowed X account responded by blocking users and deleting comments discussing the issue. @Pirat_Nation has reported about it with a post
Adding to the fire, Matt Hansen tweeted provocatively at Musk, “I wanted so badly to make him (Musk) mad with my game. Just wait until you see the default, you sad little sh*t,” and subsequently promoted the game with, “Anyway, Avowed comes out on Feb 18 next year. Give it a whirl if you ain’t afeared of the woke mind virus.”
Further complicating matters, it was discovered that Hansen had made discriminatory remarks about hiring practices, specifically targeting white men by stating, “we have too many crusty old white dudes.” Elon Musk responded by X-posting about Obsidian’s art director’s potentially illegal hiring practices, going so far as to tag Microsoft’s CEO in an effort to highlight the issue.
While some defend the inclusion of pronouns as harmless customization, Hansen’s direct attack on Musk, coupled with these controversial hiring statements, has escalated the situation. There’s growing speculation that this might not only fail to endear the game to a broader audience but could potentially alienate a significant portion of gamers, leading to the ironic rise of ‘non-buy-nary’ consumers in response.
So how do you feel about the inclusion of pronoun options in video games like Avowed? Do you see it as an important aspect of character customization or an unnecessary addition that might influence your purchasing decision? With Matt Hansen’s provocative stance and the ongoing debate around ‘wokeness’ in gaming, will you be more or less likely to pre-order or buy Avowed when it releases? Share your thoughts and let us know if this controversy sways your decision to open your wallet or to keep it firmly closed.