The WOKE WAR on gaming: How Mark Kern and gamers are fighting back against DEI corruption

By willowt // 2025-03-02

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The video game industry has become a focal point in the culture war, with DEI initiatives and ESG funding driving progressive activism in game development. This has led to criticism that games now prioritize political messaging over creativity and gameplay.
Former Blizzard developer Mark Kern, a key figure behind iconic games like World of Warcraft and Diablo II, is leading a movement against what he calls the "woke agenda." He argues that modern games have sacrificed quality storytelling and character design in favor of tokenism and ideological conformity.
ESG funding incentivizes studios to adopt DEI initiatives to secure financial backing. This has led to the hiring of consultancy firms like Sweet Baby Inc., which critics claim prioritize inclusivity over compelling narratives and gameplay, resulting in poorly received titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
Kern’s call for a two-year boycott of AAA games from "woke" studios has gained traction, with over 250,000 gamers joining the "Sweet Baby Inc. Detected" group on Steam. Games free from DEI influence, such as Black Myth: Wukong and Stellar Blade, have seen success, highlighting demand for apolitical, fun-focused games.
As ESG funding declines and poorly received games lead to financial losses and layoffs, Kern sees an opportunity for the industry to course-correct. He believes the failure of DEI-driven games signals a need to return to quality storytelling and gameplay, with gamers and industry insiders uniting to restore the medium’s creative integrity.

The video game industry, once a bastion of creativity and escapism, has become a battleground in the culture war. Over the past decade, the rise of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, coupled with Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) funding, has transformed gaming into a vehicle for progressive activism. But now, a growing movement led by former Blizzard developer Mark Kern is pushing back, aiming to restore sanity to an industry overrun by woke ideology.

The fall of gaming: How wokeness took over

Mark Kern, known online as Grummz, is no stranger to the gaming world. As the team lead for World of Warcraft and a key figure behind Diablo II and Starcraft, Kern helped shape the modern gaming landscape. But today, he’s fighting a different battle: one against the woke agenda that has infiltrated the industry. Kern’s crusade comes at a critical time. Big-budget Western games, once celebrated for their innovation and storytelling, have become hollow shells of their former selves. Titles like Call of Duty now flaunt trans flags and gender-bending propaganda, while female characters are intentionally made unattractive, a move Kern describes as “spitting in the faces of real women.” Consultancy groups like Sweet Baby Inc. have further exacerbated the problem, dictating narrative changes in the name of inclusivity. The result? Games that prioritize preaching over gameplay, alienating the very audience they’re meant to entertain.

The ESG machine: Funding the woke takeover

At the heart of this cultural shift is ESG funding, a system that rewards companies for adhering to progressive values. As Kern explains, “ESG focuses on a sort of ‘credit score’ for investments. Companies must score high on equality and inclusion, so-called DEI initiatives, in order to qualify for this funding.” This funding model has created a perverse incentive structure. Studios hire DEI consultants like Sweet Baby Inc. not for their expertise, but to check boxes and secure financing. The consequences are dire: beloved franchises are gutted, characters are rewritten to fit woke narratives, and gameplay takes a backseat to political messaging. Kern points to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League as a prime example. The game, which was widely panned for its poor storytelling and gameplay, reportedly lost Warner Bros. upwards of $100 million. “It’s not that gamers are upset about diversity,” Kern says. “It’s the way they go about it with pure tokenism, phoning in weak characters instead of creating strong new ones.”

Gamers fight back: The rise of Gamergate 2.0

Kern’s call to action has resonated with a growing army of disgruntled gamers. In a series of tweets, he outlined a plan to reclaim the industry: a two-year boycott of AAA games made by woke studios. “This will make the execs take notice,” he wrote. “As you vote with your wallet, sales will plummet even further. I promise EVERY GAMING CEO will notice!” The movement, dubbed Gamergate 2.0, has already seen significant traction. Over 250,000 gamers have joined the “Sweet Baby Inc. Detected” group on Steam, a list of games affiliated with the consultancy firm that gamers are encouraged to avoid. Titles untainted by DEI, like Black Myth: Wukong and Stellar Blade, have found massive success, proving that there’s still a market for games that prioritize fun over politics. Kern’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Elon Musk has frequently retweeted his posts, amplifying his message to a wider audience. But the backlash has been fierce. Kern has faced relentless attempts at cancellation, doxxing and even death threats. Yet, he remains undeterred.

A turning point for the industry

The tide may finally be turning. ESG funding, once a lucrative source of financing, is drying up as returns on investment plummet. Studios that once relied on DEI initiatives to secure funding are now facing layoffs and financial ruin. Kern believes this is a necessary reckoning. “AAA games are failing,” he says. “DEI without true quality writing and characters in games is a kiss of death. Thousands are being laid off as funds dry up and gamers have turned their backs on these terrible quality games. It’s time to stop.” As the gaming industry teeters on the brink of collapse, Kern’s message is clear: the fight to save gaming is far from over. But with a growing coalition of gamers and industry insiders standing against the woke agenda, there’s hope that the medium can be restored to its former glory. In the words of Elon Musk, “DEI kills art.” And thanks to Mark Kern, gamers are finally fighting back to bring it back to life. Sources include: RT.com WolfsheadOnline.com ThatParkPlace.com FoxNews.com