Feminist female game developers in South Korea are being targeted by Twitter users in an attempt to push out “anti-social ideology”, with harassers calling for companies to fire them over their social media posts. 

This censorship and bullying of South Korean women has apparently been ongoing in the South Korean game industry as far back as 2016.

Major companies have pressured female devs into removing their posts relating to women’s rights or feminism, choosing not to defend their employees. 

As reported by AFP News Agency (a reputable news agency covering global topics), the harassment began after CEO of Seoul-based IMC Games Kim Hak-kyu launched an investigation into a female employee after complaints about her personal activity on Twitter were raised.

The female developer, Sung Hye-jin, followed several feminist groups on Twitter and retweeted a post which had a slang term for sexist men.

After being called a “cancer-like creature” who “followed a dirty ideology” by male players, Sung apologized for the perceived offense. 

She was able to keep her job after Kim decided her actions were “just a mistake but not a crime”, assuring players she would “remain endlessly vigilant” to prevent a recurrence. 

After the investigation into Sung, Kim issued an apology for his actions after South Korean trade unions called out his decision. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said that “this misogynistic action… has left many women in shock and fear.” The organization also accused Kim and other studios of policing the actions of female employees. 

Players often monitor female developers online accounts to check whether any of their tweets, retweets or likes involve feminism, and if they do, file complaints to their employers with boycott threats, according to anonymous sources who have approached AFP.

“These gamers relentlessly attack whoever posts anything slightly related to women’s rights issues, and label the person a Megalia supporter who should be sacked immediately,” explained one anonymous source. “Game sales could go down very quickly if we don’t cave in.”

In this 2018 GDC session, Naoto Ohshima and Hirokazu Yasuhara, two of the designers behind the original Sonic the Hedgehog, discuss their perspectives on the creation of the classic game franchise.

Oshima and Yasuhara go into detail about the game’s original design process and art direction, as well as providing some insight into their experiences creating the character of Sonic and the strategies they considered for going up against rival companies. 

Those interested in the history of a classic game like Sonic the Hedgehog can now watch the talk completely free via the official GDC YouTube channel!

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Americas.

We know you’re busy and might miss out on all the exciting things we’re talking about on Xbox Wire every week. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can help remedy that. We’ve pared down the past week’s news into one easy-to-digest article for all things Xbox! Or, if you’d rather watch than read, you can feast your eyes on our weekly video show above. Be sure to come back every Friday to find out what’s happening This Week on Xbox!

Inside Xbox Episode 2 Debuts on April 10
Last month we debuted our first episode of Inside Xbox, our monthly premiere Xbox broadcast show. We shared news, such as support for Freesync displays in the upcoming Xbox Spring Update, went behind-the-scenes with our friends at Rare to celebrate the launch of Sea of Thieves, enjoyed an update on all things PUBG, watched the internet enjoy a healthy laugh at Major Nelson’s white-glove treatment of our giveaways, and even created an impromptu Twitter Moment thanks to Seamus Blackley and the Hyperkin Duke controller, plus much more. We had a blast, and we hope you did too, but more importantly, we learned a lot from what you enjoyed in the show and what you’d like to see more of in… Read more

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is Coming Soon to Xbox One
Greetings from Larian Studios! In September 2017, we launched Divinity: Original Sin 2 on PC, hoping to push the boundaries of creative roleplaying into new, weird shapes. Since that launch, we’ve been swarmed with daily letters and messages from players asking us to bring the game to Xbox One. Those players weren’t alone: we’ve had it in our minds for some time that we wanted to see our game played on Xbox One, so we went to work figuring out how to make that happen. Encouraged by the community’s enthusiasm, we’re happy to say we’re almost there. For anyone who hasn’t played the game yet, first of all: welcome! We really hope that this version of the game will introduce a world of… Read more

The Return of Spyro: Bringing an Iconic Platformer Back to Life
Here at Toys for Bob, we are incredibly excited to announce that Spyro, the world’s favorite purple dragon, will be returning to console on September 21, 2018 in the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. For the first time ever, Xbox players will be able to explore the enchanted Dragon Realms of the original three games, experiencing, in remastered glory, the magic of an iconic platformer that has endeared itself to millions of fans over the years. We are deeply honored to have the responsibility of updating this historic trilogy and thrilled to do so in time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Spyro the Dragon. 20 years is a long time, but as we’ve seen around the gaming… Read more

Overwatch: Flash Ops Comes to Microsoft Store!
Local gaming communities across North America are in for a special treat with the introduction today of Blizzard’s Overwatch: Flash Ops, a new series of in-person celebrations that brings together Overwatch fans of all ages, interests and skill levels. Microsoft Store will be hosting Overwatch: Flash Ops community nights every Thursday at all stores in North America as part of our ASUS ROG Arena program. Meet up with other players and spectators in your local community for Arcade format matches. High-powered ASUS Republic of Gamers PCs will be provided, so all you have to do is show up! Sign up today to reserve your spot on an elite local taskforce near you starting Thursday, April… Read more

Play WWE 2K18 Free This Weekend Only with Xbox Live Gold
This weekend only, all Xbox Live Gold members can enjoy WWE 2K18 for free and get a chance to be in the virtual ring. The Free Play Days event will begin at 9:00 a.m. PT on Thursday, April 5 and run through 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 8 in Xbox One markets. During the week, you’ll also have the option to purchase WWE 2K18 and the WWE 2K18 Digital Deluxe Edition through the Microsoft Store at a 50% discount and continue your gameplay experience. Should you decide to return to the ring later, all saved progress and earned achievements will be waiting for you. Draft your Xbox Live friends and get ready for action — because competing in a WWE ring is always better with a… Read more

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon Join Xbox Live Sessions on April 8 to Play WWE 2K18
Calling all wrestling and WWE fans! This weekend is WrestleMania 34, and Xbox is thrilled to join the excitement by having WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and current NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon join Xbox Live Sessions to play WWE 2K18 prior to the big event in New Orleans. Xbox and WWE fans will not want to miss this interactive livestream hosted on the Mixer Xbox Channel Sunday, April 8, starting at 12:00 p.m. PT. Ric Flair, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest WWE competitors of all time, will join the show first, answering fan questions and talking all things WWE in front of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome where WrestleMania 34 will take place that evening. Ember Moon will… Read more

2nd Annual LGBTQIA in Gaming Reception at GDC Celebrates Industry Professionals
Team Xbox was proud to host the 2nd annual LGBTQIA in Gaming reception during GDC 2018. This year we hosted over 200 industry professionals and the event continues to be a place where this vibrant community can come together, network, hear from their peers and celebrate their accomplishments. Held at the beautiful Minna Gallery, the reception featured fireside chats hosted by Xbox team members Clark Ly and M Rawlings and included industry veterans Gordon Bellamy, Leena van Deventer and Rebecca Heineman. Starting off the event, Clark and M chatted with Gordon Bellamy who has a long and impressive resume in the industry. He discussed “coming out” at work when he was at Spike TV…. Read more

Get Ready for UFC 223 with the UFC 3 Free Trial on Xbox One
Master the promotion and performance of becoming a professional fighter, inside and outside the Octagon. From the walkout to the knockout, EA Sports UFC 3 delivers a deep, authentic, and exciting experience. Starting today, Thursday, April 5 at 10 a.m. PST to Monday, April 9 at 10 a.m. PST, Xbox Live Gold members will be able to enter the Octagon during the UFC 3 free trial on Xbox One. Get Hyped for the Women’s Strawweight Title Fight: Rose Namajunas vs Joanna Jedrzejczyk 2  Call the first match between Rose and Joanna what you want, but this is one of the most highly anticipated rematches in female MMA history. Joanna is hungry to get her belt back and will end up putting a… Read more

Visit Xbox and Mixer at PAX East
Xbox and Mixer are heading to Boston for PAX East this week, running April 5-8, 2018. If you have a PAX East badge, you’ll get the opportunity to play new Xbox games for the first time, interact with streamers through Mixer, and meet some of your favorite developers. Not able to make PAX East in person? Our biggest event will be streamed to you live on Mixer, and the Xbox Most Powerful Gamers Sweepstakes on the official @Xbox Twitter channel is open to everyone. Read on for all the information you need! Xbox Booth Booth #13019 Experience Xbox One’s largest, most diverse games lineup in the Xbox booth! Try your hand at nine different titles available to play, including Sea of… Read more

Xbox Live Sessions: deadmau5 Joins Xbox at PAX East to Play PUBG
Xbox has partnered with electronic musician deadmau5 for some of our most epic events, including the west coast launch of Xbox One. So, when we started planning an episode of Xbox Live Sessions from PAX East for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, deadmau5 was the first person we thought of. Not only is he a gamer, he is a huge PUBG fan and player and we’re thrilled to have him join us for another epic Xbox event. On Saturday, April 7 at 10:30 a.m. PST / 1:30 p.m. EST, deadmau5 will be joined by PUBG Creative Director Brendan Greene (PlayerUnknown) and Xbox Live’s Major Nelson to play PUBG live in front of fans in the Main Theater at PAX East. Fans at home can tune in and watch on… Read more

TERA Available Now on Xbox One
En Masse is very proud to bring TERA’s vast MMORPG game world and true action combat gameplay to the Xbox One starting today. TERA’s emphasis on action within the MMO genre has always made it a good candidate for play on an Xbox One controller. In fact, TERA’s signature combat, with its emphasis on combo-building and active dodging, originally drew inspiration from console action games. How It Began During early development, a few folks at En Masse rigged up gamepad support on an Xbox 360 controller by manually assigning inputs. Even with this rudimentary setup, TERA still played quite well, and as a result Bluehole added official controller support to the PC version. As gamers… Read more

Six Months Later, Raiders of the Broken Planet is a Very Different Game
Roughly six months ago, we shared with you our vision for Raiders of the Broken Planet: an adventure in shooter form. An independent game with triple-A production values that would be delivered episodically, with a significant part of the game — the Eternal Soldier campaign — offered for free. Today we announced the release of Hades Betrayal, the third premium campaign available now on Xbox One and Windows 10, making Raiders of the Broken Planet a very different game from the one we launched in September last year. Content wise, Hades Betrayal delivers what we sincerely believe are the best missions for Raiders of the Broken Planet yet, introducing three fun new characters: noble… Read more

Microsoft Store Spring Sale Ending Soon
Our annual Microsoft Store Spring Sale is coming to a close April 9 so you only have a few more days to take advantage of savings up to 65% on a variety of digital games for Xbox One and Xbox 360. Don’t miss out on over 450 deals on popular Xbox digital games and add-ons, plus if you are an Xbox Live Gold member, then you save up to an additional 10% on games. Not yet an Xbox Live Gold member? For a few days more you can save and buy three months of Gold for the price of one during the Microsoft Store Spring Sale. Hurry and sign up and save before this offer expires on April 9 (promotional offer not valid for existing members). Save on popular titles like Call of Duty: WWII, FIFA… Read more

How to Make it in Esports: Pros at Esports Academy Are Sharing Their Strategies at Flagship Microsoft Store
The esports industry has a little bit of everything – fierce competition, last-minute victories and pure streaming showmanship. It might even offer the beginnings of a unique career! As part of an initiative to educate and kickstart future talent in games, the Esports Academy at the flagship Microsoft Stores in New York and Sydney will invite leading personalities and industry pros to share their knowledge in practical sessions, hands-on gameplay and much more. The Esports Academy is a great, authentic way to learn from leading industry talent, meet other gamers and have fun, whether you play casually, have questions about shoutcasting, or are simply curious as to where esports might go… Read more

Dive into an Epic New World of Tanks: War Stories Trilogy
Like the wings of a butterfly conjuring a devastating hurricane, what if a single moment in time could change the course of history forever? World of Tanks: War Stories is back, and history has been rewritten again in the epic Spoils of War trilogy. Delve into these brand-new adventures, and join a daring trio of German, American, and Soviet heroes as they fight for survival in an alternate timeline. Previous War Stories were set against the “what if?” backdrops of a deadly twist to the Cuban Missile Crisis, a desperate espionage operation by the French Resistance amidst the golden sands of Egypt, and a Nazi invasion of London. This time, the year is 1948, and the world is trapped in… Read more

Burnout Paradise Remastered Tips and Tricks
Hey, Xbox gamers, welcome to Burnout Paradise Remastered! Originally released in 2008, Burnout Paradise was a treasure from the start. Sporting high-speed races, slow-motion crashes, and a huge roster of cars to choose from! Now with the remastered re-release featuring Xbox One X enhancements, the high-speed collisions never looked so good! And with these 5 tips, we welcome you to Paradise City where the drifts are clean and the speed limit is 250 mph! Check out the video above For even more strategies and tactics on today’s hottest games, plus plenty of other gaming-related fun, be sure to watch Mixer’s Tips and Tricks live every Tuesday at 3 p.m. PDT/6 p.m…. Read more

Get Ready for the Halo World Championship 2018 Finals on April 13
After months of incredible competition in Orlando, London, Mexico City, Sydney and Columbus, hundreds of teams have been whittled down to the final 16. From April 13-15, the very best professional Halo players from around the world will compete at the Halo World Championship 2018 Finals, the biggest and most prestigious event in Halo esports! Taking place at CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle, WA, players will compete for their chance at a $1 million prize pool and the title of Halo World Champion. There will also be a $10,000 Free for All tournament with free registration for ticket holders taking place Saturday morning, just before the tournament begins. If you’re… Read more

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The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community.
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This is the first in a series of articles discussing gameworlds I’ve designed and worked on.

Ever since Wizardry and Bard’s Tale I’ve loved discovering and making world maps!  Mafia 3’s New Bordeaux was the biggest world I’ve ever been part of.  I must have gone through several hundred iterations and updates for the city layout and ecologies.

With the help of Petr Záveský and others we were able to create a fantastic top-down render of the city.  The next thing to do was getting 2K Games on board in creating a foldout map for the game.  Paul Pierce was the talented artist who stylized the Road Atlas.  I originally proposed it as a bonus item in the Collector’s Edition.  Then 2K Games took it to the next level and made it available in every game case!  Paul later updated it to include all DLC information too (see below).

• Aerial − a satellite view of the city!
• Stylized − a stylized version of the city!
• Game UI − an updated UI map from the game!

BONUS maps!

• CIA − Before Donovan showed up he grabbed the latest CIA photos of the region.
• Height Map − For developers and hikers, here’s a heightmap.
• Road Atlas − Visiting New Bordeaux? Pull out that map for all your tourist needs!

This 1967 street guide was something I’m real happy with getting into fan’s hands. Paul did a fantastic job making it look authentic.  He went through several styles with publishing’s Art Director Rob Clarke.  Once all DLC was known, an updated version was created for all future copies of the game.

One of the other reasons the Road Atlas is special − it allowed us to showcase a lot of the names and locations that weren’t mentioned or used heavily in the story.  Study the map and you’ll discover lots of new material such as…

Tourist Spots
All those famous landmarks and city areas you visited had names!

Handwritten Notes
Both Lincoln & Donovan scribbled notes on the map, like where all the entrances to the tunnels were. Even though Donovan choose to write his in red, I’ve no idea who’s blood is on the map… 

Special Locations
Did you find the sinking Bayou cemetery? This was made for a scene cut from the start of the game. Other trivia, the row of cabins along Bourbon Digs’ canal was made for a crossfire encounter which was never used.

A fun thing to do with these HUGE world maps… they’re the same scale as the official GTA5 maps.

Mafia Series

And for those curious, here’s all three Mafia game worlds next to one another.  While the first Mafia game looks fairly big, remember the player didn’t get to explore most of the areas outside the city.

Interactive Map

I also experimented with using these like a Google Map to find lost airplanes or secret routes.  It’d be fun to take other gameworlds and add them as layers you can flip through for comparison.

When you look at the huge 3D rendered map, you can see all the hours and talented people who made each cityblock a believable, tangible place for Mafia’s third chapter.  I hope anyone who ventured into New Bordeaux felt it captured the Louisiana heat of 1968.

This post originally appeared on my website at CuriousConstructs.com.

One of 2018’s most unique indie games so far has been Dim Bulb Studios’ Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, a game that not only stands out because it somehow got Sting to voice a key character, but also because of its nouveau storytelling mechanics and unusual team structure. Where many indie games include a group of programmers, artists, and writers, Dim Bulb Games relied on lead developer Johnnemann Nordhagen and a small army of writers to build the game’s content. 

Nordhagen himself has been expressly transparent about the process of making and selling Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, but we’re still excited to be chatting with him today at 3PM EDT over on the Gamsutra Twitch channel. If you’ve got questions about surviving as an indie, or making games about American folklore, you should swing by and ask them! 

And while you’re at it, be sure to follow the Gamasutra Twitch channel for more developer interviews, editor roundtables, and gameplay commentary.