Trigger warnings in games are a topic that is often ridiculed. However, some games seem to have found the perfect solution.

When games tackle hard topics such as a high degree of brutality, suicide, sexual violence, or psychological torture, they are usually pointed out. However, these trigger warnings are not well received by everyone, as they can sometimes diminish the fun of a game. The community has discussed solutions for this – and found a good way to ensure everyone might be satisfied.

What is the problem with trigger warnings? So-called “trigger warnings” or “content warnings” are now increasingly common in games. For instance, the horror game Outlast provides extensive warnings about its content by pointing to “violence, bloodthirstiness, graphic sexual depictions and profanity”.

The problem is that many games give away in advance what kind of development the game will take, and that can be detrimental to the player experience.

A prominent example is “Doki Doki Literature Club” – a game that appears to be a romantic visual novel at first glance, but then drifts into a horror-psycho trip and surprises the player with drastic twists. However, it is not really “surprising” if you have already been warned in advance.

DevastaTheSeeker writes in the gaming subreddit:

Content warnings are a relatively new trend in games.

Many people associate this with the idea that some gamers are too “soft”, which is stupid. People deserve to know what they’re getting into, but at the same time a game can try to undermine your expectations and then such content warnings can ruin that.

Which game does this well? As a positive example, “Slay the Princess” is mentioned. Upon starting, the following warning is displayed:

“This is a horror game and not suitable for all viewers.”

This doesn’t reveal too much and still provides a warning. Those who want more information receive a link to a list of the themes present in this game.

This way, the decision ultimately lies with each player regarding how much they want to be warned in advance. Those who know that bloody violence might provoke discomfort can inform themselves beforehand. Conversely, those who do not want spoilers about the content can ignore them.

The content warnings are not “forced” upon players by being prominently displayed in the game, but rather point out that they can be read elsewhere.

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DrNomblecronch writes about this:

That’s … a shockingly simple solution, indeed. I kind of love it.

“This will be quite hard for some people, but we can’t tell you more without spoilers. If you think you might be among those who could find this difficult, we can divulge the details because it’s important for you to know if a game will actually cause you distress and not just fictional scares. At the same time, it’s your decision and we trust you to make it yourself.”

What is your opinion on content warnings in games and the potential spoilers they may imply? Should all games do it like in the example of “Slay the Princess”? Or do you have a better idea?

Some content warnings were also present in “The Coffin of Andy and Leyley” – which was surprisingly good.

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A player spent over 3,200 hours on Steam playing the strategy game Hearts of Iron IV, but he wouldn’t recommend it. The sarcastic response from a developer sparked a discussion.

Which game is it about? Hearts of Iron IV is a game by the Swedish strategy geniuses at Paradox. Players take control of a nation and must guide it through World War II. Since its release in June 2016, 3 free and 4 paid expansions have been added to the game, all focusing on different involved regions.

So there is enough content to keep players busy for a while. On Steam, Hearts of Iron IV is rated “very positive” with 91% recommendations from over 200,000 reviews. However, a player with more than 3,200 hours gave the strategy game a thumbs down, drawing the attention of the developers (via Vida Extra).

With their new game Millennia, Paradox wanted to compete with Civilization, but even here they are struggling with negative reviews.

About naked soldiers in the Siberian winter and airplanes

What does the player say? The Steam user “Pluto” addresses various aspects of the game he dislikes in his review. He emphasizes that Hearts of Iron IV is not a bad game, but he criticizes Paradox’s approach.

He believes that rather than fixing bugs, new content is added. He is also bothered by the sometimes questionable logic of the game: naked soldiers can survive at -50 °C, and anti-aircraft equipment only works against very specific airplanes (via Steam).

The review was published on March 7, 2024, and updated on April 4. Overall, Pluto has now spent more than 3,275 hours in the game.

Developer response divides community

How does the developer respond? Under the review, there is a developer response from a Paradox employee. It states: “I’m sorry to hear that your 3,263 hours with Hearts of Iron 4 were a disappointment. We will strive to make your 3,264th hour as fulfilling as possible.”

This flippant response received rather mixed reactions from the community:

• One side criticizes the developer: the response is childish and unprofessional, the player wrote a detailed review and made valid points of criticism.
• Others are on the developer’s side: writing a negative review after so many hours in the game is silly. It’s like going to a restaurant every day and then complaining about the food. However, the player might also be “burned out” after so many hours and need a break from Hearts of Iron IV.

The developer, who uses the name “Arheo” on Steam, provided another update on the situation on April 5. In it, he states that he and Pluto exchanged private messages weeks ago. The player has a right to his opinion; he should be left alone.

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If you want to get a picture of Hearts of Iron IV for yourself, you can do so for free until April 8, 2024, at 19:00 – that’s how long the “Free Weekend” promotion lasts. During this time, the game is also 80% off, reduced from €49.99 to €9.99.

Not for the first time does someone’s playtime draw the attention of the devs: “She played for 16,395 hours” – Mother plays strategy game on Steam for so long it even amazes the developers

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