The Most Controversial Game Developers of All Time

Just like any other form of entertainment, the gaming industry has its fair share of controversies. Most of the time, the biggest issues will arise from the games themselves. A title might contain explicit content or deal with sensitive themes and ideas. However, now and then, the actual developers themselves can be the ones in the crossfire.

Although video game developers rarely make the news, studios can prove to be incredibly controversial. There are many gaming companies that have made headlines and been criticized for the way they do business. The developers included below have all been involved in controversies in some form or another. A few of them are likely to continue to be contentious in the future.

Konami

Konami has gone from being one of the most revered gaming companies to one of the most hated. The studio is responsible for a string of high-profile titles but has proven controversial due to a number of missteps in recent years. Most gamers will cite the ill-treatment of Hideo Kojima and his development team as a major reason. Konami effectively forced Kojima out of the company and carried out a series of nasty acts against him seemingly out of spite. The company then announced that it would be concentrating on mobile games for the foreseeable future. Of course, this alienated quite a lot of longtime fans.

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EA

EA is arguably one of the most hated publishers and developers in the world of gaming. This is despite the fact that they regularly release many of the most successful and popular games on the market. In fact, customers have voted EA the Worst Company in the U.S. several times.

There are a lot of controversial practices that have landed EA in hot water over the years. For some, it is the acquisition and subsequent closing of other developers. Others cite a perceived lack of innovation in the company’s games. Of course, some people also object to things like loot boxes that have become commonplace in EA’s games.

In any case, EA’s poor consumer practices combined with a lack of regard for their own talent makes them a truly controversial gaming company. Unfortunately, EA will have a lot to do to fix their terrible reputation and will undoubtedly still draw criticism for some time to come.