The tactical first-person shooter game Ready or Not finally debuted on Steam Early Access this past week, four and a half years after the game’s announcement.
The launch is going very well for New Zealand-based developer VOID Interactive by all metrics. Ready or Not is listed as Steam’s current top-selling game even amidst the store’s Winter Sale, which is extraordinary.
On SteamDB, Ready or Not presently tops three categories: Trending Games, Popular Releases, and Hot Releases. The latter is based on user review scores, where the game arguably shines even brighter given that 95% out of 8,943 user reviews are positive.
Despite all this positive news, VOID Interactive has had to deal with a bit of a controversy, too. Firstly, the studio has parted ways with Team17, which was supposed to publish Ready or Not. Then, speculation began on the reasons behind this decision. Some suggested it may have to do with a planned school shooting level that one of the developers confirmed on Reddit a few days ago (before deleting the post).
It is unclear whether that was really the case. Regardless of that, a few hours ago, VOID Interactive did share a statement on the school shooting level itself and how they plan to portray such a tragic event in Ready or Not.
We are dedicated to promoting a level of authenticity and realism in our video game, ready or not, that carries with it difficult subject mater. We understand that this requires a certain responsibility — to our fans and community, yes, but also to those who have been impacted by the traumatic events law enforcement all too often responds to. Rest assured, our aim is to handle all of ready or not’s content with the level of weight and respect that it warrants. We have recently had to remind certain team members of the required care in discussing this material now and on an on-going basis.
‘School’ is not just a part of the fabric of Ready or Not’s story, it is part of the fabric of thousands of people’s stories worldwide. It is the story of those who have died too soon at the hands of a deranged gunman, the story of family and friends waiting for a phone call that might never come, the story of the first responders who do everything they can only for it to not be enough. It is a look at an uncomfortable reality that has become all too common, and we hope that we can play some small part in honoring those who have been impacted by these real world tragedies with a portrayal that does not trivialize their experiences.
We will continue to follow our vision, we will continue to listen, and we will continue to work every day on Ready or Not.
Needless to say, whenever VOID Interactive does end up adding a school shooting level to the game, players will be tasked with rescuing the situation in the shoes of a SWAT police unit.
