Every Bethesda game seems inevitably paired with a launch controversy. It’s almost a trademark of their releases to spark debates. With Starfield things are no different.
On September 1st, gamers who preordered the Premium Edition received early access to Bethesda’s latest RPG, Starfield. Notably, several prominent YouTubers and streamers voiced their critiques regarding the option to adjust a character’s pronouns to “They/Them”, labeling it as overly “woke”.
HeelvsBabyface Starfield controversy
HeelvsBabyface, a critic of this feature, shared a video on his YouTube channel providing early impressions of the SciFi RPG. In this video, he strongly disapproved of the pronouns option in Starfield. Although the video has since been removed, HeelvsBabyface expressed significant frustration, which may reflect his online persona, questioning the inclusion of this option and asserting that video games aren’t the platform for discussing gender fluidity. Following the backlash, he uploaded a response video, addressing the controversy he stirred.
HeelvsBabyface’s initial video drew criticism from renowned YouTube figures like TJ Kirk and videogamedunkey. They argued that his vehement response overshadowed the social issue he was addressing, labeling it as ‘transphobic’.
DrDisrespect Starfield controversy
Herschel Beahm IV, better known as DrDisrespect, has often been at the center of gaming controversies. He mentioned on a recent livestream that his team had approached Bethesda before Starfield’s launch hoping to collaborate. However, Bethesda declined, citing past controversies as the reason. Following this, some Twitter users labeled him a hypocrite and accused him of transphobia. They pointed out that he mocked the pronouns option in Starfield and referenced Bethesda’s Pete Hines’ Twitter bio (which lists pronouns as he/him). This, they believed, was a reaction to Bethesda’s refusal to collaborate. In defense, DrDisrespect took to Twitter, asserting that his comments were taken out of context and emphasizing that politics should be kept separate from video games.
Some of these poor young people are just depressed. No life experience and completely misdirected by the internet.
Look at my words being taken out of context here. Their insecurities are obvious.
Politics should stay out of the video game industry entirely along with people… https://t.co/sjGeHEntsT
— Dr Disrespect (@DrDisrespect) September 3, 2023
