On October 14, 2024, when it was just little old me here, I wrote “I’m Scared ‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ Will Be Like ‘Kingdom Hearts 3’.” With the power of hindsight, I deeply regret that piece. Not because I articulated my disdain for a game that let me down in a major way. Not because of the threats, slurs, and derision the article has incited since (hi, y’all)! But because it was plain unnecessary.
For many folks (certainly not me, obviously), Kingdom Hearts 3 means a lot to them! For a publication to effectively publicly dump on a game that resonated with them is hurtful. As if their enjoyment and adoration of the experience aren’t valid — or never mattered to begin with. I certainly felt that way a couple of times when a publication went out of its way to curb-stomp something I liked.
And, from a reader’s perspective, it was a sloppy piece anyway. There weren’t many meaningful insights, my anger over my experience prevented me from making a real point — the article’s a mess, y’all. Whoever read that Kingdom Hearts article gained nothing from it by the end. And that’s not what games journalism should be.
how my hatred for ‘kingdom hearts 3’ gave me the clarity I needed for the vertical’s future
If we’re talking “inside baseball,” the article has another potential unfortunate effect. *Ahem* Hi, Square Enix! Please don’t blacklist us because of that article! I really loved Final Fantasy 7 Remake and we’d love the honor of reviewing your games going forward! I hope there aren’t any hard feelings over Kingdom Hearts 3!
The article is everything I personally hated about games journalism, and I should’ve known better. I came from places where quantity was king. The first month of VICE’s gaming content reflected that. Luckily, it was just me and no other writers went through those early growing pains. But, Kingdom Hearts 3 finally gave me something I desperately needed. The mission statement and purpose behind all of this.
The energy to dunk on a game or company could instead boost a game you actually adore but isn’t getting talked about. So, I want to finally answer the question many folks asked themselves back in October:
“who is this for?”
Well, I can tell you who it’s not for right off the rip. It’s not for the people who already decided this wasn’t worth a damn and had no intentions of seeing how it panned out. It’s not for the “independent” games journalists who forgot where and how they started in this business and now feel obligated to take easy shots at anything that fits their “anti-capitalism” narrative. And it’s certainly not for the “anti-woke” crowd sharing a dying brain cell and not being able to form a coherent, relevant opinion about anything.
Basically — and I’m only saying this once — if you don’t like it, go elsewhere. VICE’s gaming efforts aren’t for you, and I’ll happily agree to disagree with your perception of our efforts.
Rather, this is for the indie developer who has that cool-ass game nobody else is talking about because it isn’t “viable for traffic.” It’s for the writers who finally get to be their authentic selves in their ideas and words. For our growing Slow Game Club community happy to have a place to talk about games they love. It’s for anyone who wants a publication that speaks to them not as “journalists,” but as people who just love video games.
Going into 2025 and beyond, I promise you this. We’re dedicated to doing our absolute best in everything we cover. If you’re excited to join us on that ride, we’re excited to have you!
The post The Assassination of ‘Kingdom Hearts 3’ by the Coward, Dwayne Jenkins — Let’s Get Real Heading Into the New Year appeared first on VICE.
