Highguard's problems are well documented. After its reveal at The Game Awards as the final game, it was heavily slated online, with players calling it yet another generic hero shooter. The game launched, its player count sank, and a significant portion of its developers were sadly laid off. One such developer suggested the game was "turned into a joke from minute one."
Aimbots and wallhacks eventually make their way into every multiplayer shooter, as do duplication glitches. Arc Raiders is no different, as it was recently plagued with duplication glitches, forcing it to drop the ban hammer on almost everyone using it. However, it seems cheaters have gone above and beyond, using hacks you could never have even imagined.
Marvel Rivals definiely doens't dish out skins evenly. It often feels like Jeff and Luna fans are the only ones eating good, while the rest of us fight for what's left. In some cases, getting a bunch of skins isn't even a good thing, because there's no guarantee that they'll actually be any good.
Just over six years ago, GTA Online unveiled the Diamond Casino & Resort, a lavish gambling den for players to waste away their hard-earned cash with every pull of the slot machine lever, but it wasn't all risk and reward. Every day you log in, you earn a guaranteed, no strings attached, $1,000 visitor bonus, which you can either immediately splash on a game of chance, or pocket for a rainy day.
Driving the Warthog in Halo all by yourself works just fine if you are trying to enjoy a nice, leisurely cruise around the installation, but if you are trying to take down an enemy stronghold it sure helps to have a support partner manning the turret. The Warthog has room for three for a reason… it was designed for cooperation across multiple different functions. A stationary player in the turret is a sitting duck who won’t get very far on their own, and a lone driver without support will quickly find themselves stranded behind enemy lines, sitting next to a useless flaming pile of metal that no longer resembles a vehicle. Operated individually, the turret is exposed to enemy fire and the driver is ineffective at advancing the objective, but when partnered together they are unstoppable.
There are no “lone wolves” in the body of Christ, and seeking to accomplish His purposes without working in tandem with the rest of the body will leave us feeling alone, overwhelmed, frustrated, and ineffective. Some are called to minister with words or songs, others will use their platforms to share those messages, and the entire body will put those words into action in their daily lives to truly advance the cause of Christ on this planet. Let’s each operate in our God-given roles with excellence and gratitude today… every role is essential, and none work without each other.
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:4-6b
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8
When it comes to live service games with a heavy multiplayer focus, there's always a choice that developers have to make when it comes to their audience. Do you cater to your casual audience, which will likely be huge, but have a more consistent drop off as the game becomes more stale, or do you cater to your more dedicated audience and lean into the more competitive elements of your game?
Some gamers label Marvel Rivals a “gooner game” to criticize its fan-service heavy, often revealing skins. These include swimsuit-themed looks and over-the-top outfits that feel more lewd than classic.
The game’s creative director, Guangyun Chen, defends the designs, explaining they draw from classic comic book styles and real-world fashion trends, not just prurient appeal. He claims these elements celebrate comic-book legacy and storytelling, not merely shock value.
But many fans still feel that characters like Emma Frost or a skull-themed Punisher Speedo cross a line between homage and fetishization.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, one romance option involves Halsin, a druid who shapeshifts into a bear. While the game treats this as a comedic, absurd choice, it's still frequently described by critics as “b*stiality with a bear”.
That description is pushing it, but here's the context: Halsin retains his human intelligence and consent, thanks to D&D’s Wild Shape rules, meaning he's not an actual animal but a humanoid in bear form, which in-game justifies it as consented fantasy.
Still, many viewers understandably perceive it as crossing a moral boundary, especially because the visual implies s*x with a bear, not a person.
There are key reasons why even joking b*stiality is more troubling than alluring character designs:
Reddit commentary summed it well:
“The actual 1 to 1 comparison here would be if Larian made it so you could romance or f*ck the various animals you can speak to… That would be weird and problematic because those are actual animals, not a sentient adult humanoid...”
Other users added:
“It’s literally played for laughs. The devs know how ridiculous it is.”
While the scene was clearly meant to be absurd, it's difficult to argue it’s harmless just because it’s comedic.
Think about it:
In one case, fans call Marvel Rivals fan-service, criticizing visual designs they see as shallow or pandering.
In the other, the same fans enjoy the bear s*x joke, celebrating an explicit fantasy that, by most ethical standards, is far more disturbing.
That double standard is hard to ignore: disapproving something intended to be stylish or appealing, while embracing something inherently taboo, even if framed as a joke, is a glaring inconsistency.
