Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios, used an X thread to criticise certain videogame reviews as "hurtful" and "personal", and suggested that a Metacritic-style system for scoring critics might encourage greater restraint.

Posting late on the 27th, Vincke framed the proposal as a way to protect "sensitive" creatives from content that risks chipping away at their "idealism and love of players". In his remarks he argued for more constructive criticism and implied that public scoring of critics could foster civility.

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The intervention follows Vincke's recent involvement in a public debate over generative AI and Larian's handling of its Divinity franchise, a dispute that already placed the studio centre-stage in wider industry discussions about AI, labour and creative practice.

Vincke's suggestion resurfaced longstanding tensions between developers and critics. Aggregators such as Metacritic have been polarising for years: publishers and studios have criticised their influence on commercial outcomes and internal bonus schemes, while journalists and media organisations have warned that quantitative scores can flatten nuanced appraisal and erode editorial independence.

Media critics note several potential problems with scoring reviewers. A system that ranks critics numerically risks encouraging popularity-driven coverage, enabling coordinated campaigns to game ratings, and creating commercial incentives that may compromise independent assessment. Conversely, proponents argue that clearer accountability could reduce gratuitously personal attacks and improve public discourse.

Responses on X and across the games media were mixed. Some commentators acknowledged the emotional toll that harsh coverage can have on creators, while many critics defended the need for frank, independent evaluation and cautioned against mechanisms that could chill freedom of the press.

Rock Paper Shotgun's coverage of Vincke's thread carries a transcript and further context for the remarks. The conversation highlights an ongoing industry fault line between creators seeking protection from abuse and critics defending the role of robust, sometimes uncompromising, review writing.

Full story and transcript: Rock Paper Shotgun.