Chloe Adams
Devotion, a first-person atmospheric horror game by Taiwanese developers Red Candle Games, was released on 19 February 2019. The game explores the life of a family in 1980s Taiwan, whose lives are shadowed by religious beliefs. Devotion was pulled from Steam a week after its release due to a satirical message discovered in one of its graphical assets, which caused controversy in China.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Game Developer | Red Candle Games |
| Game Type | First-person atmospheric horror game |
| Game Engine | Unity 3D |
| Game Inspiration | East Asian folk culture, Taiwanese culture |
| Game Theme | Religious fanaticism |
| Game Setting | 1980s Taiwan apartment complex |
| Game Platforms | PC, Steam, Linux |
| Game Availability | Limited edition available only in Taiwan in June 2021 |
| Game Release Date | 19 February 2019 |
| Game Controversy | Satirical message discovered; review-bombed by Chinese gamers |
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What You'll Learn
- Devotion is a horror game set in 1980s Taiwan
- The game was developed by Taiwanese studio Red Candle Games
- It was released on Steam in February 2019
- The game was pulled from Steam due to hidden messages mocking Chinese leader Xi Jinping
- Devotion received positive reviews for its narrative and exploration of Taiwanese culture
Devotion is a horror game set in 1980s Taiwan
Devotion is a first-person psychological horror video game developed by Red Candle Games, a Taiwanese game studio. The game is set in 1980s Taiwan, with most of the action taking place in an apartment complex in Taipei. The story is told in a complex chronological order, jumping back and forth between the years 1980, 1985, and 1986.
Players primarily control the character Du Feng-yu, a troubled screenwriter, as he explores the apartment where he lives with his wife, Gong Li-fang, a retired singer, and their daughter, Du Mei-shin, an aspiring child singer. The family's story is gradually revealed through notes, symbolic scenes, and TV shows with real actors, creating a familiar drama rooted in Taiwanese society.
The game incorporates elements of Taiwanese culture and folk religion, with a focus on "religious fanaticism". The development team wanted to create an atmospheric game that would feel familiar to Taiwanese players, as they felt that Taiwanese culture was rarely showcased in video games. The game's soundtrack, composed by Taiwanese composer Vincent Yang, also captures the ambiance of 1980s Taiwan through the use of traditional Asian instruments and folk music elements.
Devotion was released on Steam on February 19, 2019, but was soon mired in controversy due to an Easter egg that referenced Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. This led to heavy review bombing by Chinese gamers, and the game was removed from Steam in China on February 23, 2019. Despite the controversy, Devotion received very positive reviews from players and critics, praising its immersive gameplay and storytelling.
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The game was developed by Taiwanese studio Red Candle Games
Devotion is a first-person atmospheric horror game that explores the life of a family in 1980s Taiwan, whose lives are "shadowed by religious belief". The game was developed by Taiwanese studio Red Candle Games, which was founded in 2015 by six individuals from different backgrounds. United initially by their work on Detention, Red Candle Games was formed by game enthusiasts with a shared passion for Taiwanese culture and history, which they wanted to showcase in their games.
Detention, their first major title, is a 2D survival horror game for PC, Mac, and Linux, set in 1960s White Terror-era Taiwan. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its blend of religious and thematic East Asian references with modern aspects of the mid-20th century. Following the success of Detention, Red Candle Games began work on their second release, Devotion.
In its planning stages, Devotion was not intended to be a first-person 3D game. However, subsequent discussions steered the game in that direction to realise producer Doy Chiang's vision. The development team, consisting of 12 people, had to learn the Unity 3D game engine as a result. Devotion was not meant to be political but instead focused on "religious fanaticism". Red Candle Games has stated that the reason for creating a horror game was a narrative decision to introduce players to Taiwanese culture, which is rarely showcased in video games.
Despite receiving "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews initially, Devotion faced controversy due to an "Easter egg" in the game, which resulted in heavy review bombing by Chinese gamers on Steam. Red Candle Games responded by patching out the offending art material and apologizing for the oversight. As of March 2021, Red Candle Games launched an e-shop on their official website, selling both Detention and Devotion.
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It was released on Steam in February 2019
Devotion, a horror game by Red Candle Games, was released on Steam on 19 February 2019. The game is Red Candle Games' second title, following Detention, and was crafted by a group of game enthusiasts from Taiwan. Devotion is a first-person atmospheric horror game inspired by East Asian folk culture. It depicts the life of a family in a 1980s Taiwan apartment complex, which gradually shifts into a hellish nightmare, shadowed by religious beliefs.
The game was initially well-received, with positive reviews, but this changed when a satirical message was discovered in one of its graphical assets. This discovery led to the game being pulled from digital distribution just a week after its release. The specific issue was an Easter egg that referenced Chinese president Xi Jinping, which caused controversy in China and resulted in heavy review bombing by Chinese gamers.
The game developers, Red Candle Games, found themselves at the centre of a political controversy. They responded by patching out the offending art material and apologising for the oversight. However, the backlash was intense, with their Sina Weibo account blocked and posts containing the hashtag #Devotion hidden by Chinese censors.
As a result of the controversy, Devotion became difficult to access through official channels. It was removed from the Steam store, and links to the game on the official website were dead. This situation persisted, and as of February 2021, there were no obvious ways to purchase or download the game directly from the developers.
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The game was pulled from Steam due to hidden messages mocking Chinese leader Xi Jinping
Devotion, a first-person psychological horror video game developed by Red Candle Games, was released on February 19, 2019. The game is set in Taiwan in the 1980s and incorporates elements based on Taiwanese culture and folk religion.
However, shortly after its release, players discovered hidden messages in the game that were interpreted as mocking Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Specifically, players found a poster or talisman with the names of Xi Jinping and Winnie the Pooh, along with other words that were interpreted as insulting the Chinese leader. Winnie the Pooh has been censored on Chinese search engines and social media since 2017, after bloggers began comparing Xi to the character.
As a result of these hidden messages, Devotion was removed from the Steam platform in China on February 23, 2019, and issued an apology, stating that the poster with the Winnie the Pooh reference was included accidentally due to a technical issue. The game also faced heavy review bombing from Chinese gamers, which caused its overall rating to drop from "Overwhelmingly Positive" to "Mostly Negative".
The incident sparked concerns about the future of the Steam platform in China, which has never gained official approval to operate in the country but has a significant number of users there. It also led to the Chinese government revoking the license of Indievent, one of the game's publishers, in July 2019. Red Candle Games released an apology and stated that they had no plans to re-release Devotion in the near term to prevent further misconceptions.
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Devotion received positive reviews for its narrative and exploration of Taiwanese culture
Devotion, a first-person psychological horror video game, was released on February 19, 2019, by Red Candle Games, a Taiwanese game development studio. The game is set in Taiwan in the 1980s and explores Taiwanese culture and folk religion.
Devotion received positive reviews from critics for its narrative and exploration of Taiwanese culture. David Jagneaux of IGN praised the game as "a fantastic psychological horror game that’s short, concise, and well-paced from start to finish." Despite finding the gameplay "relatively unimpressive and boring", Jagneaux commended the game's "wonderful environmental storytelling." Richard Wakeling from GameSpot praised Red Candle Games' attention to detail, which "establishes and effectively reinforces Devotion's disconcerting sense of familiarity." Michelle Brohier from Stuff Malaysia highlighted the game's references to East Asian culture in lore and horror, noting that it offered a unique experience of the rich symbolism of Chinese religious culture.
In addition to its critical acclaim, Devotion also received recognition from players and industry professionals for its representation of Taiwanese culture. Kouki, a Taiwanese YouTuber, praised the game for its accurate portrayal of Taiwanese households, stating that it captured the ambiance of 1980s Taiwan through its use of traditional Asian instruments and folk music elements. The game's soundtrack, composed by Taiwanese composer Vincent Yang, further enhanced the immersion in the Taiwanese cultural setting.
Devotion's exploration of Taiwanese culture extends beyond its setting and aesthetics. The game incorporates elements of Taiwanese folk religion, such as the use of ritual implements and talismans, drawing on the diverse religious landscape of Taiwan, where various popular deities and sects coexist alongside more established religious institutions. The game's narrative also delves into the complex themes of family, guilt, and redemption, offering a glimpse into the everyday lives of Taiwanese families in the 1980s.
Despite the positive reception for its narrative and cultural exploration, Devotion also faced controversy shortly after its release. On February 21, 2019, players discovered a hidden message in the game that was interpreted as an insult to the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. This led to a review bombing campaign by Chinese gamers, causing the game's overall rating on Steam to drop from "Overwhelmingly Positive" to "Mostly Negative." As a result, Red Candle Games removed the offending material and issued an apology, but the game was still removed from Steam in China on February 23, 2019.
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Frequently asked questions
Devotion was released on 19 February 2019.
Devotion was pulled from Steam a week after its release due to the inclusion of satirical messages and hidden Easter eggs that were deemed to mock the Chinese Communist Party general secretary, Xi Jinping.
Publishers Indievent and Winking Skywalker cut ties with Red Candle Games, leaving them liable for losses stemming from the controversy. Red Candle Games issued an apology and removed the game globally from Steam.
In March 2021, Red Candle Games launched an e-shop on their official website that sold both their games. However, it is unclear if Devotion is still available for purchase.
