Johnny Baghead
@johnnybaghead.bsky.social
Internet Scarecrow, #AnalogTuber
Accessibility Advocate, Chronic Pain Haver (Chronic Enjoyer?)
Baggiest member of @bghof.com
https://linktr.ee/JohnnyBaghead
Accessibility Advocate, Chronic Pain Haver (Chronic Enjoyer?)
Baggiest member of @bghof.com
https://linktr.ee/JohnnyBaghead
This stuff is outside the scope of what I'm specifically researching into DmC Devil May Cry about but I knew I'd want to talk about it somewhere. DmC is such a landmark moment in gaming because of it's reaction, dev response, press I think you could make case studies about, it's that game changing
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
This stuff is outside the scope of what I'm specifically researching into DmC Devil May Cry about but I knew I'd want to talk about it somewhere. DmC is such a landmark moment in gaming because of it's reaction, dev response, press I think you could make case studies about, it's that game changing
That and the big hate movement that hid behind the guise of being concerned & advocating for Ethics in Journalism (and what I think is ignored, suckered people into believing was a legitimate cause from those using it to harass a bunch of Game devs & journos they didn't like).
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
That and the big hate movement that hid behind the guise of being concerned & advocating for Ethics in Journalism (and what I think is ignored, suckered people into believing was a legitimate cause from those using it to harass a bunch of Game devs & journos they didn't like).
The reason I'm bringing all this up is I don't think it's talked about a lot, how DmC's divide between the DMC fandom & press was to a scale & amount not seen until that point and I think you could argue it's what helped to the long term "Us vs Them" narrative that's partly killing the industry
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The reason I'm bringing all this up is I don't think it's talked about a lot, how DmC's divide between the DMC fandom & press was to a scale & amount not seen until that point and I think you could argue it's what helped to the long term "Us vs Them" narrative that's partly killing the industry
If you think I'm kidding about the longevity of this "white hair" thing you can find reviews, preview coverage, OP EDs of DMC5 that were still bringing it up. Not in a "wasn't it funny we thought fans only complaint was the hair" way, without any irony or retrospection. Even Giant Bomb's Quick Look!
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
If you think I'm kidding about the longevity of this "white hair" thing you can find reviews, preview coverage, OP EDs of DMC5 that were still bringing it up. Not in a "wasn't it funny we thought fans only complaint was the hair" way, without any irony or retrospection. Even Giant Bomb's Quick Look!
But that sounds so dumb! Really? the vast majority of gaming press thought the entire reason DMC fans reacted so vitriolic to the reveal trailer was because the character shown had black hair with a white shunk patch instead of fully white hair, because a Capcom producer told them so???
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
But that sounds so dumb! Really? the vast majority of gaming press thought the entire reason DMC fans reacted so vitriolic to the reveal trailer was because the character shown had black hair with a white shunk patch instead of fully white hair, because a Capcom producer told them so???
A theory I have to consider, as absurd as it sounds, is that the Capcom USA Producer brought up the "white hair" complaints in a few reveal interviews (something he himself later acknowledged as a mistake. Quote; "it was never really about the hair") & the press just blindly assumed it was accurate?
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
A theory I have to consider, as absurd as it sounds, is that the Capcom USA Producer brought up the "white hair" complaints in a few reveal interviews (something he himself later acknowledged as a mistake. Quote; "it was never really about the hair") & the press just blindly assumed it was accurate?
Throughout DmC's press cycle & years afterwards snarky quips about the hair, to direct finger wagging at fans about it are often found in previews, reviews & retrospectives. I have to wonder if it was sincerely believed at a point? Instead of the TGS trailer being the antithesis of Dante's character
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Throughout DmC's press cycle & years afterwards snarky quips about the hair, to direct finger wagging at fans about it are often found in previews, reviews & retrospectives. I have to wonder if it was sincerely believed at a point? Instead of the TGS trailer being the antithesis of Dante's character
Another thing I'm reliving was how much of the press latched on to this absurd false narrative that fans main criticism was "Dante doesn't have white hair in DmC!" Has there ever been a bigger dissonance between fan complaints & reporting of said complaints? Was it gaslighting? Intentional mockery?
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Another thing I'm reliving was how much of the press latched on to this absurd false narrative that fans main criticism was "Dante doesn't have white hair in DmC!" Has there ever been a bigger dissonance between fan complaints & reporting of said complaints? Was it gaslighting? Intentional mockery?
But it's unfair to generalise so I won't, it's too convienent to pretend the vast majority of english speaking press for the entire industry all collectively decided to shun Japanese developed games and any audience who liked them. Unfortunately it does explain some of it
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
But it's unfair to generalise so I won't, it's too convienent to pretend the vast majority of english speaking press for the entire industry all collectively decided to shun Japanese developed games and any audience who liked them. Unfortunately it does explain some of it
I have to acknowledge there was a notable anti-japan rhetoric in the gaming sphere at the time, coming from some publications & some developers westside. Writing off that entire region of the industry, seeing "japanese" style of games as passé, "JRPG" was even considered a pejorative around the time
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I have to acknowledge there was a notable anti-japan rhetoric in the gaming sphere at the time, coming from some publications & some developers westside. Writing off that entire region of the industry, seeing "japanese" style of games as passé, "JRPG" was even considered a pejorative around the time
So I just struggle to find a reason that explains the mass reaction. This was defence a lot of publications were playing for DmC within days of the announcement trailer. No actual game, gameplay, story had been shown. Just a malnourished, addict looking edgelord smoking, fighting in pre-rendered.
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
So I just struggle to find a reason that explains the mass reaction. This was defence a lot of publications were playing for DmC within days of the announcement trailer. No actual game, gameplay, story had been shown. Just a malnourished, addict looking edgelord smoking, fighting in pre-rendered.
Something looked over about DmC and it's announcement was Capcom producers were very open, picking NT and telling them to diviate from the series wasn't to promote the arts or bring some unique vision alive, they directly told Eurogamer "we see western action games sell 4-5 million, we want that"
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Something looked over about DmC and it's announcement was Capcom producers were very open, picking NT and telling them to diviate from the series wasn't to promote the arts or bring some unique vision alive, they directly told Eurogamer "we see western action games sell 4-5 million, we want that"
If anything what might have been different about DmC was the negative reaction was more widespread, beyond the typical toxic reactions the wider audience were open about not liking/wanting a "new direction" for DMC and not liking when the fandom & it's criticisms were generalised & dismissed day one
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
If anything what might have been different about DmC was the negative reaction was more widespread, beyond the typical toxic reactions the wider audience were open about not liking/wanting a "new direction" for DMC and not liking when the fandom & it's criticisms were generalised & dismissed day one
We have to acknowledge that yes, internet rhetoric at the time was bad, (even with it getting worse in recent years, arguably not as bad as then) where slurs were often used as casual pejoratives, death threats weren't treated as serious by those making them. But that rhetoric wasn't unique to DmC
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
We have to acknowledge that yes, internet rhetoric at the time was bad, (even with it getting worse in recent years, arguably not as bad as then) where slurs were often used as casual pejoratives, death threats weren't treated as serious by those making them. But that rhetoric wasn't unique to DmC
It's funny Capcom/NT were so antagonistic at times but as stupid as it was there's some explanations (especially stuff coming from Tameem) but I still don't get why majority of press went so hard to bat for DmC. I don't remember Ninja Theory or their games being critical darlings at the time
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
It's funny Capcom/NT were so antagonistic at times but as stupid as it was there's some explanations (especially stuff coming from Tameem) but I still don't get why majority of press went so hard to bat for DmC. I don't remember Ninja Theory or their games being critical darlings at the time
I'm someone who discourages "press vs gamer" discourse because it's a lot of cherry picking & ignoring issues like how review deadlines work, publisher pressure, limited amount of specialists, etc
But I can't believe how the devs and press handled themselves over DmC & the longterm harm it caused
But I can't believe how the devs and press handled themselves over DmC & the longterm harm it caused
December 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I'm someone who discourages "press vs gamer" discourse because it's a lot of cherry picking & ignoring issues like how review deadlines work, publisher pressure, limited amount of specialists, etc
But I can't believe how the devs and press handled themselves over DmC & the longterm harm it caused
But I can't believe how the devs and press handled themselves over DmC & the longterm harm it caused
While I was testing this I loaded up Prince of Persia Sands of Time, I knew that version had more compressed textures but I didn't remember how compressed 90% of the audio was, it's bad enough it made me reconsider my ranking of "Masterpiece" to "Play Elsewhere" though the gameplay was same was xbox
December 14, 2025 at 5:48 AM
While I was testing this I loaded up Prince of Persia Sands of Time, I knew that version had more compressed textures but I didn't remember how compressed 90% of the audio was, it's bad enough it made me reconsider my ranking of "Masterpiece" to "Play Elsewhere" though the gameplay was same was xbox
2nd Test is God of War II, Interlaced (Motion Adapt), SCART RBG, no Splitter
Less noise, less noticable ... patterns, but doesn't support progressive scan. Also my internal capture card has issues with the audio, so likely going to switch back to using my splitter to get direct audio capture
Less noise, less noticable ... patterns, but doesn't support progressive scan. Also my internal capture card has issues with the audio, so likely going to switch back to using my splitter to get direct audio capture
December 14, 2025 at 5:27 AM
2nd Test is God of War II, Interlaced (Motion Adapt), SCART RBG, no Splitter
Less noise, less noticable ... patterns, but doesn't support progressive scan. Also my internal capture card has issues with the audio, so likely going to switch back to using my splitter to get direct audio capture
Less noise, less noticable ... patterns, but doesn't support progressive scan. Also my internal capture card has issues with the audio, so likely going to switch back to using my splitter to get direct audio capture
First Test is God of War II, Progressive Scan, Component Cables via HDMI Splitter.
Pretty good, but my component cables via RetroTink seem to have notable noise (looks like ... ... patterns), but I don't see that noise with the same cables, progressive scan direct to my retro capture card
Pretty good, but my component cables via RetroTink seem to have notable noise (looks like ... ... patterns), but I don't see that noise with the same cables, progressive scan direct to my retro capture card
December 14, 2025 at 5:27 AM
First Test is God of War II, Progressive Scan, Component Cables via HDMI Splitter.
Pretty good, but my component cables via RetroTink seem to have notable noise (looks like ... ... patterns), but I don't see that noise with the same cables, progressive scan direct to my retro capture card
Pretty good, but my component cables via RetroTink seem to have notable noise (looks like ... ... patterns), but I don't see that noise with the same cables, progressive scan direct to my retro capture card
That all being said, Bag Heads are a celebration of the often fodder NPC/enemy design of video game and movies, and the few that are unique designs and characters that buck the trends. Lovable scamps, scarecrows of the internet. If you ever use the imagery or characters for hate, you can feck off
December 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
That all being said, Bag Heads are a celebration of the often fodder NPC/enemy design of video game and movies, and the few that are unique designs and characters that buck the trends. Lovable scamps, scarecrows of the internet. If you ever use the imagery or characters for hate, you can feck off
As silly as it sounds though, yes I do consider my designs and the potential for these bag heads to evoke say, famous hooded hate groups. Call me silly but maybe I care too much, I would feel horrible to do it even by accident & ignorance. If anything I try to fight against my ignorance.
December 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
As silly as it sounds though, yes I do consider my designs and the potential for these bag heads to evoke say, famous hooded hate groups. Call me silly but maybe I care too much, I would feel horrible to do it even by accident & ignorance. If anything I try to fight against my ignorance.
To be fair, yes if you evoked or borrowed imagery that's associated or reminiscent of a hate movement by accident, that doesn't mean you follow or promote said hate.
But to act like that's a pass to still use it? You can't continue to use ignorance once you know, I find it a very weird justification
But to act like that's a pass to still use it? You can't continue to use ignorance once you know, I find it a very weird justification
December 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
To be fair, yes if you evoked or borrowed imagery that's associated or reminiscent of a hate movement by accident, that doesn't mean you follow or promote said hate.
But to act like that's a pass to still use it? You can't continue to use ignorance once you know, I find it a very weird justification
But to act like that's a pass to still use it? You can't continue to use ignorance once you know, I find it a very weird justification
As weird as it might sound yes this is something I've actually had concerns about with my online persona, because even if by accident I would be very upset to find out I was normalising an image/look tied to hatred & bigotry. I will say I'm surprised big streamers don't always act that cautious
December 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
As weird as it might sound yes this is something I've actually had concerns about with my online persona, because even if by accident I would be very upset to find out I was normalising an image/look tied to hatred & bigotry. I will say I'm surprised big streamers don't always act that cautious