Game developer teases school shooting level, gets dropped by publisher

‘Ready Or Not’ developer VOID Interactive has announced that it’s parting with publisher Team17 shortly after indicating plans for a level set during a school shooting.

The tactical first-person shooter ‘Ready Or Not’ sees players take on the role of SWAT team members alongside AI or other gamers and deal with various situations that the special police force might deal with in real life, such as hostage situations, robberies, drug busts, and the like. 

But several days after one of the game’s developers confirmed a future update would include a level set during a school shooting, the publishing company Team17 announced it would no longer take part in the project. VOID Interactive, the studio behind the game, took to Twitter to announce the split.

While there hasn’t been any official indication that the breakup occurred specifically because of the controversial unreleased level, Team17 confirmed in an email to Kotaku that the split had been “mutually agreed upon” and that it wished VOID Interactive “all the best for the future and the continued development of the game.”

The game itself has been available on Steam’s Early Access program since December 17, and has already gained quite a few fans and more than 8,500 ‘overwhelmingly positive’ reviews, many of which praise its quality and design, highlighting its realism and its implementation of tactical elements. Many are hailing ‘Ready Or Not’ as a worthy successor to the ‘SWAT’ game series.

However, the announcement of a potential school shooting level has drawn a mixed reaction from the fanbase. Some players think it’s a “cool idea” and are excited to play it, with some having even specifically asked the developers to include such a level. But considering the drastic increase in school shootings in the US in the past few years, others have decried the idea as “problematic” on too many levels, with one describing those who requested such a level as “f***ing weirdos.”

Whatever the case, the level has not been officially confirmed yet, so it’s not yet known whether it will actually make it into the game. However, given that VOID Interactive has essentially become an independent developer, there is now much less in its way should it indeed decide to go ahead with the school shooting scenario in its game. And considering the release trailer for the game included a scene of someone hiding under a desk, the inclusion now seems more likely than ever.