In a heartfelt message posted on Twitter today, Spiritfarer developer Thunderlotus Games has apologized for some of the dialogue in its charming management title that can be seen as ableist. For those unaware, the game puts players into the role of a young woman that helps ease different spirits into the afterlife. Throughout your journey, these spirits will explain their regrets and that's where the dialogue, in question, comes from.
Some players brought up the character of Gustav, an owl that had spent his life in a wheelchair. He expresses some regret over that and the way the text is written, it could be seen as ableist. Having never dealt with such an issue, it never occurred to me that this text could be seen as such. That is also what Thunderlotus expressed in its apology.
That isn't an excuse for ignorance, but the team isn't going to leave said dialogue in Spiritfarer. After a thorough examination of all the text present in the game, Thunderlotus will issue a patch to correct any errors or judgmental text that is present. This should ensure that people no matter their medical conditions can enjoy the heartwarming story that is at the core of Spiritfarer.
There's no timeframe for when the patch will arrive, but it should be available before the end of this year. I, myself, even have to apologize as I missed the dialogue in question. To anyone that is failing to see the issue, let this be an opportunity to expand your mind and learn how others feel. We aren't all given the same chances in life and we need to strive to do better by each other to make this world more accommodating and welcoming.
Considering that the main theme of Spiritfarer is expressing comfort and happiness, I don't see how anyone could have a problem with this change. Just as the protagonist wishes to extend her hand in help, we too should be congratulating Thunderlotus for committing to fixing this problem.
If this news has made you more interested in Spiritfarer, the game is currently available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Stadia. It is included on both PC and Xbox One as a part of Xbox Game Pass.
Source: Twitter