I'm here with a new post that left me shocked. I was playing the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Open Beta and it became a blast. I already came up with a team to use in the full game. I can't reveal it just yet. I'm probably gonna get the PC version. It's not just the fact that PlayStation is ending discs for games that release in 2028 in a way to shift to an all-digital format, but not for games that release prior to 2028. I can only play PS4 games that are stored in my 4TB hard drive. I'm getting the PC version so that I can have free online multiplayer. However, the PC version has some gameplay and performance issues during the Open Beta like the stuttering in logos, which can be fixed in the full game.
The best thing about this is that I have submitted my logo request for this game to the YouTube logo channel called Broken Saw to indicate that even though I am into the ones in retro generations, I can also submit my logo requests for games that came out in the 8th and 9th generations of gaming. They also have logo flows that meet the criteria I have set on the post that talks about my interest in submitting video game logos and Marvel Tokon is essentially one of them to meet the criteria. I wouldn't give Broken Saw a tough time, so I put it on hold due to limiting 10 submissions per user as of writing this post. I'll tell you about my overall experience with Marvel Tokon in a future post where I reveal what team I am using.
As a video game fan, I did express my interest to Broken Saw about submitting logos that take place in video games, both in the retro and modern generations. Only the ones that meet my criteria, including Marvel Tokon.
After the Marvel Tokon Open Beta ended, I have came across something that shocked me and came out of the blue. This is in regards to the situation about someone who was accused in the past is involved in the development of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, an Aquapazza-like fighting game that is developed by Gameplay Group International. You might know that they are the same developers that made Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age. The PS5 and Steam versions are available to play, The Switch 2 version will release later on this year with the Standard Edition only. For the Xbox side of things, it has been delayed to September 3 due to unforseen circumstances. Is it someone dying? Is the team facing layoffs? Is there a conspiracy? No, no and no.
Avatar Legends became the source of scrutiny earlier this month when Paramount Games confirmed that they found someone who is accused in the past working at Gameplay Group International as an individual contributor. Guess who Paramount found. Mike Zaimont. That is ridiculous. There's no way an accused individual or a Maverick like Mike Zaimont would have a future in the game industry after he destroyed Lab Zero with his refusal to leave the company, right? Well, I decided to go even deeper.
Six years later, Lab Zero Games posted a joint statement saying that Mariel Cartwright, Francesca Esquenazi and Mike Zaimont have agreed to resolve the lawsuit relating to the events at Lab Zero in 2020. The lawsuit was aborted and Mike remains passionate about game development and looks forward to continuing to create new games and contribute to the community through Lab Zero. I just can't wrap my head around this! I thought a Maverick like Mike Zaimont is not supposed to have a future in the game industry! Not especially since he sexually harassed his fellow employees. But how is that even possible?! There is one person who is responsible of this. That person is Christine Christina Seeyle. What did she do?
Back in 2023, three years after Mike was accused of sexual harassment, Seeyle was pressed by PC Gamer about his work on Diesel Legacy. Do you know what Seeyle has done? I think you can guess. She approved Mike Zaimont's continued involvement in the game industry and his employment and defended her decision, acknowledging the validity of past allegations and went on to say, "He wanted the opportunity to have the redemptive arc that's in so many stories they love." I just... I just... I can't believe this... Look, can I be candid for a moment please? Will you spare a video gamer extraordinaire to just rant? Because there are a few words to express how shocked I am about this.
2020 literally became a year filled with a slew of situations. During the One More Once stream in 2020, Mike Zaimont has caused the backlash by making a dark and sadistic "I can't breathe" joke following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Derek Chauvin. People had uninstalled Skullgirls in making calls to get it off Evo, until he apologized about making a much too soon joke. I understand what he meant by much too soon because he should've waited until the stream is over before making that sadistic joke.
And Joey Cuellar, former Evo president, was exposed a pedophile after the part in Mikey's story went public that he paid young boys tokens to take off their clothes and jump in water hazard pools in the miniature golf joint and Mikey $20 to show his... donkey in the restroom. Hearing Mikey's allegations made players and supporters to withdraw from Evo Online in solidarity with those who has spoken out against abuse, like MANE6, NetherRealm Studios, Capcom and Bandai Namco.
Then we heard that Mike sexually harassed the two gamer girls. But I don't want to put a slant on them because sexually harassing those who are not a part of the game industry is something I understand. Then he did that to his fellow employees also! That caused his fellow employees to leave Lab Zero and establish Future Club in September. That's how extra stuff were scrapped for Indivisible.
Not only that, Hidden Variable made a statement saying that they are no longer working with Lab Zero Games or Mike and they plan to work with people who left Lab Zero to bring future Skullgirls content for years to come. In fact, Skullgirls stays alive because of the fact that a publisher like Autumn Games is the holder of the Skullgirls IP, which is a safe method. And despite the allegations, Mike Zaimont was involved in the development of the rollback netcode patch for Guilty Gear XX: Accent Core Plus and was suspended from it.
The thing is, the gaming industry does a scrutiny on turmoils in the space and states how important it is to create a welcoming space and says, "We must make a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. It is important to maintain it so that everyone can feel welcoming."
But three years later, do you know what happened? Seeyle sat there and redeemed Mike Zaimont. But look, before I continue, I want to go for the record saying that Mike is not a pedophile because he hadn't abused a minor. Pedophiles are worse than sexual harassers. It doesn't deserve a slant. But if you look at him through an objective pair of status lens, he is NOT an ideal candidate for a redemption stick, okay? You can't sit there and tell me, "They wanted to have the redemption arc." No, they do not. I'm sorry.
Mike sexually harassed his fellow employees that left Lab Zero, then the extra stuff for Indivisible were scrapped. Like, this is bullcrap! Why is she using a redemption stick on a person who never abused a minor, but accused of sexual harassment in the past? She should know that those who are accused of sexual harassment and destroyed the company SHOULD NOT be given a second chance at the game industry, period! You can compare that to the part where Joey Cuellar was exposed a pedophile. You can compare that to Mario and Sonic. You can compare that to the situation in Mega Man X: Command Mission and be like, "Hey, we can extrapolate success of the game industry and redeem ourselves!" This is just pure bullcrap.
How dare you sit there and redeem Mike Zaimont over Isaiah Turner, Tom Cannon or Seth Killian or any of the other treasure trove of talented and legendary individuals that the game industry is currently sitting on, and you turned around and employed that scummy individual? This is just bull! Again, Mike never abused a minor, so I'll give it credit and you should too. But while a scummy person, NOT a good choice!
To layer on top of this garbage fest with the garbage with poop smelling like sausage, Seeyle, that person doesn't deserve a redemption arc! When he sexually harassed his fellow employees, they left to form their own studio where Mike will never be a part of. It subsequently scrapped all of the extra stuff for Indivisible because of his refusal to leave the company. Then when we found out that Mike was working on the rollback netcode patch for Guilty Gear XX: Accent Core Plus despite the incident, they immediately regretted playing it. Then we heard nothing from him for three years. Then we found out that Mike was involved in the development of Diesel Legacy. That person is not the right candidate for a redemption arc.
And then, we found out that the Xbox release of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game was delayed due to facing unforseen circumstances because we found out that Mike was also involved despite allegations of sexual harassment from six years ago. Now, listen, I know he is autistic, but autism is clearly NOT an excuse for egregious behavior! I don't get it. I can't believe this. I just don't understand why Seeyle given the sexual harasser a second chance in the game industry.
I gotta calm myself down and lay off of my personal backlash because that part I came across fired me up. I am basically and genuinely passionate about this situation. I do have a scintilla of interest in getting Avatar Legends. It's three reasons.
One is because of being an Aquapazza-like fighting game. I played Aquapazza before. It was a really niche game for the PS3 with characters from the Aquaplus visual novels and I loved it. Avatar Legends became an Aquapazza-like fighting game in terms of gameplay and selecting playable and assist characters.
The second reason is an opportunity to play this game on the behalf of people who are never accused. Since this game is making a first appearance on Evo France like Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is, they will be playing it there, but not on Mike's behalf.
The third reason is to add this game and Marvel Tokon to my livestreaming arsenal with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and 2XKO. I am investing in an Ethernet cord to fight lag and have a stable online experience so that I can play my matches well in these games without experiencing any lag with the exception of the lag from the ISP.
See, I realized why I kept on experiencing the error screen in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. I was using Wi-Fi. Investing in an Ethernet cord remedies that and that's gonna be my new standard going forward, especially if its made to provide a stable experience until Wifi 8 comes out to provide stability as a wired conection. I didn't sign up for the Avatar Legends Closed Beta, but I did sign up for the Marvel Tokon Betas. The Open Beta was a blast that I already came up with a team to use in the full game. I hope the game industry explores hiring Isaiah Turner, Tom Cannon, Seth Killian or again, anyone else in a giant pile of talented individuals!
The point is... *sigh* Seeyle, Seelye, Seeyle, please reverse your decision to go Maverick and redeem Mike Zaimont, because as I have said before, he shouldn't be having a future in the industry, period. What we really want is a safe and welcoming environment.
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