On Wednesday, RockPaperShotgun conducted an interview with Peter Molyneux, one of the most famed and controversial game designers of our time. Though, this wasn’t a standard interview. Far from it.
The questions asked weren’t the kind meant to give Molyneux a platform to talk about what’s up and coming in his career. Instead, it was very negative in tone, focusing on a side of his career that he would prefer to keep hidden in the closet.
Here are just some of the questions and comments delivered to Molyneux:
Do you think that you’re a pathological liar?
I’m trying to establish that you don’t tell the truth.
I think the industry would be better without your lying a lot.
It goes without saying that Molyneux didn’t have much fun during the interview.
The negativity of the interview stemmed from a long history of over-promising by Molyneux. You could trace it back to 2000 before the debut of Black & White, although 2004’s Fable is the game that brought him into the controversial spotlight. As with games that would follow, including the most recent Godus, features were said to be coming to the game that never materialized. Gamers wouldn’t soon forget.
So, some gamers hold a grudge, enough that they avoid games designed by Molyneux. Meanwhile, RockPaperShotgun used its platform to publicly shame him.
It seems that the interview pushed him over the edge. Speaking to The Guardian, Molyneux has said:
It’s over, I will not speak to the press again.
Molyneux has always been a very outspoken individual, so I can’t imagine him avoiding the press for the rest of his life. But damage has been done. Some consider his interview with RockPaperShotgun long-awaited justice, while others (including myself) see it as out of line.
Related: The 21-Year-Old Who Was Screwed Over by Molyneux Speaks Out
The real question should be whether or not someone who designs video games for a living deserves to be treated so poorly. Your answer should be no. Peter Molyneux and his over-promising is a product of his infinite amount of enthusiasm for everything he works on. You can believe him or not when he talks about how far he’ll push for his upcoming game, but it shouldn’t be reason to treat him like a felon.
