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{{Short description|A Canadian narrative development and consultation studio that is based in Montreal.}}
{{Short description|Canadian narrative development and consultation studio}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2024}}
{{Draft topics|internet-culture|media}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{AfC topic|org}}
{{Infobox company
{{AfC submission|||ts=20240307012902|u=Yoshiman6464|ns=118}}
| logo = Sweet Baby Inc. logo.svg
{{AfC submission|t||ts=20240204204505|u=ShirtNShoesPls|ns=118|demo=}}
| logo_alt = Sweet Baby Inc. logo
'''Sweet Baby Inc.''' is a Canadian narrative development and consultation studio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wen |first=Alan |date=2023-12-04 |title=Three considerations for improving diverse game narratives and characters |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/three-considerations-for-improving-diverse-game-narratives-and-characters |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref> The company was established in 2018 in [[Montreal]]. Titles worked on by the company include ''[[God of War Ragnarök|God of War: Ragnarök]]'', ''[[Alan Wake 2]]'', [[Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League|''Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League'']], and ''[[Goodbye Volcano High]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=18 August 2021 |title=Goodbye Volcano High delayed to 2022, narrative reboot announced |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/08/goodbye-volcano-high-delayed-to-2022-narrative-reboot-announced |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}</ref>''<ref>{{Cite web |last=McHenry |first=Kai Ryssdal, Sean |date=2021-09-27 |title=The company working to make the video games industry a safer place |url=https://www.marketplace.org/2021/09/27/this-video-game-company-wants-to-make-the-industry-safer-for-marginalized-people/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Marketplace |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, Sweet Baby CEO Kim Belair was featured at the [[Ubisoft]] session of the [[Game Developers Conference]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Every Ubisoft Session at GDC 2021 |url=https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/2YExlIaI1I1VOAzfeSNw3d/every-ubisoft-session-at-gdc-2021 |access-date=March 7, 2024 |work=news.ubisoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|2018}} in [[Montreal]], Canada
| founders = {{ubl|Kim Belair|Ari MacGillivray}}
| hq_location_city = Montreal
| hq_location_country = Canada
| key_people = {{ubl|Kim Belair ([[CEO]])|David Bédard ([[Chief operating officer|COO]])}}
| num_employees =
| num_employees_year =
| website = {{URL|https://sweetbabyinc.com/}}
}}


'''Sweet Baby Inc.''' is a Canadian narrative development and consultation studio based in [[Montreal]]. Founded by former [[Ubisoft]] developers Kim Belair and Ari MacGillivray, the company consults on video game narratives during [[Video game development|development]] to promote safer working environments and diverse representation within game narratives and studios. Sweet Baby has consulted with several developers and games, including ''[[Sable (video game)|Sable]]'' (2021), ''[[God of War Ragnarök]]'' (2022), and ''[[Alan Wake 2]]'' (2023). The studio came under scrutiny in 2024 by gamers claiming it was promoting a "[[woke]]" agenda and falsely theorizing it had forced developers to make characters [[Black people|black]].
In October 2023, the company first attracted attention on [[KiwiFarms]] after the release of ''[[Alan Wake 2]]'', especially with the false claim that the character Saga Anderson, who is an [[African-American]] woman, was originally a [[White people|white]] woman.<ref name=Kotaku/> In February 2024, the company attracted further negative attention when a [[Steam (service)|Steam]] group called "Sweet Baby Inc." was created. The purpose of that group was to point out video games that had some involvement from the company. The company was also accused by the group of being "[[Woke#2019–present: as a pejorative|woke]]" by focusing on the [[diversity, equity, and inclusion]] in video games.<ref name=Kotaku>{{cite news |last1=Mercante |first1=Alyssa |title=Sweet Baby Inc. Doesn’t Do What Some Gamers Think It Does |url=https://kotaku.com/sweet-baby-inc-consulting-games-alan-wake-2-dei-1851312428 |access-date=March 7, 2024 |work=Kotaku |date=March 6, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> On March 6, 2024, Alyssa Mercante wrote a ''[[Kotaku]]'' where she interviewed Kim Belair. In response to criticisms of the company, Blair claims that "the perspective is never that we’re coming in and injecting diversity...For the most part, it’s the reverse. It’s that a company has created a character and they want to make that character more representative and more interesting."<ref name=Kotaku/>

== History ==
Having worked at [[Ubisoft]] for five years, including two years on a video game that was cancelled,<ref name="Complications"/> Kim Belair felt the [[video game industry]] lacked strong career progression for women and [[marginalized groups]].<ref name="Marketplace"/> After leaving Ubisoft, she worked in a [[freelance]] capacity on an [[afrofuturist]] game by a white, male writing team. Belair worked to hire diverse junior employees. The project was cancelled for budgetary reasons but Belair's work prompted her to consider a consultation studio focusing on diversity.<ref name="Complications"/> She founded Sweet Baby Inc. in [[Montreal]] in 2018 with former Ubisoft developer Ari MacGillivray.<ref name="Marketplace"/><ref name="Complications"/><ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations"/> They were joined by David Bédard, another former Ubisoft developer with whom they had worked on a contracted project.<ref name="Complications"/> Belair became Sweet Baby's [[chief executive officer]] and Bédard the [[chief operating officer]].<ref name="Marketplace"/><ref name="Dot Esports"/> Within the first year, all three were working full time alongside about 12–15 contract employees.<ref name="Complications"/>

[[File:David Bédard, GDC 2019 (20220323 5 2621) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Sweet Baby Inc. [[chief operating officer]] David Bédard in 2019]]

The company consults on game narratives during [[Video game development|development]]. Belair wanted the company to address problems within the industry and promote safer working environments,<ref name="Marketplace"/> including better representation within narratives and diverse development teams with correct and consistent pay, training, and [[Motion picture credits|credits]].<ref name="GamesIndustry Abuse"/> Sweet Baby's goal for inclusivity was to ensure games feature representation within its design and narrative, rather than simply surface-level,<ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations"/> helping to add authenticity at the developers' request.<ref name="Kotaku"/> The company connects marginalized developers with studios when vacancies arise.<ref name="NRC"/> While the studio can be consulted at any point in development, Belair felt it had a better chance at improving games by entering early to avoid removing completed work.<ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations"/>

The studio developed ''Lost Your Marbles'' (2022) for the [[Playdate (console)|Playdate]] handheld console, and formed two teams of around twelve people to assist development of two other Playdate games over six months: ''Recommendation Dog'' and ''Reel Steel'' (both 2023).<ref name="Game Developer Playdate"/><ref name="Edge Playdate"/> Bédard felt undertaking two projects simultaneously was "a bit too ambitious" for the studio due to their differing production schedules.<ref name="Game Developer Playdate"/> Sweet Baby consulted on narrative and characters on ''[[God of War Ragnarök]]'' (2022).<ref name="Dot Esports"/> Its work on the game focused on making Angrboda, a [[Black people|black]] character, more relatable to black audiences, ensuring she was "just a facet of someone else's existence".<ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations"/>

Sweet Baby joined development of ''[[Goodbye Volcano High]]'' (2023) in 2020<ref name="Edge KOOP"/> and led the narrative team after development rebooted in 2021.<ref name="Gematsu KOOP"/> Belair assisted [[Remedy Entertainment]] refine the arc of Saga Anderson, the protagonist of ''[[Alan Wake 2]]'' (2023).<ref name="Game Developer Remedy"/> and worked with A44 Games in developing Nor Vanek, the protagonist of ''[[Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn]]'' (2024).<ref name="Edge Flintlock"/> The studio assisted in writing scripts for ''[[Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League]]'' (2024), focusing on audio logs, [[non-player character]] dialogue, and in-game advertisements, having joined development after the story had been written.<ref name="Kotaku"/>

In January 2024, a [[Steam (service)|Steam]] user created a group listing all of Sweet Baby's work,<ref name="GameStar"/> claiming it was promoting a "[[woke]]" agenda and encouraging players to avoid the games.<ref name="Kotaku"/> The group received increased attention in February when a Sweet Baby employee asked their followers to report it for failing Steam's [[code of conduct]].<ref name="Dot Esports"/> Within weeks, the group had more than 100,000 followers, while a related [[Discord]] server had almost 2,000 members.<ref name="Kotaku"/> Several critics of Sweet Baby theorized the protagonist of ''[[Alan Wake 2]]'' (2023) was [[White people|white]] before the studio's involvement—which game director Kyle Rowley denied—and claimed the studio was responsible for the mixed response to ''Suicide Squad'' instead of developer [[Rocksteady Studios]].<ref name="Kotaku"/><ref name="TheGamer Woke"/> Some falsely claimed the studio added "race and identity group quotas" to their projects.<ref name="Kotaku"/>

Belair responded that Sweet Baby's work was to improve narratives generally rather than being solely focused on diversity and inclusion; she noted that critics felt the studio had simply added [[pride flags]] to ''[[Marvel's Spider-Man 2]]'' (2023) when it had actually provided narrative work.<ref name="Kotaku"/> Sweet Baby's employees faced harassment in response to the backlash, though Belair said the studio continued to operate as normal. ''[[Kotaku]]''{{'}}s Alyssa Mercante compared the "firestorm" to [[GamerGate]].<ref name="Kotaku"/> The studio's partners offered advice on moving past the backlash based on their own experiences with harassment.<ref name="Kotaku"/>

== List of games ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Game
! scope="col" | Developer
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Refh}}
|-
| 2019 || ''[[Neo Cab]]'' || Chance Agency || Writing || align="center" | <ref name="Destructoid KOOP"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2020 || ''[[Dota Underlords]]'' || [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] || Scriptwriting || align="center" | <ref name="Room Escape Artist"/>
|-
| ''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla]]'' || [[Ubisoft Montreal]] || Scriptwriting || align="center" | <ref name="GameStar"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2021 || ''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance]]'' || [[Tuque Games]] || Scriptwriting || align="center" | <ref name="D&D"/>
|-
| ''[[Sable (video game)|Sable]]'' || Shedworks || Writing and characters || align="center" | <ref name="Marketplace"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2022 || ''Lost Your Marbles'' || Sweet Baby Inc. || Full development || align="center" | <ref name="Game Developer Playdate"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''[[God of War Ragnarök]]'' || [[Santa Monica Studio]] || Narrative and character consultation || align="center" | <ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| rowspan="10" | 2023 || ''Recommendation Dog'' || rowspan="2" | Sweet Baby Inc. || rowspan="2" | Full development || align="center" rowspan="2" | <ref name="Game Developer Playdate"/>
|-
| ''Reel Steal''
|-
| ''[[Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew]]'' || [[Mimimi Games]] || Sensitivity reading || align="center" | <ref name="Substack Jan 2024"/>
|-
| ''[[Goodbye Volcano High]]'' || [[KO_OP]] || Narrative direction, design, writing, sensitivity reading || align="center" | <ref name="Gematsu KOOP"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''Quantum Phantom Basketball'' || Brenda Arts || Writing and production || align="center" | <ref name="Substack Jan 2024"/>
|-
| ''[[The Crew Motorfest]]'' || [[Ubisoft Ivory Tower]] || Proofreading, additional writing || align="center" | <ref name="GameStar"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''[[Kingdom Eighties]]'' || [[Fury Studios]] || Additional writing || align="center" | <ref name="Kingdom"/>
|-
| ''[[Marvel's Spider-Man 2]]'' || [[Insomniac Games]] || Story consultation || align="center" | <ref name="Marketplace"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''[[Gotham Knights (video game)|Gotham Knights]]'' || [[WB Games Montréal]] || Scriptwriting || align="center" | <ref name="Gry Online"/>
|-
| ''[[Alan Wake 2]]'' || [[Remedy Entertainment]] || Characters, sensitivity reading || align="center" | <ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2024 || ''[[Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League]]'' || [[Rocksteady Studios]] || Scriptwriting (audio logs, non-player characters) || align="center" | <ref name="Marketplace"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''[[Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn]]'' || A44 Games || Writing and characters || align="center" | <ref name="Edge Flintlock"/>
|-
| ''[[Hyper Light Breaker]]'' || [[Heart Machine]] || Story structure and character development || align="center" | <ref name="Heart Machine"/><ref name="Projects Old"/>
|-
| 2025 || ''[[Usual June]]'' || [[Finji]] || Narrative and characters || align="center" | <ref name="RPS Finji"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| rowspan="5" {{n/a|TBA}} || ''Battle Shapers'' || Metric Empire || Narrative direction, design, writing, world || align="center" | <ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''Breeze in the Clouds'' || Stormy Nights Interactive || Narrative design and consultation || align="center" | <ref name="Projects"/>
|-
| ''[[Contraband (video game)|Contraband]]'' || [[Avalanche Studios]] || Sensitivity reading, scriptwriting || align="center" | <ref name="Projects Old"/>
|-
| ''[[Marvel's Wolverine]]'' || [[Insomniac Games]] || Story consultation || align="center" | <ref name="Marketplace"/>
|-
| ''[[South of Midnight]]'' || [[Compulsion Games]] || Story development, cultural and character consultation || align="center" | <ref name="Xbox Midnight"/><ref name="Projects"/>
|}


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
{{Reflist}}

<ref name="Complications">{{cite web |url=https://complicationsensue.blogspot.com/2020/09/kim-belair-part-one.html |title=Kim Belair, part one |last=Epstein |first=Alex |work=Complications Ensue |date=3 September 2020 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508020108/https://complicationsensue.blogspot.com/2020/09/kim-belair-part-one.html |archivedate=8 May 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="D&D">{{cite video game |title=[[Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance]] |developer=[[Tuque Games]] |publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] |date=22 June 2021 |platform=[[PlayStation 4]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Windows]], [[Xbox One]], [[Xbox Series X/S]] |scene=Credits }}</ref>

<ref name="Destructoid KOOP">{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/goodbye-volcano-high-delay-2022-sweet-baby-koop/ |title=''Goodbye Volcano High'' has been placed in detention until 2022 |last=Moyse |first=Chris |work=[[Destructoid]] |publisher=[[Enthusiast Gaming]] |date=20 August 2021 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819195355/https://www.destructoid.com/goodbye-volcano-high-delay-2022-sweet-baby-koop/ |archivedate=19 August 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Dot Esports">{{cite web |url=https://dotesports.com/general/news/sweet-baby-inc-detected-drama-explained |title=Sweet Baby Inc Detected drama, explained |last=Beckwith |first=Michael |work=[[Dot Esports]] |publisher=[[Gamurs]] |date=6 March 2024 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307011807/https://dotesports.com/general/news/sweet-baby-inc-detected-drama-explained |archivedate=7 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Edge Flintlock">{{cite magazine |title=Lock and Load |pages=50–65 |last=Peel |first=Jeremy |work=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |date=24 March 2022 |issue=370 |issn=1350-1593 }}</ref>

<ref name="Edge KOOP">{{cite magazine |title=''Goodbye Volcano High'' |pages=35–37 |work=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |date=31 December 2020 |issue=354 |issn=1350-1593 }}</ref>

<ref name="Edge Playdate">{{cite magazine |title=Catalog shopping |pages=12–13 |work=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |date=20 April 2023 |issue=384 |issn=1350-1593 }}</ref>

<ref name="Game Developer Playdate">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/inside-the-development-of-playdate-titles-recommendation-dog-and-reel-steal |title=Inside the development of Playdate titles ''Recommendation Dog!!'' and ''Reel Steal'' |last=Kerr |first=Chris |work=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa]] |date=6 April 2023 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405163839/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/inside-the-development-of-playdate-titles-recommendation-dog-and-reel-steal |archivedate=5 April 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Game Developer Remedy">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/why-remedy-entertainment-went-all-in-on-saga-anderson-in-i-alan-wake-2-i- |title=Why Remedy Entertainment went all in on Saga Anderson in ''Alan Wake 2'' |last=Fillari |first=Alessandro |work=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa]] |date=14 November 2023 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113141706/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/why-remedy-entertainment-went-all-in-on-saga-anderson-in-i-alan-wake-2-i- |archivedate=13 November 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="GamesIndustry Abuse">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/we-need-a-movement-to-tackle-systemic-abuse-not-a-moment-opinion |title=We need a movement to tackle systemic abuse, not a moment {{!}} Opinion |last=Belair |first=Kim |work=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |date=7 July 2020 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729214619/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/we-need-a-movement-to-tackle-systemic-abuse-not-a-moment-opinion |archivedate=29 July 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="GamesIndustry Considerations">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/three-considerations-for-improving-diverse-game-narratives-and-characters |title=Three considerations for improving diverse game narratives and characters |last=Wen |first=Alan |work=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |date=4 December 2023 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204150137/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/three-considerations-for-improving-diverse-game-narratives-and-characters |archivedate=4 December 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="GameStar">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/sweet-baby-inc-detected-steam-kurator-hasskampagne,3409770.html |title=Einer der größten Steam-Kuratoren »Sweet Baby Inc detected« schürt aktuell riesige Hass-Kampagne im Netz |language=de |trans-title=One of the largest Steam curators, 'Sweet Baby Inc detected', is currently formenting a huge hate campaign online |work=[[GameStar]] |publisher=[[Webedia]] |date=6 March 2024 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306131405/https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/sweet-baby-inc-detected-steam-kurator-hasskampagne,3409770.html |archivedate=6 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Gematsu KOOP">{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/08/goodbye-volcano-high-delayed-to-2022-narrative-reboot-announced |title=''Goodbye Volcano High'' delayed to 2022, narrative reboot announced |last=Romano |first=Sal |work=Gematsu |date=18 August 2021 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818173532/https://www.gematsu.com/2021/08/goodbye-volcano-high-delayed-to-2022-narrative-reboot-announced |archivedate=18 August 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Gry Online">{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/co-to-jest-sweet-baby-inc-i-dlaczego-gracze-krytykuja-tworcow-wsp/z8287f1 |title=Co to jest Sweet Baby Inc i dlaczego gracze krytykują twórców współpracujących z tą firmą |language=pl |trans-title=What is Sweet Baby Inc and why do players criticize creators working with this company |last=Orzeszek |first=Szymon |work=[[Gry-Online]] |date=6 March 2024 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306140716/https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/co-to-jest-sweet-baby-inc-i-dlaczego-gracze-krytykuja-tworcow-wsp/z8287f1 |archivedate=6 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Heart Machine">{{cite web |url=https://heartmachinez.tumblr.com/post/681918510737358848/heart-to-heart-wkim-belair-narrative-for-hyper |title=Heart to Heart w/Kim Belair: Narrative for ''Hyper Light Braker'' |last=Preston |first=Alx |publisher=[[Heart Machine]] |date=18 April 2022 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419044522/https://heartmachinez.tumblr.com/post/681918510737358848/heart-to-heart-wkim-belair-narrative-for-hyper |archivedate=19 April 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Kingdom">{{cite video game |title=[[Kingdom Eighties]] |developer=[[Fury Studios]] |publisher=[[Raw Fury]] |date=26 June 2023 |platform=[[Windows]] |scene=Credits }}</ref>

<ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/sweet-baby-inc-consulting-games-alan-wake-2-dei-1851312428 |title=Sweet Baby Inc. Doesn't Do What Some Gamers Think It Does |last=Mercante |first=Alyssa |work=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[G/O Media]] |date=6 March 2024 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306175552/https://kotaku.com/sweet-baby-inc-consulting-games-alan-wake-2-dei-1851312428 |archivedate=6 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Marketplace">{{cite web |url=https://www.marketplace.org/2021/09/27/this-video-game-company-wants-to-make-the-industry-safer-for-marginalized-people/ |title=This video game company wants to make the industry safer for marginalized people |last1=Ryssdal |first1=Kai |last2=McHenry |first2=Sean |work=[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]] |date=27 September 2021 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928050928/https://www.marketplace.org/2021/09/27/this-video-game-company-wants-to-make-the-industry-safer-for-marginalized-people/ |archivedate=28 September 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="NRC">{{cite magazine |title=De maatschappij sijpelt de gamewereld in |language=nl |trans-title=Society seeps into the gaming world |pages=E16–E17 |last=Hermus |first=Simoon |work=[[NRC Handelsblad]] |publisher=[[Mediahuis]] |date=8 May 2021 |volume=51 |number=185 }}</ref>

<ref name="Projects">{{cite web |url=https://sweetbabyinc.com/projects/ |title=Projects |publisher=Sweet Baby Inc. |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306150820/https://sweetbabyinc.com/projects/ |archivedate=6 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Projects Old">{{cite web |url=https://sweetbabyinc.com/projects/ |title=Projects |publisher=Sweet Baby Inc. |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240130224558/https://sweetbabyinc.com/projects/ |archivedate=30 January 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="Room Escape Artist">{{cite conference |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4nynKEeRfg |title=VIDEO GAME ROOTS: The talk you want to attend even if you're not a gamer |last1=Spira |first1=David |last2=Belair |first2=Kim |last3=MacGillivray |first3=Ari |last4=Bédard |first4=David |conference=The Reality Escape Convention |date=23 August 2020 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/A4nynKEeRfg |archivedate=7 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="RPS Finji">{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/finji-reveal-spooky-action-mystery-adventure-usual-june |title=Finji reveal spooky action mystery adventure ''Usual June'' |last=Castle |first=Katharine |work=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |date=8 December 2023 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208042718/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/finji-reveal-spooky-action-mystery-adventure-usual-june |archivedate=8 December 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Substack Jan 2024">{{cite web |url=https://sweetbabynews.substack.com/p/january-brought-to-you-by-baby-power |title=January, brought to you by Baby Power |last=Bédard |first=David |publisher=Sweet Baby Inc. |date=11 January 2024 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113055257/https://sweetbabynews.substack.com/p/january-brought-to-you-by-baby-power |archivedate=13 January 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="TheGamer Woke">{{cite web |url=https://www.thegamer.com/going-after-alan-wake-2-for-being-woke-really-gives-the-game-away/ |title=Going After ''Alan Wake 2'' For Being "Woke" Really Gives The Game Away |last=Switzer |first=Eric |work=TheGamer |publisher=Valnet |date=5 March 2024 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305210404/https://www.thegamer.com/going-after-alan-wake-2-for-being-woke-really-gives-the-game-away/ |archivedate=5 March 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Xbox Midnight">{{cite web |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/06/11/south-of-midnight-interview-details/ |title=''South of Midnight'': The Hidden Details in that Gorgeous Reveal Trailer – Exclusive Interview |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |work=[[Xbox Wire]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=11 June 2023 |accessdate=7 March 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611171527/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/06/11/south-of-midnight-interview-details/ |archivedate=11 June 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}


== External websites ==
== External links ==
* [https://sweetbabyinc.com/ Official website]
* {{Official website|https://sweetbabyinc.com/}}


[[Category:Canadian companies established in 2018]]
[[Category:2018 establishments in Quebec]]
[[Category:Canadian consultants]]
{{Drafts moved from mainspace|date=February 2024}}
[[Category:Companies based in Montreal]]
[[Category:Diversity (business)]]
[[Category:Diversity in computing]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 2018]]
[[Category:Video game companies of Canada]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]

Revision as of 04:15, 7 March 2024

Sweet Baby Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryVideo games
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018) in Montreal, Canada
Founders
  • Kim Belair
  • Ari MacGillivray
Headquarters
Montreal
,
Canada
Key people
  • Kim Belair (CEO)
  • David Bédard (COO)
Number of employees
16 (2024) Edit this on Wikidata
Websitesweetbabyinc.com

Sweet Baby Inc. is a Canadian narrative development and consultation studio based in Montreal. Founded by former Ubisoft developers Kim Belair and Ari MacGillivray, the company consults on video game narratives during development to promote safer working environments and diverse representation within game narratives and studios. Sweet Baby has consulted with several developers and games, including Sable (2021), God of War Ragnarök (2022), and Alan Wake 2 (2023). The studio came under scrutiny in 2024 by gamers claiming it was promoting a "woke" agenda and falsely theorizing it had forced developers to make characters black.

History

Having worked at Ubisoft for five years, including two years on a video game that was cancelled,[1] Kim Belair felt the video game industry lacked strong career progression for women and marginalized groups.[2] After leaving Ubisoft, she worked in a freelance capacity on an afrofuturist game by a white, male writing team. Belair worked to hire diverse junior employees. The project was cancelled for budgetary reasons but Belair's work prompted her to consider a consultation studio focusing on diversity.[1] She founded Sweet Baby Inc. in Montreal in 2018 with former Ubisoft developer Ari MacGillivray.[2][1][3] They were joined by David Bédard, another former Ubisoft developer with whom they had worked on a contracted project.[1] Belair became Sweet Baby's chief executive officer and Bédard the chief operating officer.[2][4] Within the first year, all three were working full time alongside about 12–15 contract employees.[1]

Sweet Baby Inc. chief operating officer David Bédard in 2019

The company consults on game narratives during development. Belair wanted the company to address problems within the industry and promote safer working environments,[2] including better representation within narratives and diverse development teams with correct and consistent pay, training, and credits.[5] Sweet Baby's goal for inclusivity was to ensure games feature representation within its design and narrative, rather than simply surface-level,[3] helping to add authenticity at the developers' request.[6] The company connects marginalized developers with studios when vacancies arise.[7] While the studio can be consulted at any point in development, Belair felt it had a better chance at improving games by entering early to avoid removing completed work.[3]

The studio developed Lost Your Marbles (2022) for the Playdate handheld console, and formed two teams of around twelve people to assist development of two other Playdate games over six months: Recommendation Dog and Reel Steel (both 2023).[8][9] Bédard felt undertaking two projects simultaneously was "a bit too ambitious" for the studio due to their differing production schedules.[8] Sweet Baby consulted on narrative and characters on God of War Ragnarök (2022).[4] Its work on the game focused on making Angrboda, a black character, more relatable to black audiences, ensuring she was "just a facet of someone else's existence".[3]

Sweet Baby joined development of Goodbye Volcano High (2023) in 2020[10] and led the narrative team after development rebooted in 2021.[11] Belair assisted Remedy Entertainment refine the arc of Saga Anderson, the protagonist of Alan Wake 2 (2023).[12] and worked with A44 Games in developing Nor Vanek, the protagonist of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (2024).[13] The studio assisted in writing scripts for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024), focusing on audio logs, non-player character dialogue, and in-game advertisements, having joined development after the story had been written.[6]

In January 2024, a Steam user created a group listing all of Sweet Baby's work,[14] claiming it was promoting a "woke" agenda and encouraging players to avoid the games.[6] The group received increased attention in February when a Sweet Baby employee asked their followers to report it for failing Steam's code of conduct.[4] Within weeks, the group had more than 100,000 followers, while a related Discord server had almost 2,000 members.[6] Several critics of Sweet Baby theorized the protagonist of Alan Wake 2 (2023) was white before the studio's involvement—which game director Kyle Rowley denied—and claimed the studio was responsible for the mixed response to Suicide Squad instead of developer Rocksteady Studios.[6][15] Some falsely claimed the studio added "race and identity group quotas" to their projects.[6]

Belair responded that Sweet Baby's work was to improve narratives generally rather than being solely focused on diversity and inclusion; she noted that critics felt the studio had simply added pride flags to Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (2023) when it had actually provided narrative work.[6] Sweet Baby's employees faced harassment in response to the backlash, though Belair said the studio continued to operate as normal. Kotaku's Alyssa Mercante compared the "firestorm" to GamerGate.[6] The studio's partners offered advice on moving past the backlash based on their own experiences with harassment.[6]

List of games

Year Game Developer Role Ref.
2019 Neo Cab Chance Agency Writing [16]
2020 Dota Underlords Valve Scriptwriting [17]
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ubisoft Montreal Scriptwriting [14]
2021 Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance Tuque Games Scriptwriting [18]
Sable Shedworks Writing and characters [2][19]
2022 Lost Your Marbles Sweet Baby Inc. Full development [8][19]
God of War Ragnarök Santa Monica Studio Narrative and character consultation [3][19]
2023 Recommendation Dog Sweet Baby Inc. Full development [8]
Reel Steal
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew Mimimi Games Sensitivity reading [20]
Goodbye Volcano High KO_OP Narrative direction, design, writing, sensitivity reading [11][19]
Quantum Phantom Basketball Brenda Arts Writing and production [20]
The Crew Motorfest Ubisoft Ivory Tower Proofreading, additional writing [14][19]
Kingdom Eighties Fury Studios Additional writing [21]
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Insomniac Games Story consultation [2][19]
Gotham Knights WB Games Montréal Scriptwriting [22]
Alan Wake 2 Remedy Entertainment Characters, sensitivity reading [3][19]
2024 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Rocksteady Studios Scriptwriting (audio logs, non-player characters) [2][19]
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn A44 Games Writing and characters [13]
Hyper Light Breaker Heart Machine Story structure and character development [23][24]
2025 Usual June Finji Narrative and characters [25][19]
TBA Battle Shapers Metric Empire Narrative direction, design, writing, world [19]
Breeze in the Clouds Stormy Nights Interactive Narrative design and consultation [19]
Contraband Avalanche Studios Sensitivity reading, scriptwriting [24]
Marvel's Wolverine Insomniac Games Story consultation [2]
South of Midnight Compulsion Games Story development, cultural and character consultation [26][19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Epstein, Alex (3 September 2020). "Kim Belair, part one". Complications Ensue. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ryssdal, Kai; McHenry, Sean (27 September 2021). "This video game company wants to make the industry safer for marginalized people". Marketplace. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Wen, Alan (4 December 2023). "Three considerations for improving diverse game narratives and characters". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Beckwith, Michael (6 March 2024). "Sweet Baby Inc Detected drama, explained". Dot Esports. Gamurs. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  5. ^ Belair, Kim (7 July 2020). "We need a movement to tackle systemic abuse, not a moment | Opinion". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mercante, Alyssa (6 March 2024). "Sweet Baby Inc. Doesn't Do What Some Gamers Think It Does". Kotaku. G/O Media. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  7. ^ Hermus, Simoon (8 May 2021). "De maatschappij sijpelt de gamewereld in" [Society seeps into the gaming world]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Vol. 51, no. 185. Mediahuis. pp. E16–E17.
  8. ^ a b c d Kerr, Chris (6 April 2023). "Inside the development of Playdate titles Recommendation Dog!! and Reel Steal". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Catalog shopping". Edge. No. 384. Future plc. 20 April 2023. pp. 12–13. ISSN 1350-1593.
  10. ^ "Goodbye Volcano High". Edge. No. 354. Future plc. 31 December 2020. pp. 35–37. ISSN 1350-1593.
  11. ^ a b Romano, Sal (18 August 2021). "Goodbye Volcano High delayed to 2022, narrative reboot announced". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  12. ^ Fillari, Alessandro (14 November 2023). "Why Remedy Entertainment went all in on Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  13. ^ a b Peel, Jeremy (24 March 2022). "Lock and Load". Edge. No. 370. Future plc. pp. 50–65. ISSN 1350-1593.
  14. ^ a b c "Einer der größten Steam-Kuratoren »Sweet Baby Inc detected« schürt aktuell riesige Hass-Kampagne im Netz" [One of the largest Steam curators, 'Sweet Baby Inc detected', is currently formenting a huge hate campaign online]. GameStar (in German). Webedia. 6 March 2024. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  15. ^ Switzer, Eric (5 March 2024). "Going After Alan Wake 2 For Being "Woke" Really Gives The Game Away". TheGamer. Valnet. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  16. ^ Moyse, Chris (20 August 2021). "Goodbye Volcano High has been placed in detention until 2022". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  17. ^ Spira, David; Belair, Kim; MacGillivray, Ari; Bédard, David (23 August 2020). VIDEO GAME ROOTS: The talk you want to attend even if you're not a gamer. The Reality Escape Convention. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  18. ^ Tuque Games (22 June 2021). Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S). Wizards of the Coast. Scene: Credits.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Projects". Sweet Baby Inc. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  20. ^ a b Bédard, David (11 January 2024). "January, brought to you by Baby Power". Sweet Baby Inc. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  21. ^ Fury Studios (26 June 2023). Kingdom Eighties (Windows). Raw Fury. Scene: Credits.
  22. ^ Orzeszek, Szymon (6 March 2024). "Co to jest Sweet Baby Inc i dlaczego gracze krytykują twórców współpracujących z tą firmą" [What is Sweet Baby Inc and why do players criticize creators working with this company]. Gry-Online (in Polish). Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  23. ^ Preston, Alx (18 April 2022). "Heart to Heart w/Kim Belair: Narrative for Hyper Light Braker". Heart Machine. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Projects". Sweet Baby Inc. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  25. ^ Castle, Katharine (8 December 2023). "Finji reveal spooky action mystery adventure Usual June". Rock Paper Shotgun. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  26. ^ Skrebels, Joe (11 June 2023). "South of Midnight: The Hidden Details in that Gorgeous Reveal Trailer – Exclusive Interview". Xbox Wire. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
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