SBI's South of Midnight: A Crushing Launch Failure

Unfortunately, Sweet Baby Inc and its CEO Kim Belair have suffered another heavy setback as their newest project, South of Midnight, was released with disappointing outcomes.

The initial Xbox Game Pass presentation, intended to highlight games, evolved into another reminder of the consequences when political identities overshadow the quality of gameplay.

Disastrous Launch Numbers Speak Volumes

Despite some advocates attempting to lessen the impact by emphasizing Game Pass accessibility, the actual picture is revealed by the raw data. On Steam, which remains a significant indicator of public enthusiasm, the game “South of Midnight” managed barely over 1,000 simultaneous players on its launch day. Even this relatively low number would have been disappointing, according to SmashJT, one of the more prominent independent gaming critics, but this game didn’t even reach that figure.

Pause for a moment: A game developed by a studio owned by Microsoft was unveiled, spotlighted at significant events, yet managed to garner less than 10,000 players on Steam, the most popular PC gaming platform globally.

Narrative Over Gameplay—The Sweet Baby Inc Formula

Could it be due to the extensive involvement of Sweet Baby Inc, as seen by their distinct footprints everywhere on the project, that led to such poor results?

Sweet Baby Inc, once recognized primarily for their “narrative consulting,” is now often seen as a prominent representative of ideologically driven storytelling in video games. Players have begun to notice a recurring trend: the core gaming experience tends to be overshadowed by social messages or agendas.

And South of Midnight fits that pattern perfectly.

A now-viral post from @HubBandar on X summed up the player sentiment,

#SouthofMidnight‘s writer.
No wonder the characters and story are trash.

— Bandar Hub (@HubBandar) April 8, 2025

The creator behind #SouthofMidnight is praised, yet the quality of characters and narrative seems lacking.” This revised sentence maintains the original sentiment while also being more respectful and less confrontational, aligning with the positive tone of the video’s message about inclusion and representation.

The open associations of the creative team have added more intensity to the situation. The studio’s community manager, who goes by Pikachulita online, has a past filled with controversial speech, which has been extensively critiqued and reported by impartial reviewers such as SmashJT.

Her prominent position in advertising the game strongly suggested that the project’s primary focus was on gaining popularity rather than catering to gamers.

7.5 Hours of Boredom? Critics Slam the Content

Despite the player count not being favorable, the very essence of the game is receiving widespread ridicule. Even for a modest indie title, complete playthroughs on YouTube barely reach 7.5 hours, which is astonishingly short, especially considering it’s supposed to be a top-tier offering from a first-party studio.

Steam user reviews echo the disillusionment.

User Xani commented: “It appears quite intriguing. So far, there seems to be no DEI-rot in the game. However, the gameplay is rather dull and unengaging. After 1.5 hours of play, I found myself questioning whether I wanted to carry on. In response, I decided that I didn’t.

It’s not merely a poor critique; it’s effectively a fatal verdict. If gamers are abandoning the game before even reaching the midpoint, it signifies a catastrophic failure in the most essential aspect of game development.

Compulsion Games Blocking Critics?

Making matters worse is Compulsion Games’ baffling public behavior.

If you take pride in what you’ve created, constructive criticism is something you embrace. On the other hand, if you recognize that what you’ve made is a dud, you tend to avoid it. At this moment, Compulsion Games seems to be steering clear of their project.

Sony May Have Already Pulled the Plug on Sweet Baby Inc

For Sweet Baby Inc, the fall of South of Midnight couldn’t have happened at a more inconvenient moment, given the fresh whispers suggesting that Sony is in the process of cutting ties with the contentious advisory agency.

Previously mentioned, Gothic Therapy disclosed an insider’s confirmation that Sony (PlayStation) is terminating projects associated with SBI, a significant move in the gaming industry from one of its major contributors.

The leaked information suggests that these decisions weren’t made in isolation. Instead, they were strategic, intentional terminations, indicating that Sweet Baby Inc’s role was perceived as a risk rather than a benefit.

It’s not yet verified, but the timing suggests a possible link to rumors that Sony put several games in development on hold earlier this year. If any of these games were influenced by the narrative style of SBI, the implication is evident: studios are starting to reassess the price they pay when they emphasize ideology over gameplay.

Now, with South of Midnight officially flopping, that decision may look more justified than ever.

Another Loss for Kim Belair’s Empire

Without openly admitting it, gamers have come to view Sweet Baby Inc as a potential burden or risk.

It’s hard to overlook the pattern – any game they involve seems to become a disappointing, overly politicized debacle instead. If South of Midnight was intended as a turning point, it ended up having quite the opposite effect.

As the field subtly debates the importance of storyline advisors, it’s evident that Sweet Baby Inc isn’t merely decreasing in power; they’re also seeing a decline in their audience base.

2025-04-08 23:56

SBI’s South of Midnight: A Crushing Launch Failure