
As a gamer reflecting on the past, I can’t help but feel a wave of disbelief when the topic of Hi-Rez’s cringe-worthy moment arises. A fellow community member, TraumaHunter, aptly summed up our shared feelings by saying, “It’s unusual for game developers to celebrate others’ pain, but perhaps this was during the ‘good times’ before the wave of layoffs.” Essentially, if Hi-Rez had shown more empathy towards the developers and fans who poured their souls into Paragon, that video might have landed differently. With the gaming industry experiencing its share of heartbreaking closures, their celebratory tone seemed not just off-key, but bewildering to those of us who remember the strong bonds within our gaming community.