Paradox CEO apologises for “inappropriate behaviour” in 2018

Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester addresses own “inappropriate behaviour” in 2018

Recently reappointed CEO Fredrik Wester of Paradox Interactive has posted a Twitter thread addressing his own “inappropriate behaviour” during a 2018 company-wide conference.

“This was something I immediately and sincerely apologized for in person the following Monday in a process reviewed by HR,” he explained. A union-led staff survey was leaked to the press.

• Paradox has around 400 employees in Sweden
• 133 chose to participate in a union-led survey
• About 44% experienced ‘mistreatment’ at work
• 69% of surveyed female staff felt ‘mistreated’
• Women accounted for a quarter of respondents

’Deep regret’: “It has never been my intention to make anyone uncomfortable around me, but that is still what happened, much to my regret.” Wester says he’s been working with a “coach and mentor”.

Unrelated exit: “…this had nothing to do with me resigning as CEO in 2018,” explaining it was “planned for over 6 months at the time” when he stepped away. Paradox Interactive is currently pursuing a third-party company audit.

What was the first Driver game that let players get out of their vehicles?

a) Driver
b) Driver 2
c) Driver 3
d) Driver: L.A. Undercover

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today's issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.

Taking Grimy, Gory Gigs in Mechajammer

Making classic cyberpunk is like making a good burger; if it’s lacking grease, you made it wrong. Thus, it was quite refreshing when Whalenought Studios announced Mechajammer: a sleazy RPG inspired by 80s films and tabletop rulesets.

It might sound weird to mix nerdy rules with a grimy aesthetic, but it fits well if you’re a sucker for old school RPGs. So much so that it won an award from PC Gamer’s 2021 Best of E3.

• Crashing into Hell: Mechajammer takes place in a dystopic colony located in an offworld jungle, filled with desperate people. To fit with that desperation, Combat takes a “simultaneous turn-based” approach that gives it a madcap-frenzy.
  • Like plenty of RPGs, you’re given a wide variety of mechanics and skills to face multiple issues. For instance, we were able to persuade vagrants to fight for us instead of getting our own hands dirty in the game’s preview. 
  • This freedom is both a blessing and curse, letting you explore to your heart's content. But that also means it's easy to get lost if you’re not paying attention. 
• Building You: One of Mechajammer’s most distinct systems is its character creator. Rather than simply putting points in stats, you instead put extra dice into the rolls alongside the modifiers that come from your character’s life story.
  • If a skill doesn’t have a die, you only have a ⅙ chance to succeed. It’s not just a cool way to approach tabletop mechanics, it helps give Mechajammer its unique qualities. 
• For the Classic Fans: While Mechajammer’s rule-intensive and hands-off approach to gaming might be overwhelming to some, it’s a perfect fit for people who missed the more complex approach of games like Fallout 1 and Baldur's Gate. 

While an explicit release date isn’t available, it will be available for Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs. If you’d like to learn more about Mechajammer, make sure to visit our website to hear from the developers about why they made the game and its inspirations.

Hideo Kojima wants game that “changes in real-time” for variety of perspectives

Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima told Japanese magazine Anan that he wants to make a game that alters itself in “real-time” to what the player experiences in real life.

“Even though there are people of different ages and trades playing the same game, they are playing it in the same way,” he said, but he would like that to change based on that person’s perspective.

Solar power: He used Boktai as an example, which is a vampire-hunting series for Nintendo co-created by him that used a built-in solar sensor powering in-game sunlight-based weapons to defeat enemies.

Real-life links: Boktai would “change based on where and when you played the game. That kind of feature connects man-made systems to real-life.” Kojima likened his design role to that of a playground builder.

Metallic Funko Pop! Pokémon pre-orders

Funko Pop! expands its 25th-anniversary range of special Silver Metallic collector versions of Funko Pop! Pokémon with the Squirtle Silver Metallic due out this December.

The Charmander Silver Metallic is out a little later this month, but you could grab a Bulbasaur Silver Metallic right now alongside series megastar Pikachu Silver Metallic.

• Bayonetta’s lead voice actor casts doubt on return as Hellena Taylor cryptically suggests she’s not involved
• Pokémon GO October Community Day on Oct. 9 with more Duskull encounters and 30 bonus Ultra Balls
• PlatinumGames wants Star Fox Zero for Switch which they co-developed with Nintendo EPD for the Wii U
• Forever Entertainment remaking Night Slashers as ‘material agreement’ reached for release on all platforms
• Total War: Warhammer 3 is now out “early 2022” as dev Creative Assembly announce a delay for more polish

What was the first Driver game that let players get out of their vehicles?

ANSWER: Driver 2!

The Driver franchise might have been overtaken by GTA, but it still was a trailblazer for open-world games years before GTA 3 changed the market. While the first Driver forced you to stay in a single car before you won a mission or wrecked the vehicle, Driver 2 let players step out of their car, whether to nab a less damaged car or just to walk around. 

However, the response to Driver 2, even with the improvements, was mixed. While some people found it a worthy successor to the first, others found it disappointing. Despite that, it was still a bestseller and won a platinum sales award from the ELSPA.

Today's issue of DailyBits was written by Gavin Herman, Erlend Grefsrud, Simon Priest, and Jamie Davey. If you have any feedback or news tips for the team, please email us!