Halo's Pride Month Pandering is CRINGE! Gamers Are DONE!

Over the last decade, it's become common for big companies—whether video game developers, sports leagues, or other corporate businesses—to go all out in celebrating diversity during June for Pride Month. This includes video game companies like 343 Industries, the makers of Halo. Two years ago, they celebrated Pride Month with various in-game events and queer customization options in Halo Infinite, and they're doing it again this year. Just recently, they announced that Halo Infinite will be giving away free cosmetics for Pride Month.

While studios like 343 celebrate Pride Month in gaming, providing players with unique ways to mark the occasion, the sentiment around these celebrations has shifted. About five years ago, Pride Month was seen as a time for cringe-worthy virtue signaling. But now, in 2024, many people are tired of how much it's changed the entertainment, video game, and comic book industries. Companies now often face backlash when they promote inclusivity and diversity, which is why Halo decided to disable comments on their Pride Month announcement.

The Halo post reads: "Happy Pride Month! Embrace love, diversity, and inclusion by equipping the Unity 24 armor coating, nameplate, and emblem in Halo Infinite this June. Let's stand together in honoring our LGBTQIA+ community and forging a future of unity and acceptance for all. Pride 2024." Despite their pride in celebrating Pride Month, they chose to turn off comments on this post. Why? Perhaps because they anticipated backlash from a player base tired of being preached to by big corporate entities.

Even though comments were disabled, the post received many quote tweets expressing frustration. One user, Pitmaster, wrote: "Back in the day, we used to call it Gayo. Little did we know we'd be proved right decades later." Others echoed similar sentiments, with some comments garnering thousands of likes. One user even said, "This is why I'm a fascist now," comparing game developers of the past to today's developers.

The decision to turn off comments didn't stop people from criticizing the post. Users questioned why 343 Industries didn't focus on making better games instead of virtue signaling. Halo, once a beloved franchise, now faces bleak prospects, with fans disappointed in both the games and the television show adaptation. Season two of the show was so poorly received that no one even cared enough to bash it.