Joanna Dark

The level designer for Perfect Dark claimed “gamers were a mistake.” And that’s just one in a long line of incendiary statements the developer lobbed at paying customers.

Kolbe Payne, a level designer on the upcoming reboot of Perfect Dark has a lot to say about the people who might purchase his game. The designer’s longstanding hated of the very people that keep him employed was exposed by John Trent of Fandom Pulse in a recent article.

These comments started back in 2021, when gamers voiced objections to figures from Norse mythology being race swapped in God of War: Ragnarok.

Norse and Greek mythology, despite being deeply rooted in Norse and Greek culture, are always ripe for the picking when it comes to Hollywood race swaps. When gamers pointed this out, Payne threw a little baby fit over it and called them “racist pigs.”
Kolbe Payne tweet on God of War

A tweet from Kolbe Payne attacking gamers over God of War – YouTube, SmashJT

“That fact that it’s 2021 and gamers still get mad over a character being black just boggles my mind,” Payne said, failing to note the cultural significance of these figures in Norse history. “It’s time to grow up, you racist pigs. Angrboda looks absolutely STUNNING. Props to all the devs who worked on her. She’s without a doubt the most interesting character.”

The race swapping of Angrboda is a creative decision many attribute to maligned narrative design firm Sweet Baby Inc., which worked on the Santa Monica Studios title.
Kolbe Payne saying Gamers were a mistake

A tweet in which Kolbe Payne says that “Gamers were a mistake” – YouTube, SmashJT

In February 2023, Payne responded to an article on reported harassment brought on actress Laura Bailey for her role as Abby in The Last of Us: Part 2.

Payne responded simply by stating, “Gamers were a mistake.”

Of course, no one should support harassment or death threats made to anyone. But instead of calling out the bad apples in the gaming world who allegedly undertook such inappropriate actions, Payne decided to make a sweeping generalization of the very audience he serves.

Without the “mistake” that is gamers, Payne wouldn’t have a job…

 
Kolbe Payne tweet about female protagonists

A tweet from Kolbe Payne about female protagonists in gaming – YouTube, SmashJT

“If adding female protagonists to video games is all it takes to make the worst people you’ve ever met not want to play them, we should add female protagonists to every game,” Payne said in another post, this one from December 2023.

His desire to push gamers out of gaming has a real, “this job would be great if it wasn’t for all the customers” vibe to it.

Payne attacked gamers again in June, referring to them as bigots during Pride month.
Kolbe Payne Pride Tweet

A tweet from Kolbe Payne directed at gamers during Pride Month – YouTube, SmashJT

“Seeing a lot of comments turned off for Pride Month posts,” Payne said. “I wish all bigots to kindly f*** off and learn to love others for who they are. Gaming is for everyone. Everyone except the bigots.”

After Fandom Pulse exposed this toxic and hateful rhetoric, Payne deactivated his X account.

The reboot of Perfect Dark has already come under fire from the gaming world due to the “modern day” redesign of its main character, Joanna Dark. As has become all too typical in the gaming world, Dark’s jawline was widened, giving her a more masculine appearance.

 

Perfect Dark was announced back in 2020. However, it’s believed that the game won’t actually release until 2026.

Perhaps if Payne and his co-workers spent more time working on their game and less time tweeting about gamers, they’d manage to deliver a final product within a reasonable window.

Will you buy Perfect Dark now that you know what the level designer thinks of you? Do you believe Crystal Dynamics will take action in light of these comments? Sound off in the comment section below and let us know!