Tyler1 Slams The Last Of Us Part 2 For 'Forced Diversity'
Streamer tyler1 has sparked a debate among fans following his comments about The Last Of Us Part II. During a stream, tyler1 not only criticised the storyline, but how he felt the game was filled with 'forced diversity'.
The Last Of Us Part II is still a source of debate for many passionate fans. Following its release, some praised the game for its realistic graphics and incredible performances, along with featuring LGBTQ+ characters at the centre of its story. However, other fans slated the storyline and the difficulty in having to jump from protagonist Ellie to antagonist Abby. So much so, that Neil Druckmann himself had to come forward to defend the game against the backlash.
Now, Tyler "tyler1" Steinkamp has shared his thoughts about The Last Of Us Part II during a stream, and it's clear he definitely wasn't a fan, which is fair enough. However, it was his comments explaining why which caused debate among fans and even caused some to question whether his comments could get him cancelled.
What Did Tyler1 Say About The Last Of Us Part 2?
tyler1 was streaming his playthrough of co-op game It Takes Two when he paused the game to discuss his thoughts so far with fans on the chat. When The Last Of Us Part II popped up in conversation, tyler1 stated that he thought the game was "trash". Not even just story, but gameplay too." However, he didn't stop there.
In his roast about The Last Of Us Part II, tyler1 claimed: "It was so unbelievably forced diversity, out of nowhere. It would have been fine if the first game was like that, but that game was so hard-cringe forced-diversity I wanted to puke. I don’t mind same sex sh*t or anything like that, but it was so stereotypical like 'yo, let’s smoke some weed and have some lesbian sex'".
*Spoiler Alert*
The streamer continued his roast and the storyline choices made in the game. He further stated: "'Let’s kill the main character and play as 17 females', like, come on. 'Here’s all the characters you can play in this game, by the way none are male.'"
The comments were prompted after he was surprised to learn that It Takes Two won the top prize for Game Of The Year at the Game Awards 2021, after being fairly critical of the game throughout his own playthrough. He then moved the topic on to The Last Of Us Part 2 which, also, won several accolades during the Game Awards 2020, including Game of the Year and Best Narrative, which proved to be fairly controversial.
tyler1's The Last Of Us Part 2 Comments: Fans React
Some fans on his chat, as well as Reddit, agreed with tyler1's comments about The Last Of Us Part II and that he 'wasn't wrong'. As one fan claimed: "There was a lot of things that felt forced, no need to define them. They're pretty obvious." Another questioned: "What's the difference between "forced diversity" that he's uncomfortable with and just "diversity" that he is accepting of? Can a story only have lesbian romance if the game is a lesbian romance story first and foremost?".
tyler1 clarified his comments after being warned that he could be cancelled. He claimed that he felt that Naughty Dog was "pushing an agenda" that "was so out of the park compared to the first one, like if the first one had been the same way it would have been fine." However, one fan was quick to dispute this by pointing out how Ellie's sexuality was confirmed through her relationship with Riley in the first game's DLC Left Behind.
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Even a year after its release, The Last Of Us Part II is still sparking passionate debates among fans. tyler1 may have made his views perfectly clear. However, it seems the dispute surrounding diversity and 'forced diversity' in media is far from over.
