Tokyo: Become Human
Skip to the bold if you don't want my commentary on why I wrote this. Or skip the whole thing and go replay Detroit: Become Human. Never a bad use of one's time.
Found my way to an interesting post yesterday that asked the following question:
Why hasn't Quantic Dream announced any new potential project in the Detroit: Become Human universe?
As DBH is one of my favorite games of all time, my immediate somewhat selfish reaction was that this should have been announced already. In support of this are the financials and accolades: DBH has been both their most critically acclaimed as well as their most financially successful game ever.
A lot of short-sighted points were made: they already told everything there is to tell in this universe, another game would necessitate making one of the endings canon thereby invalidating the greatness of DBH, and my personal favorite: Romeo & Juliet never received a sequel so neither should DBH.
Some good points were made also: QD simply never sequels their games, DBH was perfect so don't risk saturating the concept like many other IPs have done previously, they are busy working on the Star Wars game.
The discussion was all over the place with a surprisingly vocal majority resistant to the idea of any further media in this universe. It made me think all day. Here's where my mind went:
Tokyo: Become Human
Turns out Kamski licensed the android schematics to the Japanese (or was the victim of corporate espionage) and semi-simultaneously to the events of DBH, there are starting to be signs of these androids also developing what might be described as "sentience".
One character is a Yakuza henchmen using androids to help with collections, another is an immigrant working in a hostess club trying to compete with androids that are younger and don't need rest or that seemingly don't get disgusted by what they are asked to do for money, and the third is a grandfather running his legacy Ramen restaurant facing handing the business down to his bumbling son or this sleek android who can already run it more efficiently than he can. His grandson is watching underfoot, interested but also afraid.
How can one balance family with financial security? How can selling sex dehumanize an android? What impact does shame have on the interaction with constructs designed to make our lives "better"? What happens when a Yakuza henchmen turns out to be an undercover android who gets a section of his pinky removed? Where does Kamski fit in to all this? Why can't he be reached?
Just a few ideas that came as I found myself considering possibilities and pushing back against the notion that "maybe they just don't have any more stories to tell in this world".
Would love some feedback, was honestly shocked at the amount of people in this sub who are apparently content with no more information about this fascinating universe QD gifted us with 8 years ago.