Developers Now AFRAID To Hire Anyone Who's Ever Worked For Sweet Baby Inc.

We Are Winning! Developers Are Now REJECTING Former Sweet Baby Inc. Employees

Sweet Baby Inc Ex-Employee Kazuma Hashimoto,

While researching information covering the Ex-Sweet Baby Inc employee sourced in the NY Times Hit Piece against gamers, I came across a Twitch stream from that very ex-employee Kazuma Hashimoto, the former employee of Sweet Baby Inc., the controversial video game consultancy led by Kim Belair. The info found in this stream give us a clear picture of just how the tides are shifting in favor of gamers and industry professionals pushing BACK - against the DEI-driven narrative that has been insidiously seeping into game development over the past few years.

Developers Rejecting Sweet Baby Inc.

During the Twitch stream, Hashimoto begrudgingly discussed his struggle to find work after his stint at Sweet Baby Inc. He strikes me as a fairly tepid individual who admitted that many developers are now hesitant to hire him due to his association with the company. He explained how potential employers have asked him outright:

“People will literally be like, ‘Hey are we going to get harassed for hiring you?’ And I think that really sucks”

This gets wild - but to kick off with that quote - It highlights the very real concerns that game developers now have about the backlash they may face for being associated in any way with Sweet Baby Inc.

This is a significant moment. It shows that developers are aware of any negative connotations tied to working with organizations that push for DEI agendas over core game development priorities. In many ways, it feels like the industry is starting to push back against the culture of 'performative activism' that has plagued game studios in recent years. Sweet Baby Inc., in particular, has faced criticism for its role in the development of various games that have been accused of compromising on quality for the sake of political messaging... and many folks including myself see zero need for them in the space.

The Contradiction Within Sweet Baby Inc.

Hashimoto’s experience contradicts recent claims made by Kim Belair, CEO of Sweet Baby Inc., who appeared on the Black Girl Gamers YouTube channel and dismissed the backlash as mere "noise." (You might recall this was the video I covered that BGG tried to copyright strike my channel for my reaction before ultimately thinking better of it) Belair confidently stated that the controversy surrounding her company’s involvement in game development has little effect on their ability to secure contracts. She even downplayed the issue as nothing more than an “annoyance,” claiming that their survival in the industry remains secure. Because of course she would pretend her institution isn't going up in flames.

Hashimoto’s firsthand account paints a very different picture. Far from being a minor inconvenience, his(?) association with Sweet Baby Inc. has directly affected a career.

"There are definitely jobs that I’ve had where like people have seen like the fact that I worked for Sweet Baby-. And it’s been a year since I’ve worked with them and it’s just like a contractual basis when I was so just like periodically for like a couple of years.”

Developers are becoming extremely cautious about being seen as complicit in the type of agenda-driven content Sweet Baby Inc. is known for promoting.

“That instead of like, ‘We’ll protect our employee, the employer or the potential person giving you the contract will be more concerned about that then protecting their employees. Kinda f***ed up.”

The skepticism here is a DIRECT response to the growing frustration from gamers who have repeatedly voiced their displeasure with forced diversity initiatives that often lead to subpar gaming experiences.

Ubisoft and Assassin’s Creed Shadows

The situation becomes even more telling when looking at Hashimoto’s role in the ongoing controversy surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows. As I spoke about previously, he was recently featured in The New York Times in a piece written by Zachary Small, where he defended the game’s portrayal of the historical figure Yasuke as a supposed 'Black Samurai'. Hashimoto invented lies like how much of the backlash against Yasuke’s inclusion in the game came from Western players using poorly translated comments from Japanese gamers to make their case... When this is easily proven untrue.

However, during the same Twitch stream, Hashimoto admitted that Japanese players were annoyed by Assassin’s Creed Shadows for other reasons. He highlighted how Ubisoft’s development team made several cultural and historical blunders, including using an inaccurate sign from a reenactment troop. These inconsistencies reflect poorly on the game, calling into question the quality of the consultation work that was supposedly done during its development.

“And like people are like annoyed with some of the inconsistencies and issues with Shadows, which is like the buildings and stuff being wrong or certain clothing and whatnot, right? Or the fact that the art team basically stole a sign from a reenactment troop in Japan.”

“And that’s actually like pretty common because when you’re working with such a large team of artists you-. Well, sometimes they’re sort of given the direction to Google things and people make mistakes”

“It’s more like you’re working with a team of people that speak multiple different languages and whether or not they can communicate with each other is an issue. And that’s just become part of game development.”

What’s particularly interesting is that Hashimoto revealed he had no role in consulting on Assassin’s Creed Shadows, despite his former connection to Sweet Baby Inc. This raises questions about how much real influence consultants from organizations like Sweet Baby have on the final product — or whether they are simply there to check a diversity box without meaningfully contributing to the game’s success... and more importantly, why was the NY Times using him as a source if he didn't work on the game?

A Culture of Defensiveness

Hashimoto’s comments also point to a larger issue within game development: the culture of defensiveness that surrounds politically charged projects. He shared that even when consultants provide suggestions, it’s ultimately up to directors and producers whether or not to implement them. This dynamic creates that always convenient scapegoat for poor decisions. When things go wrong, the consultants can be blamed, but when things succeed, the credit goes to the creative leads.

Still Hiding

However, the revelation that developers are hesitant to hire ex-sweet baby inc employees like Hashimoto due to his former associations shows that the industry is no longer willing to overlook the risks of working with consultancy groups. Game studios are recognizing the negative impact that DEI-driven consultants can have, not just on their products but on their reputations as well.

We Are Winning

The pushback against Sweet Baby Inc. is emblematic of a larger shift in the gaming industry. Gamers are tired of seeing their favorite franchises turned into vehicles for political and social commentary. Developers are starting to realize that pandering to a small, vocal minority is not only alienating their 'core' audience... but also damaging their own credibility. How could any logical person look at this and think it's worth it?

Hashimoto’s experience is a victory for everyone who has been calling out the detrimental effects of DEI consultants on game development. Developers are beginning to see the writing on the wall, and they’re taking steps to protect their projects from the influence of companies like Sweet Baby Inc. We are so freaking back!

BUT - This is just the beginning. As hopefully more developers distance themselves from agenda-driven organizations and focus on delivering high-quality games that resonate with their audiences, the industry continues to shift in favor of creativity, authenticity, and, most importantly, the gamers themselves. We are winning this battle for the soul of gaming, and stories like Hashimoto’s admission here - are proof that the tide is turning!

~Smash