(Updated) Taiwanese Horror Game Devotion Announced To be Coming Back, Then Not on GOG

Published: December 16, 2020 8:47 AM /

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A creepy shot from Taiwanese horror game Devotion

Update: 17/12 8:35 AM - Red Candle Games says it "won't stop striving" in its attempt to find a way to re-release Devotion. The developer took to Facebook earlier this morning to express its regret after GOG refused to list the game yesterday. Nevertheless, the studio says it "understand[s] and respect[s] GOG's decision".

Update: 16/12 10:31 AM - GOG has announced that it won't be listing Devotion after all. Speaking via Twitter, GOG said that it had received "many messages from gamers" which had led it to decide not to list the game in its store.

We've reached out to GOG and Red Candle Games for comment.

The original story follows below.

Taiwanese horror game Devotion is making a return. Controversy last year saw its developer Red Candle Games remove it from sale, and its publisher's business license revoked, but starting in just a few days, Devotion will be available on GOG.

When will Devotion come back?

This news comes via Red Candle's Twitter account. In a tweet, Red Candle says it will be self-publishing Devotion on the GOG platform starting from December 18th. According to Red Candle, "the content and the price" of the Devotion re-release will remain exactly the same, so there won't be any discount or extra content. The developer closes by thanking its fans for their "trust and support". It's worth noting that the GOG link provided in the tweet doesn't work yet; it's possible the listing hasn't yet been finalized.

What happened to Devotion?

Devotion was the subject of controversy back in February last year after it emerged that the game contained hidden messages poking fun at Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Outrage followed in the form of review bombing and social media backlash, which prompted Red Candle to remove it from sale. The consequences of the joke didn't stop there, though. Devotion publisher Indievent had its business license revoked by the Chinese government, seemingly in response to the Xi Jinping Easter egg. Following this controversy, Red Candle issued a statement saying its game would not be making a return to Steam anytime soon. Technically, this is still true, as the game is due to appear on rival storefront GOG.com instead. At this time, it doesn't appear likely to be making a return to Steam, probably due to the publisher losing their license and the page on Steam being tied to them.

You can scare yourself silly with Devotion via GOG.com on December 18th. Until then, if you're jonesing for a Red Candle fix, you can still check out the developer's previous game Detention on Steam. That same game recently got itself a Netflix series adaptation, too, so if you'd prefer not to be holding a controller when you jump out of your skin, that's also an option.

Disclosure: GOG works with TechRaptor for affiliate partnership, and TechRaptor earns a small commission off purchases made from some links in this article.

Will you be checking out Devotion when it relaunches on GOG on December 18th? Let us know in the comments below! 

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