Pragmata Review Addition - Addressing a Sensitive Topic

13 May, 2026

When I previously wrote my thoughts on Pragmata, I purposely avoided addressing the weird internet culture war surrounding it. Regardless, it was in the back of my mind while writing, which is frustrating because I don't want to have to think about such things while discussing a game featuring a kid, but this is unfortunately the world we live in. After letting my small, not-too-serious review sit for a while, I've decided it's best if I say something about the elephant in the space station.

I highly recommend reading the above linked article by Kotaku writer Kenneth Shepard, and I align very closely with the author's opinions about Diana's portrayal in the game. While it did cross my mind that it was a strange design choice to have her be barefoot, I also wonder if that's a result of things like the debate over whether FromSoftware's Miyazaki featuring barefoot characters is a fetish or not being so prevalent on the internet. It's not unusual for kids to be barefoot. My niece hates shoes, and when they're not required of her, she spends all of her time barefoot. I was the same way as a kid. Is portraying a kid with bare feet in media a legitimate concern, or are people looking too deeply into things because they're poisoned by internet discourse and because society is currently going through it with things like the Epstein files?

I think men are perfectly capable of feeling paternal toward kids, and I don't think including children in media is inherently catering to predators. I think if we spent more time focusing on the well-being of children around the world -- by providing things like free lunch, affordable day care, free healthcare, free diapers and plenty of leave time for new parents, and third places where kids can play, be creative, and interact with people outside of their familial sphere who also have a vested interest in their well-being -- maybe we would have less of these conversations because kids would be viewed as having rich inner worlds and not just the sole responsibility of their parents, and be more protected from those who don't see them that way.

Anyway, these are my brief thoughts on the Pragmata "controversy," but ultimately I just thought it was a really fun game and I wish that's all it could be!