'Not Gay Enough': The Chaotic Launch of Medieval Game 1348 Ex Voto
If you've been anywhere near gaming circles this week, you'll have heard the chatter about 1348 Ex Voto. This medieval romp, set during the Black Death, promised a gritty narrative experience. Instead, it's delivered one of the most bizarre backlashes in recent memory, with Steam reviews turning into an absolute circus. Players aren't just disappointed; they're furious, and for reasons that’ll make you do a double-take.
The gripes from the player base are all over the place, but they generally boil down to a few core issues:
- Combat that feels clunky: One player described it as "like fighting with a wet fish."
- A plot that's drier than a Wellington summer: For a game set during a pandemic that wiped out half of Europe, it's oddly devoid of any real tension or emotional punch.
- The real kicker: it's "not gay enough." A surprising chunk of the criticism is levelled at the game for failing to deliver on what many perceived as promised LGBTQ+ themes.
This last point is where things get properly strange. Word on the street is that the game originally leaned hard into its queer narratives – speculation is rife that this was done to tick boxes for funding or tax incentives. But the final product? Sweet FA. One reviewer summed it up perfectly: "I was promised medieval gays, and all I got was this lousy plague." Another simply posted, "Where's the bloody homosexuality?" and it’s become one of the top-rated comments. It’s a rare instance of a game being review-bombed not for being too 'woke', but for not being woke enough. The irony is thick enough to cut with a knife.
The critical reception has been just as brutal, with reviewers pointing to disjointed gameplay and a setting that feels utterly wasted. The general consensus is that 1348 Ex Voto is a textbook case of a game that tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing no one. It’s a shame, because the bones of a good game are there. With a tighter script and less clunky combat, it could have been a cult classic. Instead, it's become a cautionary tale.
Will a Golden Edition or Limited Edition re-release save the day? Stranger things have happened, but the devs have got some serious explaining to do first. For now, if you're after a medieval game that actually delivers on its promises, I'd give this a wide berth. But if you're in the mood for a laugh and want to witness one of 2026’s most baffling gaming controversies firsthand, grab a cold one and dive into those Steam reviews. The comments section is an absolute goldmine.