Whore of the Orient

Whore of the Orient is a cancelled action-adventure video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game was in development at KMM Interactive Entertainment, a subsidiary of Kennedy Miller Mitchell that comprised employees from defunct development houses Team Bondi and Krome Studios. In 2012, the game was targeting a 2015 release,[1] but was confirmed cancelled in 2016, having not had a status update since 2013.

Whore of the Orient
Developer(s)KMM Interactive Entertainment
Publisher(s)Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
ReleaseCancelled
Genre(s)Action-adventure

Setting

Set in 1936, the game would have centered around the corrupt city of Shanghai in the hands of Western powers, filled with mob crime and political troubles. The Kuomintang ruthlessly puts down labor movements in an effort to suppress communism, whilst the International Police Force attempt to maintain peace.[2][3]

Development
The only screenshot released for Whore of the Orient

Following the release of L.A. Noire (2011), Team Bondi sought partnerships with other studios for their next title, similar to their former partnership with Rockstar Games.[4] It was reported that no studios were interested in forming a partnership due to prior claims of unethical working practices at Team Bondi.[5] In August 2011, Kennedy Miller Mitchell (KMM) bought Team Bondi's assets and intellectual property, and staff were given the option to join KMM.[6] The team was absorbed into KMM Interactive Entertainment, a subsidiary of Kennedy Miller Mitchell, and development on Whore of the Orient continued.[7] Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment was said to have pulled out from their interest in the project sometime in late 2012.[8] In April 2013, it was rumoured that the former Team Bondi team was laid off, and that the game was put on hold. Doug Mitchell of Kennedy Miller Mitchell released a comment stating that the company had not given up on the project, and that they were still seeking the right investor, neither confirming nor denying the status of the former Team Bondi team.[9] In June of that year, KMM received US$200,000 worth of funding for the project from Screen NSW, an Australian trade and investment board.[10][11]

The game was suggested to be a narrative action adventure title similar to L.A. Noire, and the proprietary facial MotionScan technology would also be reused.[12] Early unfinished gameplay footage was leaked in August 2013, depicting the combat-style action.[13] The title of the game was criticised in September 2013; Jieh-Yung Lo, a City of Monash Councillor, felt that the word "Orient" disgraces Chinese culture, and is "very similar to the N-word for African American communities".[14][15]

In June 2016, an interview with Whore of the Orient producer Derek Proud revealed that the game was effectively cancelled. Proud revealed that the team fought to "the bitter end", but they were unable to save the game and ultimately it was "wrapped-up" by parent company KMM.[16]

References
  1. Sources that refer to the platforms, developer and release date include:
  2. Narcisse, Evan (30 August 2012). "Here's the First Look at Whore of the Orient, the Next Game from the Makers of L.A. Noire". Kotaku. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  3. Jones, John-Paul (30 August 2012). "Team Bondi's 'Whore of the Orient' now confirmed for next-gen & PC". The Gaming Vault. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  4. Serrels, Mark (4 August 2011). "Nobody Wants to Work With LA Noire's Developers, Boss In Buyout Talks". Kotaku. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  5. Plunkett, Luke (29 June 2011). "LA Noire's Studio Under Investigation Over Alleged Shonky Work Practices". Kotaku. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  6. Crossley, Rob (9 August 2011). "Team Bondi 'sells off assets and IP'". Develop. Intent Media. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  7. Futter, Mike (21 June 2013). "Team Bondi And KMM Get New Funding For Whore Of The Orient". Game Informer. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  8. "Team Bondi staff sacked, Whore of the Orient development on hold - report". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  9. Harris, Leigh (18 April 2013). "Whore of the Orient developers laid off". MCV Pacific. Intent Media. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  10. Sheridan, Connor (24 June 2013). "Whore of the Orient production gets $200,000 funding". GamesRadar. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  11. Corriea, Alexa Ray (21 June 2013). "Whore of the Orient team receives $200K from Australian government agency". Polygon. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  12. Hurley, Leon (30 August 2012). "Whore Of The Orient coming to PlayStation 4, first screen & info appears on Team Bondi site". PlayStation Official Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  13. Sheridan, Connor (2 August 2013). "Whore of the Orient gameplay video leaks". GamesRadar. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  14. Quinn, Karl (2 September 2013). "'Racially insensitive' computer game faces challenge over title". The Age.
  15. Karmali, Luke (2 September 2013). "Whore of the Orient's Name Comes Under Fire". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  16. Stead, Chris (24 June 2016). "Whore of the Orient cancelled: Producer details game's demise". Finder.com.au. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
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