Taiwanese horror game Devotion made headlines back in 2019 after it was suddenly pulled from Steam, with the release accused of mocking Chinese president Xi Jinping. The title was meant to return via GOG last December, however, the storefront decided against it at the last minute, citing "messages from gamers" as its reasoning.
Today, Red Candle Games revealed that Devotion is finally back on sale, with the studio deciding to sell digital copies via its website. Players can purchase the horror game separately or as part of several bundles, with the site also selling the team's previous release, Detention.
Speaking about the decision on Twitter, Red Candle claims that it wants to "provide a direct and simple purchasing channel" for its fans, revealing that its e-shop will be DRM-free and eventually boast "future projects" that the team works on. It looks to be a simple way to get its releases out to fans, who've been clamoring to play Devotion ever since it first got pulled from stores. As for the bundles players can currently pick up, there are versions of both Detention and Devotion that come packaged with their respective OSTs. There's also an offer that nets players both game bundles for a cheaper price, with the Complete Edition costing $33.56.
Of course, players are also able to pick up standard copies of both games, with Devotion priced at $16.99 and Detention costing $11.99. For those who never experienced the game, Devotion centers on a down on his luck screenwriter called Feng Yu that lives in a small apartment with his wife and child. The story skips through a timeline of events, telling Yu's disturbing story through surreal visions, creepy imagery, and brain-teasing puzzles. It was celebrated for its twisted vision and compelling central narrative at release, but many missed the chance to play the game since it was pulled only four days after its debut.
Players had allegedly found a talisman in the title that compared Chinese president Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh, which is a popular internet insult levied against the leader. Red Candle Games was quick to remove the controversial reference after the game was review bombed by players, however, it was eventually pulled from Steam's Chinese platform. It was later taken down from the international storefront, remaining delisted ever since. With its latest game back on shelves, Red Candle can now focus on its next project, which was announced back in December. Little was discussed about the game itself, but considering the studio's portfolio, there's a good chance it will be another horror-focused experience.
Devotion is out now on PC.
Source: Red Candle Games