‘Thief’ Has Its Quick-Time Events Stolen Away

You’ll see a lot of things in Eidos Montreal’s take on the Thief franchise. A darker Garrett. A grittier setting. Stuff being stolen.

One thing you won’t see? “Press X To Not Die.”

In a recent community FAQ, Eidos Montreal posted why, precisely, this annoying staple was being done away with. Turns out Internet Rage is actually good for something.

To begin with, there were very few instances of QTEs in the game: in fact there was only one in that whole hour-long E3 demo. However, given the strong reactions it evoked in the press and the community, it was an easy decision to do away with them entirely. So we’re not doing it. No quick time.

While most times people getting angry on the Internet mostly serves to amuse the target of their ire, it is nice to see Eidos Montreal paying attention to the larger mood. Why, precisely, we still have quick-time events when pretty much every gaming website has run a screed against them as a mechanic, and comments sections fill up with more bile than a malfunctioning liver about the topic, is beyond me. Developers have been phasing them out: Assassin’s Creed IV, for example, only has a handful and they’re optional, mostly to do with the hunting.

So now the question becomes, what other annoying habits can we get developers to stop? Any ideas?