Audio Dev Melts Down Over Asmongold's Support for their "Mouthwashing" Game

"I Feel Sick To My F***ing Stomach"

The indie sci-fi horror game Mouthwashing has been receiving some attention as of late on Steam, garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews for its well-crafted story and intense horror elements. Currently, hovering just above 750 concurrent players as of the time of this writing.

Developed by Wrong Organ, the game story revolves around a dying crew stranded in deep space, blending psychological tension and a concise narrative, praised for its lack of filler. Despite all the early success, controversy erupted when Asmongold showcased the game, leading to a ...surprising reaction from one of its developers.

Fan Art Sparks Controversy

The uproar began when fan art of the character Anya gained attention on X (formerly Twitter).

The above art - drawn by USA (@USA37107692) on X, depicts Anya in knee-high stockings and a revealing blouse. It drew harsh criticism from the usual spergs on Twitter looking to get angry at anything for its 'perceived' sexualization of the character that has a back story with some severe emotional trauma. The problem? The reality is this is an artist on twitter that does this for a living, as art...

It's really not an issue at all. But because the woke mob was angry and sperging out, USA took to X to apologize anyway:

Initially, ironically, the developer Wrong Organ took a firm stance to stand with the artist and AGAINST the cancel, defending fan creators from harassment with a statement on X:

"If you see fan works that you do not like, block/ignore it. ANY form of harassment is unacceptable. If you can’t be respectful and considerate, this fandom is not the place for you."

Asmongold addressed the situation during a stream, calling the backlash “stupid” and expressing support for the game’s response. If that's where this story ended, no one would have cared as this kinda kerfluffle happens multiple times a day on the internet.

BUT NO.... it didn't end there...

Developer Backlash to Asmongold’s Involvement

Despite the main developer's endorsement, the game’s audio and music developer, Martin Halldin (@siarate on X), decided it was a good idea to come forward and express outrage over Asmongold's involvement.

Halldin posted:

"The Anti-woke crowd has found the game and I feel sick to my stomach. Being on Twitter is going to be unbelievably painful from now on. I don’t have the energy for this."

This reaction puzzled a... lot of people - myself included, as Asmongold's coverage drew positive attention to Mouthwashing, showcasing its visibility and appeal to millions. Instead of welcoming the support, Halldin seemed more upset and wanted to focus on the association with a perceived "anti-woke" audience... Huh?

Community Reacts to Halldin’s Meltdown

Prominent figures in the gaming community like @Grummz (the former lead developer of World of Warcraft), weighed in on the controversy:

"Mouthwashing is a short but well received indie game that went viral.

Everything was going great until some very sensitive people started to harass artists for making fan drawings of one of the characters, Anna.

They were upset her breasts were drawn larger, or put into more revealing clothing.

The harassment got so bad that one artist was forced to apologize. It was the usual twitter mob that goes after artists whenever they do a fanart wrong."

Protecting Accounts and Deflecting Criticism

In response to the backlash, Halldin protected his X account and posted on BlueSky, sharing his struggles with mental health.

While I certainly feel for anyone struggling with mental health issues, it's not a get-out-of-jail-free card that so many wokies think it is:

"Thank you, that means a lot ❤️ I really want to be active and engaged, but my mental health is taking a big toll, so it's best for me to step back for a while."

Halldin's retreat here highlights the growing divide between portions of the gaming industry and its audience, with these kinds of creators growing to resent the very communities that are there to support their work.

Irony in Activism

The reaction from Halldin also reflects a broader irony in gaming: those who advocate for “diversity and inclusivity” are ALWAYS the same exact folks who alienate large portions of potential players due to their broken ideological gatekeeping. His reaction directly points to an inability to separate art from reality, a mindset that attacks any kind of meaningful dialogue in creative spaces. The anger over fan art depicting a game character—art based on a fictional creation with a backstory—demonstrates a skewed perspective on what truly matters. At its core, it's just a drawing, someone's interpretation of a virtual figure meant to exist within the bounds of imagination and creativity. Yet... emotional overreactions to harmless expressions speaks volumes about some people's inability with relating to real-life priorities and perspectives. This kind of disproportionate response not only alienates fans but also raises questions about their capacity to approach their work and audience with a balanced and grounded mindset. This is EXACTLY where improper censorship seems to always stem from - but only in a direction they choose - and creates obvious double standards as to what 'art' should be allowed to be drawn...

The situation with the Mouthwashing audio director also exposes a deeper issue: the growing trend among certain woke developers to gatekeep who is allowed to enjoy their creations based on ideological alignment. The director's pissed off reaction to figures like Asmongold or Grummz and others engaging with the game reflects a clear disdain for anyone perceived as "anti-woke." Rather than embracing a diverse player base, including those with differing opinions, they seem intent on creating an echo chamber where only "approved" individuals are welcome. Their attitude is counterproductive to the supposed "inclusive" principles they claim to champion with a DEI agenda.

Instead of celebrating the game’s success and welcoming new fans, the developer’s meltdown now hinders the community's goodwill and what Mouthwashing has worked so hard to build in the first place.

Asmongold’s endorsement brought Mouthwashing into the spotlight for all the right reasons, but the developer’s outburst now overshadows the game’s achievements with unnecessary and frankly stupid drama because of the selfish actions of one of the developers. This situation serves as yet another example of how political divides and mental health related personal biases DO harm the relationship between creators and the gamers wanting to play their games.

~Smash