Update (3/26/21 5 PM EDT): The Balan Wonderworld day one patch has introduced a fix that patches out the potentially seizure-inducing content as of March 26. The original story continues below:
The final boss fight in Balan Wonderworld, a just-released platformer created by Square Enix and Arzest, contains a potentially seizure-inducing visual effect. The game, which is set in a magical realm called Wonderworld, is directed by Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka. Naoto Ohshima, Balan Wonderworld's art director, also played a pivotal role in the creation of the iconic video game hedgehog.
A gameplay demo for Balan Wonderworld was released in January of this year, and it received mostly positive reception. Those who played through the demo, which consists of the game's first chapter and pieces of later chapters, heaped praise upon the game's art direction and graphics. The demo's various costumes, which play a major role in the game by granting certain special abilities to the player, were also praised for being both visually and mechanically distinct. However, certain aspects of Balan Wonderworld's demo received criticism from players, such as difficulty balance and stiff gameplay. These criticisms were reportedly addressed by developers in a day-one patch on March 26.
Early reports from players, such as Twitter user Kheyehm1, have revealed that the final boss fight in Balan Wonderworld contains visual effects that may trigger seizures. The boss fight, set in a large and brightly-lit arena, features a number of flashing lights and strobe effects at seemingly random moments throughout the fight. It is unclear whether these flashing effects are intentional or are some kind of graphical glitch, but they seem easily capable of disorienting or harming those who are susceptible to seizures.
Warning: Viewers with an epileptic condition or that have ever had seizures of any kind should not watch the below video.
As a visual medium, video games can easily trigger seizures if care is not taken by developers. Cyberpunk 2077, the now-infamous sci-fi role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red and released in December of last year, received numerous criticisms for its potentially seizure-inducing content. The game's Braindance mechanic, alongside other more common pieces of the game's interface, was found to contain a multitude of potential seizure triggers. Fortunately, CD Projekt Red was able to adjust the game's interface through a patch which greatly reduced the risk of seizure triggers.
Balan Wonderworld has been praised by players for its beautiful art direction and current-gen graphics, with art director Naoto Ohshima's influence greatly driving the experience. However, the potential for triggering seizures in players is a huge hazard that must be addressed by the developers immediately. Whether the final bosses' flashing strobe effect is intentional or a mere glitch, players should be cautious until the risk of seizures is addressed.
Balan Wonderworld is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Source: Kheyehm1, Bigdaddyjende