How Oppression Quest Perfectly Sums Up Corruption And Nepotism In Gaming Journalism

Unless you've lived in a cave on Mars, with your eyes shut and your fingers in your ears, then I'm sure you've heard of the Quinnspiracy, a.k.a. Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a.k.a. Who Won't Zoe Quinn Sleep With To Get Ahead.

But just in case you still haven't, there's a text adventure game for you that perfectly sums up the situation, and even provides some shocking detail to just how far a social justice warrior can get to silencing opposition in gaming journalism.

First, play the game here.

http://oppressionquest.com/

It's purely text based, it's hilarious, and the sad music just makes it even funnier if you know the entire situation.

The best part of this game is that the only route for you to fail, is the route most of us would think we would take if we were faced with the decisions of a game developer. But if you play this game like the typical SJW that has infected gaming, then you can succeed.

This game shows just how far reaching an SJW claiming harassment and oppression can go. Shadowbans on countless gaming journalism sites for mentioning the topic of corruption and nepotism, double standards and hypocrisy when an SJW is confronted with their actions in a way they can't avoid, and the very real and scary truth that people like this are growing in numbers, trying to dictate what kinds of games can/should be made and what kinds of discussions we are allowed to have about these games and these people.

This isn't something that's going to stop. People like Anita Sarkeesian, Carolyne Petit, Zoe Quinn, Katherine Kross, etc, all have voices that are either getting louder, or are being listened to more and more. These people invent problems, and when they are called out for it they use the same femininity they attack the world for to get legions of protectors to silence opposition.

I have maintained that games are about entertainment, that they shouldn't be used in the way they are by SJWs and Feminists, but just today Anita Sarkeesian said that games AREN'T just about entertainment. That they send messages and promote societal attitudes. She's insane, and wrong, but people are listening to her even though everything she said was said before by Jack Thomson and thoroughly debunked and dismissed.

Thankfully, people aren't standing for it anymore. There are countless youtube videos that have already spoken about the Quinnspiracy, Anita Sarkeesian, and all of the other B.S. social justice nonsense infesting gaming and gaming journalism, and now there's also a documentary being done about it. I encourage any of you who are fed up of these people demonizing gamers, and gaming in general, as being misogynistic, sexist, transphobic, and rape loving to check out this promo video for a documentary that will seek to expose the lies and hypocrisy of these people, but also tell the story of gamers everywhere who have had enough of this rhetoric.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

I think it's time we let these people know that we're not going to be demonized, and we want games to go back to their original and purest purpose, that being entertainment and fun.

[randomass171]

As someone who is more middle grounded on this topic than most I completely agree with supporting the production of the documentary to provide a different argument but still remain professional in the face of issues in gaming culture. We've heard one side and I think we should hear a view from the other side.

[rdgneoz3]

"I wanted a job / raise, so I banged my boss. I wanted the game to get promoted / funded, so I banged some journalists."

That or the old, "slipped and fell" onto each other.

[randomass171]

When I said hear the other side I was talking about the gentlemen making The Sarkeesian Effect, not the feminists.

[pixelsword]

Okay, I have a huge comment, so I'm just turning this into a story. lol

[donghwa1967]

thank.

[LightDiego]

LOL, the creator of Opression Quest is a genius, that Zoey is really disgusting, also these "journalists" that are trying to ruin games.
People like that Zoey, Anita, Phil Fish and shitty sites with feminist agenda just like Kotaku, Rock, Paper, Shotgun and Gamespot should left gaming for good, really don't want these idiots taking over with stupid complains about three male characters on GTA V, Kojima jokes in Metal Gear Solid (seriously, these hipsters want to teach KOJIMA to make a game is hilarious), also whining on games like Akiba's Trip and Dragon's Crown. I will take these games anytime than these false moralists who slept with a developer to promote her game.

[kingdip90]

Zoe and the journalists having sex is not disgusting, those people using sex to influence game reviews and allowing it to effect game reviews is disgusting.

It's wise to make that definition to avoid being called a sexist for labeling a women who has sex as disgusting, which you did not explicitly say but I can understand why some reading would miss interpret whatever your intent was.

The social justice warriors as dragonknight calls them should remember that when a man uses sex as a means to get what he wants done it's abusive and degrading to women. Women are no different the people involved were abused and degraded and them being men does not change that fact. Sjw's end up being every bit as sexist as the people they rally against and I find that funny and short sighted every time.

[reploid]

Awesome post. Look for me at E3 2015 wearing a shirt that says "I´m a generic white male protagonist, and damn proud of it" just to piss off all the SJWs that have been infecting this industry like a virus as of late.

[DragonKnight]

Take pics and upload those please, I'd love to see that.

[MaxwellBuddha]

If you REALLY want to piss them off, just add the word STRAIGHT in there somewhere.

[TransientDreamer]

There is no Quinnspiracy though. This woman had a sexual relationship with a journalist, yes, but it didn't result in any favorable coverage about her game. There's no conflict of interests. People are just parroting bullshit at this point.

What most people fail to understand is that when it comes Sarkeesian, Kotaku, or anyone else you dislike, the best way to deal with them is to simply ignore them. If people stopped going to Kotaku, their influence would wane, or they may even go away. Same with the pundits. Gamers are doing this to themselves.

[DragonKnight]

What makes you say there is no conflict of interest when the people she slept with DID provide positive coverage for her game AFTER she slept with them? And, the very fact that they'd have to have had some kind of relationship BEFORE the intercourse happened is still itself a conflict of interest for when they review the game, none of them disclosed that they had a relationship with her of any kind before covering her game even though they did.

"What most people fail to understand is that when it comes Sarkeesian, Kotaku, or anyone else you dislike, the best way to deal with them is to simply ignore them. If people stopped going to Kotaku, their influence would wane, or they may even go away. Same with the pundits. Gamers are doing this to themselves."

Oh really? Is that why Sarkeesian, Petit, and Kross had their own panel? Is that why Sarkeesian got an ambassadorial award? You think ignoring these people will stop anything? That attitude has never worked when those in any position of authority or power choose NOT to ignore them.

I could never say another thing about Anita, but she won't shut up and she's already affecting the gaming industry. Do you think taking out an entire side, any opposition to her garbage, is a good idea? Has that ever been a good idea?

[TransientDreamer]

I've followed this NONtroversy since day one, and there is zero proof of this alleged coverage of Depression Quest by the one journalist she slept with. You're proving my point about people parroting bullshit surrounding this whole thing.

"Sarkeesian, Petit, and Kross...You think ignoring these people will stop anything?"
Sarkeesian and Petit's names weren't in anyone's mouths until they endured an onslaught of hate and it made the news.

Seriously, no attention is more effective than attention of any kind. Especially considering that given the climate of the industry, any negative attention/hate towards someone will make the news and garner even more exposure for that person.

[DragonKnight]

Zero proof? Oh I get it, you want the accused to actually come out and say "yep, I'm guilty of nepotism." Yeah, that'll happen. Let's just ignore the evidence showing that they had a relationship and that the "journalist" she slept with gave her game positive coverage. Yep, no proof at all.

"Sarkeesian and Petit's names weren't in anyone's mouths until they endured an onslaught of hate and it made the news."

And exactly what prompted the onslaught of hate hmmm? Sarkeesian orchestrated her onslaught of hate, and so did Petit when she insisted on calling the gaming industry sexist for GTAV. And if you think people weren't talking about Sarkeesian prior to her kickstarter, then you haven't been paying any attention.

"Seriously, no attention is more effective than attention of any kind. Especially considering that given the climate of the industry, any negative attention/hate towards someone will make the news and garner even more exposure for that person."

Yeah, no. These people need to be met with opposition else developers will continue to be called sexist and misogynistic, they will create a toxic environment for developers who want to make their own games yet may not fall into the feminist/social justice narrative, and they will create a development environment where there's is the only accepted way because no one said "hold on a minute, what you're trying to do is censor, block, and shame and we won't stand for it."

Feel free to do absolutely nothing about the Sarkeesian's, Quinn's, and Petit's of the world as is your right, but since you're going to do nothing and in some instances defend these toxic people, stay out of the way of people that are actually trying to ensure that developers have the freedoms to make whatever they want without being insulted and attacked for doing so. Kthnxbye.

[TransientDreamer]

"gave her game positive coverage"
Where? It doesn't exist.

"Sarkeesian orchestrated her onslaught of hate,"
All she did was make it more visible. She didn't put words in people's mouths. You guys played right into her hand.

"and so did Petit when she insisted on calling the gaming industry sexist for GTAV."
And she's entitled to her opinion. Don't like it? Too bad. That's the whole point of a review. There's plenty of other writers you can follow in lieu of sending hate towards the one you disagree with.

"And if you think people weren't talking about Sarkeesian prior to her kickstarter, then you haven't been paying any attention."
The point is that they were talking about her a ton more after her KS went viral... due to the amount of hate that was getting sent her way. It may not have happened if those involved had simply ignored her.

"These people need to be met with opposition else developers will continue to be called sexist and misogynistic,"
Most of the time they're wrong. However, sending tons of verbal/written abuse towards them, as well as doxxing campaigns and hacking their personal info only plays into their hand and turns them into the victim. The real victims here are people who just want to play games.

"they will create a toxic environment for developers who want to make their own games yet may not fall into the feminist/social justice narrative,"
The environment is already toxic due to the condescenscion of the SJWs/feminists and the immaturity of their detractors.

People like you aren't defending gaming. You have a very specific vision of it just like they do. You're the same.

[DragonKnight]

"Where, it doesn't exist."

-I'll just look for that... oh wait, like everything else that's been discussed about this, it's gone now. Gee, I wonder why. It's not like sites have been censoring and shadowbanning over this... wait, they have?

http://www.reddit.com/r/con...

Yep, everything is definitely on the up and up.

"All she did was make it more visible.."

Wrong, she ORCHESTRATED it. She went on to 4Chan and spammed her kickstarter project all over it. She's responsible for her own hatred. She also picks and chooses what hatred she wanted to make visible, completely ignoring the legitimate criticisms of her work in favor of pointing out the obvious troll comments and claiming rampant misogyny.

"And she's entitled to her opinion..."

I don't care about her entitlement. I care about the repercussions of her opinion and how her entitlement isn't a lack of entitlement of others to call her out on her B.S. You don't like that people will call her out on things? Too bad, there's plenty of self-serving, self-congratulatory SJWs you can follow in lieu of making ignorant comments chastising people who are done with the "gaming culture is sexist, transphobic, racist, and misogynist" rhetoric.

"The point is that they were talking..."

No, that's not the point. You said "Sarkeesian and Petit's names weren't in anyone's mouths until they endured an onslaught of hate and it made the news" which is B.S. Say what you mean, or don't say anything.

"Most of the time they're wrong...."

I love how you generalize opposition as verbal/written abuse, doxxing, and hacking. As though there aren't people out there making legitimate criticism against these people that you're still telling not to. Who's stopping you from "just playing games?" Has my blog bricked your console, scratched your game disc, or corrupted your hard drive? No? Then what's stopping you from playing games? Like I said before, you're free to do nothing, but don't annoy those who are doing something.

"The environment is already toxic..."

Would there be detractors if SJWs and feminists didn't create a toxic environment in the first place?

"People like you aren't defending gaming. You have a very specific vision of it just like they do. You're the same."

Oh yeah, I'm definitely the same. The fact that I want developers to be able to make any kind of game they want to free from being attacked for the kind of character they create, what that character wears and does in-game is totally the same. Yeah, I'm the same for not expecting Rockstar to make a GTA game where every NPC has an extensive back story, or Ubisoft to make a game where you can visit an NPC in the hospital after having rescued her from abuse, which by the way is also wrong of me to do. Yeah, that's so the exact same kind of basic ideology as the feminists.

My "vision" of gaming where developers have the freedom to be the artists we all say they are is totally on the same level as an ideology that attacks them for being artists, calls them racists/sexists/misogynists. Yep, I can totally see the correlation there.

You're doing a great job.

[Christopher]

***And exactly what prompted the onslaught of hate hmmm? Sarkeesian orchestrated her onslaught of hate, and so did Petit when she insisted on calling the gaming industry sexist for GTAV. And if you think people weren't talking about Sarkeesian prior to her kickstarter, then you haven't been paying any attention. ***

Wait... are we saying that hatred, offensiveness, and threats to one's life is an appropriate response to someone's opinion?

[DragonKnight]

@cgoodno: Nope. That's what you're inferring. You'll not find anywhere where I say threats of violence are acceptable. Hatred, in the case of Petit, is the result of her claims. Offensiveness isn't something I'm going to discuss because I believe offense is something you take, which means you have the choice to not take it and no one can take it for someone else. So I'm not going to discuss choice in offense.

But when you call out an entire industry and its proponents for sexism and misogyny (SO ironic when transgender individuals use this), don't expect flowers and corny music with little floating hearts in the air and giggling.

The thing about humanity is that it's complex, and no matter how much people like Sarkeesian and Petit wish it were, humanity isn't a hive mind. You'll get people pushing the envelope in their responses. Typically smart people ignore them. It's called not feeding the trolls.

And yes, those people ARE trolling.

[TransientDreamer]

"Yep, everything is definitely on the up and up."
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. This is the INTERNET. If this positive coverage of Quinn's game actually existed, it would have been found by now. You know this. You're just conveniently forgetting it to boost your "argument."

"Wrong, she ORCHESTRATED it. She went on to 4Chan and spammed her kickstarter project all over it."
Proof, please. I've never heard of this, and it makes absolutely no sense. Sounds like another one of your conspiracy theories.

"She's responsible for her own hatred. She also picks and chooses what hatred she wanted to make visible, completely ignoring the legitimate criticisms of her work in favor of pointing out the obvious troll comments and claiming rampant misogyny."
She's not responsible for the actions of other people. That's a ludicrous statement to make. You're saying that the people who levied the abusive campaign against her had no agency in their actions? Or worse, that it was justified? Sorry, but no. Like I said, you guys played right into her hand.

"I care about the repercussions of her opinion and how her entitlement isn't a lack of entitlement of others to call her out on her B.S."
You reap what you sow. "Calling people out on their BS" has equated to non-stop harassment. It victimizes the people you disagree with, villainizes the detractors, and takes the attention away from those who want to have intelligent discussions.

"I love how you generalize opposition as verbal/written abuse, doxxing, and hacking."
It's not generalizing. It's pointing out that those are the most visible.

"Would there be detractors if SJWs and feminists didn't create a toxic environment in the first place?"
They are not responsible for the actions of other people. All they have are opinions. The gamers are the one's giving them the voice.

"You're doing a great job."
Thank you. Wish I could say the same for you.

[DragonKnight]

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

"This is the INTERNET..."

Oh now I see. You're being willfully ignorant. The fact that you've doubtlessly seen, on any gaming site that exists, the censorship efforts being taken vis a vis this scandal means that of course I should be able to just go back to Kotaku and see they didn't take it down. I'll just get right on recreating that page for you then.

**EDIT** This just in.. yeah everything is still on the up and up. Clearly they have nothing to hide and thus no reason for this.

http://www.cinemablend.com/...

"Proof, please..."

Have you ever been to 4Chan? If you have, then let's see if you can answer this question. What happens to threads posted on the site after a period of time? Don't bother answering, I know you have no idea. The answer is that the threads get routinely purged. But you're free, at you're leisure, to look up jordanowen42's videos on youtube for a start. I believe thunderf00t may have touched on the subject as well but I'm not 100% positive on that, but all the evidence you need is on youtube. Just look for it.

"She's not responsible..."

I like that you said "played into her hand" yet try to deny in the previous point that she could have orchestrated her own hatred. Yay, I've found a pancake. Someone who believes that a person trying to poke a lion shouldn't result in that lion biting that person's head off.

Genius. I wish I would have thought of that. /s

"You reap what you sow..."

I legitimately lol'd when I read this one. Saying she has the entitlement to call the industry and gamers sexist, and misogynistic (again, trans irony) but saying no one else has the right to call her out on that B.S. Good one T.D. Keep going, you're doing so well.

"It's not generalizing. It's pointing out that those are the most visible."

Actually no it's not. You never said anything about a vocal minority, or pointed out any hint of actual legitimate criticism. You went straight to the "Oh noes, she's getting da hate mail" as a way to shut down opposition. You know that's what you were doing because you followed it up with "Poor me, I can't play games, even though nothing is physically stopping me from actually playing a game so..... I CAN'T PLAY MAH GAMEZ." Gold star work T.D.

"They are not responsible..."

And the detraction is the opposition to their opinion. What kind of nonsense is "the gamers are the one's giving them the voice?" I know you can't see the stupidity of what you just said, but we've been over this. If everyone like me stopped saying another word about these people, they wouldn't stop shouting the hate with their voices and the ones listening the most aren't the gamers in the first place. Hint: Who gave Anita Sarkeesian an ambassadorial award? It wasn't gamers.

"Thank you. Wish I could say the same for you."

Implying I seek your approval to begin with. Oh no, whatever will I do without TransientDreamer's approval. Life as I know it is surely over.

[TransientDreamer]

"I have no actual comeback and rather than acknowledge that there has been ZERO evidence of 'positive coverage' since this 'scandal' broke, I'll stick to pushing my agenda and parroting misinformation as long as it suits my point."
GG, sir.

"You're being willfully ignorant."
Says the guy who refuses to acknowledge there was no evidence of positive coverage. Says the guy who would believe that in a world where gamers have doxxed, hacked, and harassed people they disagree with into obscurity, wouldn't be able to find a SINGLE article from Nathan Grayson about Depression Quest. Nice job dodging the question once again.

Your next couple of points are so bizarre. How can you seriously boil rampant harassment down to "opposition, contrary opinions, etc."? I disagree with a vast number of the "sexism in gaming" arguments, and I respond in kind. Harassing these people because they have a view contrary to our own does not warrant harassment. You're grasping at straws.

""Poor me, I can't play games, even though nothing is physically stopping me from actually playing a game so..... I CAN'T PLAY MAH GAMEZ.""
Dude, WHAT are you talking about? Lol. You're just babbling at this point. You don't know what you're saying.

"Hint: Who gave Anita Sarkeesian an ambassadorial award? It wasn't gamers."
Hint: Who increased attention to her KS and victimized her with abuse and harassment? Gamers. THAT put her into the position she's in now. Before she released a single TvW video, everyone was talking about Anita Sarkeesian. Once again, GG.

[SilentNegotiator]

"Unless you've lived in a cave on Mars, with your eyes shut and your fingers in your ears, then I'm sure you've heard of the Quinnspiracy"

....you're kidding, right? The mainstream media and Quinn's legal team has done EVERYTHING in their power to bury this thing. I mean, if N4G is your only source of game news, you could have easily missed it between the really big article being failed (probably due to legal threats) and only an occasional, low heat article about it coming up.

That said, it's lucky we have people like MundaneMatt, InternetAristocrat, DragonKnight, etc to help spread the news, because this is EXACTLY the sort of corruption that needs to be reported on.

[Ravenor]

Patrick has a bit of a hard on for Zoe, so I never saw it on Giantbomb and that's just about the only place I go regularly anymore. This probably says a lot about me, but I'm far more curious how her sex life became common knowledge? I guess the "Boyfriend" outed her that's what I'm reading, but a scorned dude can be just as...unstable as a scorned female.

Didn't Lana Del Rey just release a song called "F'd my way to the top"? I'm also fairly sure she has admitted to sleeping with dudes in the hope that they would advance her career. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it's not unheard of.

Someone find Kiki Wolfkill, what dies she think about all this!?

[rdgneoz3]

"I guess the "Boyfriend" outed her that's what I'm reading, but a scorned dude can be just as...unstable as a scorned female."

If you read his blog post, the reason he came out about it is because she was being called on it by others and kept denying everything. He provided as little proof as necessary to show she was lying without going into too much detail.

It may not be unheard of, but it doesn't make it right. Hell, at least 2 guys (boss and one journalist) were (or are for now at least) married (divorce?). In other situations / professions, all the parties involved would have been fired or resigned before they were.

[coolbeans]

"I mean, if N4G is your only source of game news, you could have easily missed it between the really big article being failed (probably due to legal threats) and only an occasional, low heat article about it coming up. "

Late response, but I feel the need to bring this part up. Are you mean that 500+ degree one with the some colorful pic, right? From the response I gathered from the person responsible for failing, there was certainly no kind of legal tension behind it. Some reports were brought up by the community and it was handled. It seemed like one of those maybe yes/maybe no kind of decisions anyways.

It seemed like that high-degree TB article swooped in not too long after that happened anyways.

[Blacktric]

Is that thumbnail picture for the article a reference to that moron that said "Twitter gave me PTSD!"? If so, I'm so playing this game RIGHT NOW!

[Blacktric]

Just finished checking everything and I love how every single good option actually leads to the worst ones, just to point out how much of a talentless hack Zoe Quinn is.

[DragonKnight]

It is kind of a reference to both that moron, and Zoe Quinn. It's basically a generic SJW pic.

I know, I love that you lose the game by being a decent person. Lol.

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Did someone in real life get be-headed in real life over this story ! NO // Do women get beaten and raped on average every 90seconds in real life on this planet earth ? The answer is yes! ANITA S is trying to help some developers of video games, to come up with some new ideas ! Hence LAST OF US ! I believe more than 90percent of GAMER's never heard of ZOE , PHIL FISH and ANITA S. And ANITA S won some kind of AWARD chosen by GAME DEVELOPERS !

[Blacktric]

I was wondering when a typical SJW who has no idea what the hell is going on in the industry, would jump in to defend the excrements like Quinn and Anita.

Anita is NOT a gamer. In a video of her, she admitted that she's not a gamer and she did not like playing games. Yet what did the press say when they were talking about her? "Lifelong gamer!". And she sure as sh*t is not an honest person either. Every single video she put out of (you know, the ones she got 160k dollars for to make from SJW morons) has at least one blatant lie in it. The video that talks about how women are used as background objects has footage from a kid playing Hitman Absolution like a madman. He kills the strippers in the club, game penalizes him for doing so by taking off points from his total balance, yet Anita spews sh*t like; "as you can see, the game encourages players to kill and play with the bodies of women", completely unaware of the fact that giving the player the freedom to do something doesn't equal to encouragement.

And the award she won was given to her thanks to her contacts. She didn't win jackshit because of her nonexistent contributions. Stop lying to yourselves and everyone else to make this horrible person look like the savior of women in videogames. But who am I kidding... You're probably one of those SJW disinformationists, who still tries to make it look like she actually gave a speech at a TED event, when it was a crappy, self financed TedX event.

"Did someone in real life get be-headed in real life over this story ! NO // Do women get beaten and raped on average every 90seconds in real life on this planet earth ? The answer is yes!"

Really? You're also going to go for the fallacy of relative privation to point out that there are far more important things going on in the world? Pathetic!

[DefenderOfDoom2]

reply , to Blacktric 3rd bubble . Before i get into my reply . I think it is kinda of important to let people know i come to N4G to community because i really love video games and i like really enjoy reading articles , and the comments about the video game industry. What i really enjoy too , is watching YOUTUBE videos about the video game industry. Now, for you to say i am a SJW and i have no idea , what is going on in the industry is wrong. Only because you really do not know me. So i can understand why you said that. The truth is i did not even know what SJW stood for till today ! And this is the only site i leave comments on.Also i have been playing video games since 1975. On average i play about 15 to 20 hours a week. NEIL BRUCKMAN creative director and writer for THE LAST OF US, before ANITA S received her award said that, "ANITA S. has helped the gaming industry advanced to a better place and her work has done just that " at THE 2014 DEVELOPERS CHOICE AWARDs. also ANITA S. said in her last video, "that 1 in the 5 women in the US will be raped in their lifetime . and 1 and 5 will be sexually assaulted". That is why i brought up my stat in my first comment . I really believe ANITA S is trying to do something to help women from getting beat and raped all over the world .Is her plan working? I do not know, but at least she is trying. Also , i do not think ANITA S is some kind of savior. I think she is just a human trying to help other humans . As far as this corruption story from last week with ZOE and some gaming sites. Well from someone who has worked the entertainment industry for 30 years . This is common practice, and i frown upon it!! Their is so much PAYOLA going on with these video game sites and it stinks. When i want to find out about video games i might want to buy, i go to people i trust, like JEFF GERZTMANN (GIANT BOMB)SUPER BUNNYHOP and TOTALBISCUIT // TOTALBISCUIT and BOOGIE2988 just uploaded good YOUTUBE videos yesterday on this topic ! My closing statement is, i really believe that ANITA S does not have a big impact on the video game industry . She is just trying to help developers and writers of video games, come up with some new cool ideas. PUBLISHERS like EA, who just put demos of a their games behind a paywall, are the real villains . Anyways Blacktric, i hope our next conversation is about, what is a better game HALF LIFE or HALF LIFE 2. CHEERS!

[kingdip90]

Are you trying to suggest that the past and present injustice many women are subject to (and I do agree that it's disgusting that it happens) somehow makes it ok for a woman to sexploit and demean these video game journalists?

Are you somehow trying to suggest that the exploitation of one gender is somehow more valid than the exploitation of the other gender?

If so then you are a sexist regardless of your own gender.

Both are equal and should be treated as such. These men were degraded and used and sex was the tool with which to do it.

It's sick however you slice it and holding it up to other random disgusting acts will not detract from that.

[kingdip90]

It should however be stated that the journalists in this situation have also acted in a very morally reprehensible way. This takes away any notion of credibility from them and the websites they work for. Also being willing to compromise any integrity they had just for sex lowers their gender in the eyes of whoever reads about this controversy.

[MacDonagh]

I hate to admit it but I had no idea about this Zoe Quinn debacle until a couple of days ago and I find it another sad footnote on the history of the gaming industry at large, due to the quelling of dissent over so many forums that even 4chan, once the dookiehole of the internet, is censoring anything to do with it.

However, due to the incendiary ramblings that have been shown by willful members on various forums like Gamespot, Reddit, IGN etc; there can never and will never be a proper, civilised discussion when this type of topic makes it's appearance. For every thoughtful, insightful comment that is expressed; there are ten vicious diatribes against SJWs, women, the person that is in the center of the controversy or whatever.

What Zoe Quinn does in her private affairs is her business and it's not really surprising that developers and journalists may have relationships outside of their professions. Why anyone is shocked at this point after Doritogate and Rab Florence's firing is beyond my comprehension.

It should be noted that the ex-boyfriend that released the blog that started all of this nonsense didn't do it to show how corrupt games journalism is but to sully and besmirch the people involved in this sorry affair. He didn't do this for any noble reason, other than to gain some revenge for being cheated on. Personally, I find the reasoning rather boring and unoriginal, but that's just me being incredibly jaded.

One of the more distasteful things that seems to have come out of this is when TotalBiscuit was attacked by indie developers on Twitter, led by Phil Fish, for expressing his opinion on Quinn for filing a false DMCA on a youtube video. Keeping in mind how this youtuber has promoted indie games for years previously before indie games became the thing that is getting pushed in this current generation. While I can say with some conviction that I'm not the most moral person to have ever lived; I feel that lambasting a guy who's currently undergoing chemotherapy for merely expressing an opinion seems a little bit pathetic.

Kojima was right. No-one is invalidated, but nobody is right.

[WilliamUsher]

Well said.

I'm kind of in your boat, too.

I don't give a crap about such-and-such's personal life. I just don't care.

What bothers me is that these high-horsers are using their influence to silence the gaming community, to trounce IndieGoGo campaigns like The Fine Young Capitalists (google up TFYC doxxed for more info) and have attacked people who actually are or are trying to contribute to the growth of game culture.

What pisses me off is that these people yelling "misogynist" at the speed of 140 characters per tweet seem to want nothing more than nihilistic self-glory.

They aren't pushing for more inclusion by creating animosity and separation, and they aren't even proliferating indie or female game development because they're not supporting any cause and they're only creating resentment for those who would like to support the right causes without all the drama.

None of the harassment, doxxing or attacks are called for from those who feel attacked. It's silly and trollish.

But having these ivory tower folk use their influence to damage game culture for no reason other than to puff their own ego is sickening.

[MacDonagh]

The Fine Young Capitalists situation is truly shocking. What I find even more reprehensible is the whole hacking and doxing of these people who were trying to raise money for charity by getting women to submit ideas. Targeting a charity is really below the belt at this point and it truly shows up the hypocrisy of gaming journalism by refusing to cover the hacks and giving no coverage to those fellas is a dereliction of duty on their part.

When 4chan is in the right about something; you know that the other side of the argument must be utterly indefensible.

A SJW feminist and her supporters tried to shutdown a feminist indydev startup. Who would ever believe that would happen?

[havok2100]

IMHO, it seems the main point of contention with this particular scandal originally was whether or not the debacle cast a shadow on gaming journalism as a whole, as if it were the last sacred bastion of forthright and honest reporting in all the world. How is it possible that adult gamers are so naive? I don't get it. Everybody in every industry networks and uses those personal associations to benefit professionally.

In that regard the public response has been appalling, because if it was a guy nobody would care. Again, guys use personal relationships (albeit, minus the sex) to their advantage all the time. It's expected, whether it's acceptable or not. People just don't talk about it. If you look back at how many devs went to school with journalists covering the industry . . . The double standard here is infuriating, because it's so obvious.

If a group of blowhards wants to publicly express their displeasure with the current state of social/sexual consciousness in gaming, who has the right to say they are wrong. Everything is subjective. If you disagree, then disagree with the argument. Attacking people doesn't further your cause. You rally support for your adversary by persecuting them in a public forum. There is so much rage and vitriol on the internet with so little accountability.

At least TransientDreamer seems to get it. STFU and let it die, this crap is making us all look pretty bad. In the end, the medium will evolve regardless of any efforts to stifle it and take on elements from all disciplines of progressive thought. That's the nature of any art form. If you don't like that, stop buying new games. The industry will get along just fine without you.

[kingdip90]

That's right it's expected. Guys are expected to cheat, expected lie and expected to screw anyone over to get what they want. These expectations are played all over media and men are vilified for it.

If a man ever gets a text messege while out with his significant other and it causes mistrust it is because of that negative image men have in the media.

If man did it no one would care you say? Of course people would care, people have cared so much for so long that men are thought of as little more than creatures who cannot control their lust, violent urges, and who think of little else but sex, beer and video games.

This woman used people to get what she wanted. She used them as things, she lowered herself by doing it and these men lowered themselves by taking part. All of these people are morally reprehensible and none of them should get any defense from anybody.

She used her body to make money and from what I have heard in a lot of places that is very illegal for men and for women to do outside of a red light establishment.

[havok2100]

I'm not saying what she did was right. I'm not saying that using your personal relationships for professional gain is ever morally or ethically just. I'm only stating that, at this point, it doesn't matter. The practice is far too pervasive to be eliminated from any industry. Moreover, it has only received this level of public outcry because she is female. The fact that sex was involved somehow makes her actions "more wrong" than anyone else who trades on personal associations. That's ludicrous.

The generalizations that you offer about the nature of "men" are stereotypes that we often perpetuate, usually without any regard for societal implications. I work in an industry far more segregated than the game industry, and your sentiments regarding men seem completely accurate, but it's only part of the picture. These same men are conscientious and responsible workers, attentive fathers, loving husbands . . . So just as these negative traits you reference are not representative of all men, even those who embody them are more complex then the caricatures and stereotypes we see in the media.

[dedicatedtogamers]

Honestly, I'm sad that our industry is so immature that we get swept away by these sort of discussions. When an industry (and the media that covers it) becomes more concerned with ethics and social issues and politics (and don't fool yourself: the so-called "social justice" types are a political movement, not a kind-hearted philanthropic one) instead of trying to entertain their customers, then it harms the entire industry. It stifles true creativity and instead replaces it with a cheap "social justice approved" imitation that is only interesting to the niche within their own camp.

Also, I wish that game devs weren't given such celebrity status. It's too...Hollywood. Should they get recognition? Sure. It's called the money you make when selling your game. But these Twitter / Tumblr / reddit squabbles make me shake my head in disgust and lose interest in the products that these clowns are trying to sell. This whole situation is largely due to the celebrity status that journalists (who are in bed with the publishers and devs already...sometimes literally) and gamers give to these peoples.

[Ashriel]

That's a lot of strawman arguments there.

Relax, it's just criticism, no one's taking your games away.