Gamergate: a brief history of a computer-age war

When a 24-year-old American called Eron Gjoni posted a blog complaining about the behaviour of his ex-girlfriend, it is unlikely that he expected to ignite a culture war which is still reverberating through the industry six months later.

“The Zoe post”, published in August 2014, made a series of unfounded accusations that Gjoni’s former lover Zoe Quinn, an independent games developer, had traded sex for positive reviews. Soon, an army of internet dwellers had seized on this opportunity to police a woman’s sexual behaviour under the guise of promoting “ethics in games journalism”. What was most astonishing about Gamergate was how quickly it grew. Like a hurricane, it ripped new grievances out of the ground and rolled them up with long-established hatreds and arguments. Its supporters call their enemies “social justice warriors” and worry that they will usher in a new age where the latest Call of Duty won’t let you shoot nameless baddies – but instead ask you to talk about your fee…