GamerGate has been at the forefront of gaming news and has even been covered in other media outlets (like the BBC and The Colbert Report). Where it was once a unified movement, it has now led to a divided community and we have the games media to thank for that. Even though there was a small amount of progression on holding games media accountable for their actions, there has been an increasing recession in the understanding of why GamerGate started that a lot of people are purposely ignoring or confused by and accepting the false truth that the games media spun. The gaming media won by diverting attention away from questioning their work ethic and turned it into a second war between gamers and social justice warriors by proclaiming GamerGate as an online bullying campaign against women. Those who are anti-GamerGate because of the fabricated definition of the movement bought that spiel hook, line, and sinker, but we are not done fighting.
Gamers began by standing tall against the gaming media giant and declared that they reshape the way they do business. The whole kerfuffle with Zoe Quinn and her questionable relationships with gaming media (whether true or not is still unclear) brought forth the built up wrath gamers have had for the media for years. It was finally time to call them out on the consistent nonsense they would publish every year. Gamers shifted attention away from the "Quinnspiracy" and focused on those she had "friendly" relationships with; however, there was a vocal minority amongst them who began targeting Quinn instead with constant and unnecessary threats.
This led to two things. One, sites like EscapistMagazine and even Kotaku and Polygon (surprisingly) revised their policies. Two, the media lashed back. The tide started to turn. Many writers proclaimed that it is the "end of gamers". Others were denouncing the same gamers who were demanding the gaming media to clean up their work ethic were nothing more than women hating bullies. The latter of these two results is what has been pervasive as of late and many people (gamers included) began to condemn GamerGate and anyone who associated themselves with it.
This sudden backlash to a movement that set out to actually improve a section of the video game industry has been a huge blow. Those in the gaming media who collaborated on setting the stage against gamers worked. This not only allows gaming news sites to sit back and let gamers tear each other apart in this civil war they sparked, but allow opportunists like Anita Sarkeesian to take advantage to push their agenda. In turn, this has given people like her even more exposure than they deserve. She was on The Colbert Report for crying out loud.
Now we are back to square one by trying to put out the fires the media started and people like Anita Sarkeesian keep adding fuel to. Those of us still adamant on taking the fight to gaming media have been left with being called nerds, misogynists, and basement dwellers. That's right. We are back to the old stigmas that gamers fought against before and are dealing with now. While we're at it, how about we add the old stigmas to Dungeons & Dragons and comic books since those were perpetuated by the media as the bane of our society? After all, Dungeons & Dragons was responsible for the increased practices of witchcraft and devil worship. How about comic books where they are influencing your children into doing stunts that could injure or even get them killed? Yes, those claims really happened. Do you see how stupid and out of hand these things can get when the media portrays pop culture as the next atomic bomb of our age?
The damned thing is that every form of pop culture has had its battles with the disillusioned media, but video games are the favored punching bag in the present. You don't have to have a comment history or Twitter feed to prove that you never said anything demeaning to women. Many people will still label you the derogatory words above regardless of that fact because you support what GamerGate was originally meant for. Here's the reality of it: no matter what side of an argument you are on, throwing insults at the other camp will never lead to any progression or understanding. That goes for gamers who claim to be for GamerGate, the anti-GamerGate crowd who use insulting terms, and the trolls who incite fights.
Do I necessarily blame people for being critical of GamerGate because of the trolls? No, of course not. Seeing the tweets and messages left by them are possibly the only thing they have seen regarding GamerGate. Trolls and generally unpleasant people are responsible for much of the hate. I do blame some of the anti-GamerGate crowd for being equally vitriolic with their remarks toward gamers. I just said this: insults don't lead anywhere. You are not being the bigger person by insulting gamers. You are lessening yourself as an individual by blindingly conforming to a story instead of questioning it. You were suckered in by the gaming media who instigated the misogynist notion of GamerGate. Once again, the media succeeded in making us fight against each other.
There was an attempt to quell the ongoing slander against gamers. It is known as #NotYourShield. This was an attempt by primarily female gamers to show their support of GamerGate. Unfortunately, they have faced the same scrutiny that male gamers have. They have been declared "lost" and "despicable" by opponents of GamerGate. So, not only are female gamers who refuse to have pretentious individuals use them as a scapegoat a problem, they are just as bad or worse than the straight/white/male gamers who have perverted the industry. Likewise, ladies that means you are also apparently misogynists. Seems rather counterproductive of people who are defending women by being anti-GamerGate to insult female gamers isn't it?
http://www.cinemablend.com/...
Through it all, I believe that there is an underlying ulterior motive by gaming media to cause such a ruckus. Not only to redirect the discussion away from them mind you, but something more. That motive is to draw more people in to their sites by proclaiming themselves as supporters of women and get more traffic. No one wants to support a site that plays into favoritism and takes perks over giving legitimate opinions and providing worthwhile content. Let's face it, they have been losing out to Youtube personalities who have no loyalties to publishers or Public Relations for good reason. I follow more Youtube personalities than go on sites like Kotaku and Polygon. TotalBiscuit, Angry Joe, AlphaOmegaSin, HappyConsoleGamer, Maximilian Dood, ProJared, Commander Holly, Dodger, and FarFromSubtle are among the many Youtube personalities I support and recommend to view and follow. These are people who you can trust and aren't afraid to be honest.
I have never hidden my feelings on the GamerGate situation. I think that what it originally was for was an admirable idea. Games media has always been a slippery slope with Public Relations and publishers giving gifts to journalists who in turn do them favors. The Game Media Awards are a joke. The Video Games Awards (or possibly still VGX) is a pathetic display by our games media. This industry deserves better. Hell, every entertainment industry deserves better from their media coverage. Movies, comics, and anime still get slack from their own media which more often than not is equivalent to what games media does with sensationalism and agendas.
I am HonestDragon. I am a straight, Spanish male who has been a gamer since I was five years old. No one speaks for me and I don't condone the threats and attacks women get on social media by trolls who use a movement to spread their hate and immaturity; however, I also fight against those who falsely identify gamers like myself as a basement dwelling nerd who doesn't allow girls into his boys only club. GamerGate isn't going anywhere, but it hasn't made any recent positive waves either. We have to stand together if we want corruption, backdoor favors, and the politicization of video game journalism to end. It doesn't matter what your race, gender, religion, or sexual preference is. If you support the idea of games media cleaning up their act and condemn the actions of spiteful trolls who instigate fights, declare it. Show the games media that you will not have them or anyone else speak for yourself. Games media have won this battle, but the war isn't over.
Moiz from eXputer: "The constantly challenging nature of Balatro makes it an unforgettable experience and a delight for Poker enthusiasts."
Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike game, but aside from a few important mechanics, it marches to the beat of its own drum.
In a recent Game Rant interview, Mob Entertainment's CEO and Co-Founder Zach Belanger talks Poppy Playtime Chapter 4 and the company's future plans.
I think a lot of people see video gamers as somehow the punching bag, when what I see is Conan O'Brien doing video game reviews often and even Kevin Spacey being on The Tonight Show to advertise the latest Call of Duty.
So much fear for how people perceive us when the media already perceives us the same as those who watch movies and tv shows.
As long as we continue to put money into the pockets of video game publishers, who then put money into advertising, we will continue to have the support of the mainstream media.
As far as the 'gaming media', they're just like many of the people who read their articles. They will do what attracts the most users, which tends to be whatever develops the most drama. Even if it's bad drama. It's really all about the hits and not about a strategic attack against those who have it out for them. So, I wouldn't say well played on their part, only that it was a situation where they could easily get more hits by keeping the thing going by focusing on the outliers who harassed others. If siding with GamerGate got them more hits, they would have gone that route. But, it wouldn't have.
At least that's my two cents on that element of the situation.
The problem is gamers are easily controlled by the media and are way to loyal to corporations.
Great blog!
I believe you nailed the heart of gamer gate.
It is far too controversial to not have opportunists on either side veer from the cause of the discussion.
You are right in saying it is not about the misogyny, it's about the underlying corruption of games journalism that ultimately use to push their own agendas.
Anita and feminists alike I have no issue with; they too are a victim of their own opportunism and unfortunately have shown their faces in light of a situation that really has no issue with feminism as a whole, and in hindsight could actually hinder their progress rather then help the feminist cause.
Like cgoodno said above, it's opened an opportunity to derail the situation and create drama to feed their sites hits. They do not care about the heart of the issue because it is in direct relation to them, so in turn take the opportunity to make it benefit them regardless if right or wrong; which if thought about is what gamergate is at its core, they have corrupted the situation to benefit their needs.
I enjoy your blogs - they are always well written/thought out and much higher quality than 95%+ of what is typically done in the gaming media
IMO, one of several reasons the gamer media has jumped on the "everything to do w a woman in gaming is mysoganistic" and " we are good SJW s gamergate is bad" to try and attract some mainstream credibility - one way to try is pick a main stream topic, create good guy and bad guy, then "boost the signal". Once it starts generating traffic and bumping In to the main stream they can pretend they are legit for a while and try to ride the wave for their own benefit - however, it will be a short term ride for them - gamer media is typically the "bottom of the barrel" and will prob not become legitimized in its current form-
The problem is, in their attempt to high jack the face of gaming they may very well do long term damage to the medium- Developers and publishers will essentially censor their own creativity in order to avoid bad pr and games will become more and more bland. They will also add another more damaging label to "gamers" as not only being the nerdy basement dwelling virgins, but now they will also be sexist, violent, racist bullying basement dwelling virgins.
Sooner or later it will not be acceptable for Mario to save Peach and Link to save Zelda ( with the direction things are going now)
Its all about advertising and sales to put it simply when it comes about the big videogame media corporations.