10 Things You Need To Know About The #GamerGate Scandal

Articles everywhere have sprung up overnight claiming that ‘gamers are dead’, or ‘gamers are killing gamers’. Chances are you’ve seen one of these articles with whatever sensationalist title they’ve used to draw you in, but why are people saying this? What does #GamerGate mean?

[Beetey]

Excellent article. It's sad how many websites are simply ignoring the issue or posting articles that are blatantly insulting to their target audience. I just hope the campaign will be enough to bring some actual change to game journalism instead of just continuing to be a touchy (and often misrepresented) issue that people are afraid to discuss.

[johndoe11211]

Agreed. The author got everything spot on. This issue is a very very very serious one and as gamers we really need to come together and demand that these "journalists" and devs be held accountable for their actions.

They are trying to shift the blame to gamers and are labeling us terrorists and misogynists due to the actions of a select few. It's all about misdirection so that we don't focus on their deceitful,unethical and underhanded practices.

[WilliamUsher]

This times 1000

We need some way to get the word out there in a mass way, though.

All the major sites are closing down their comment threads so other people can't be informed whenever these issues pop up.

It's like it's really hard to get momentum going when these people have so much reach to shutdown discussions and spread using their marketing connections.

I mean, WTF is up with Reddit and Neogaf? This is straight up BS. Reddit's /r/Games and /r/gaming are especially egregious given that it's supposed to be an OPEN forum for discussion and they're purposefully shutting all of it down. It makes me sick.

[Dee_91]

Even here on N4G its questionable why these articles don't generate more heat despite the fact they gets lots of comments and views..

[3-4-5]

* If we stop going to these Journalists sites and giving them hits, they will go away.

We have more power than you think.

People who play games and buy games, control the games, not the media.

[johndoe11211]

^^THIS!!!

[Aquariusgamer]

Heads up, this is another "click my website 10 times because all my points are spread out on 10 different pages" article.

[johndoe11211]

Usually I would have a serious problem with that but as this is one of the very very few journalists that actually have the courage to speak up for what is right, I don't mind giving him the clicks.

[LucasRuinedChildhood]

This is worse than that time Lucas ruined my childhood.

#GameJournalistsMakeGeorgeLuc asLookGood

Additionally, Anita and Quinn's manipulative nature is more sickening than the experience watching Kingdom of The Crystal Skull ... I still shutter. What a cruel trick.

Anyway,it's nice to see that some have to courage to stand up and demand integrity in this industry. So many websites are almost worshiping Zoe Quinn - a woman who admitted to raping her boyfriend, exchanged sex for good publicity, doxxed a group trying to help out female developers, and in general is just a corrupt individual.

[LucasRuinedChildhood]

SJW: 'How dare you, you misogynist 'gamer'. Gaming is not about playing games. It's about pushing agendas, in return for pussy. Unity should let me play as a woman, even if the main character isn't a woman and that wouldn't make any sense. Make it make sense. I'll censor/kill you!!! I bet you have white skin. Oh, the inhumanity!!! Depression Quest saved my life, and is the greatest light of justice in the universe, the Citizen Kane of gaming - an eternal classic. I've looked at the facts, and I don't like them. They aren't important, and I wasn't paid to say any of this, even if you can prove it.

I did not have sexual relations with that woman!'

[Ogygian]

We need more articles like this to spread the truth about our concerns, and combat the false narrative being portrayed by hipster game journalists and Sarkeesian's minions.

Additionally, we need to catch the attention of devs, which is only going to be done through headlines. In light of all the hatred against our side of the debate, it's both important and brave for writers to be taking a stand to keep our hobby free from external "moral"-sociopolitic al pressure.

These people aren't smart enough to tell us what sort of content we should be consuming.

[EdoubleD]

http://i.imgur.com/w0CHgoa....

I'm sorry if I keep posting the same image from other comment sections. But this is just one example of how bigoted and two-faced these people are.

I appreciate articles like these, we need more. Gamers aren't the bad guy in this narrative.

[mixelon]

There aren't bad guys in this narrative. Not in the sense that one side is righteous and the other bad. That's what's perverse about the whole thing. There are idiots and hate spewing self righteous turds on both "sides".

[EdoubleD]

That's kind of my point. When I wrote that, it was aimed towards the 'story' these guys are trying to spin.

I know there are turds on both sides, but you have to admit. We're being constantly bombarded about how we're the ones who have to change, have high moral standards etc. When you have examples like the one I've posted happening.

[Ogygian]

I suppose it depends on whether we can mutually agree on what a "bad guy" is.

I mean yes, there are crazy extremists on either side who take things too far, but I believe there is a "good" side in one of the general arguments.

Take the SJWs: Have an idea of morality. Believe that more games should reflect this morality, regardless of what sales figures dictate the wider audience actually wants.

Anti-SJWs: Have a different idea of morality. Do not try to impose it on others.

And that's the important element. One side is merely trying to prevent the other from telling devs what to do. It is saying "let the market decide; if you want more games to be like X, prove you are willing to sacrifice something for them and actually buy games like X".

So this is in a sense like tolerant religious believers vs intolerant. One one side you have people saying:

"we are right, you should convert to our religion and we're going to demand your religious leaders spread *our* word to educate you"

On the other we have:

"We're not going to criticise the beliefs you like to follow by launching attacks against your religious leaders (those who create SJW-friendly media), we simply won't attend their sermons. Please let us worship in peace, as we grant you that freedom".

All gamers want is for the media to stop patronising gamers by telling us how "immoral" and "misogynistic" we are so we can just get on withn our lives, and for devs to not fear making stuff we enjoy so as to maintain good PR with the SJWs.

So to me, it seems clear that this is simply a case of intolerance (SJWs) vs tolerance (gamers). If you don't agree that intolerance is 'evil', however (or as close as it gets), then for you, I can understand how neither side can be considered 'good'.

I mean for me as an economist, the costs of the "battle" for moral supremacy and its casualties outweigh by far the costs of simply learning that some people just disagree with you, and also finding a way to tolerate and live side-by-side with these individuals. I support tolerance which is why I oppose SJWs.

[mixelon]

@spartanlemur "So to me, it seems clear that this is simply a case of intolerance (SJWs) vs tolerance (gamers). If you don't agree that intolerance is 'evil', however (or as close as it gets), then for you, I can understand how neither side can be considered 'good'."
It doesn't seem like that to me at all. A large number of gamers are not showing any tolerance at all.

[Ogygian]

@mixelon

In what way?

Who is criticising SJW-friendly media? If they want books with female protagonists that's fine. If they want movies with strong female leads, then that's fine, and I'm not going to criticise.
I wouldn't watch them myself because I'd rather have things which appeal more to me and my lifestyle (I can empathise more with a male lead in paternal, fraternal and romantic themes), but I would, if I had a case, try and appeal to devs on the grounds that they're missing an opportunity and they could make more money if they targeted stuff at people with the same taste as myself. To do so I would try and use statistical evidence and be willing to defend its accuracy (the ESA evidence SJWs use is easily dismissed as it includes mobile gaming, which this debate does not really concern).

So the SJWs are not using much data, and where they do, they don't defend it from critique. Instead they are using emotive and condescending arguments to make devs change games to their tastes and away from those who make up the majority of the market.

So, using some statistics, and what I feel are reasonable assumptions about character protagonist preferences (only SJWs fight their inner nature and "martyr" their own desires by doing "what's right" in playing "strong independent women" (in the case of men); the rest of us just do what comes naturally...we accept our humanity and aren't bothered with "crusades/causes") I think it would be efficient if the percentage of games with respectable female leads reflected the percentage of women who play women in the market; the percentage of sexualised female leads reflected by the percentage of men in the market who play women; the percentage of sexualised male leads reflected in the market by the percentage of women who play men; the percentage of respectable male leads reflected by the percentage of the market who are men who play men.

So that ^^^ seems like pretty fair equilibrium state, where firms/devs are efficiently appealing to all niches (no people don't *only* buy games with one type of protagonist, but these are simple preferences, and it's all proportional; the statisticians out there will know what I mean). I would believe that any group who lost out from the above statistic would have a rational case to push, provided they find supporting evidence.

With a lack of supporting evidence, SJWs are merely trying to work against supply and demand to profit from disproportionate representation. They are trying to trick people into pretty much giving away what they *really* like playing by demonising goods/games which they don't like.

Another example is vodka and rum. Say 10% like rum and 90% like vodka. Dissatisfied with the variety of rum, the 10% could try and demonise vodka, getting it banned, and thus forcing the 90% to drink rum, which they find less enjoyable. We now would see more producers making rum, and far more varieties, making the 10% very happy at the expense of the 90%.

In a sense you could even call it theft.

[OpenGL]

ISIS/ISIL beheaded another journalist today.

[mixelon]

"Everybody gets death threats" umm.. there's a bit of a difference between a "im going to kill you" and a specific threat mentioning your address etc.

And even if everyone did get death threats - that's terrible, and absolutely needs publicising and reporting. If you can't be a victim because "oh it happens to everyone!" then what the hell are the "true gamers" fighting for? That's not a status quo we should want any part of.

Nobody thinks *all* gamers are like that though.

.. I agree with most of these points.. But some ring hollow. Just because "it's not about X" doesn't mean there can't be a significant X component involved.

[Gh05t]

I Didn't know all it takes to make a threat credible was an address... Note to all who make death threats if you don't put in the address they won't take it seriously.

[mixelon]

Ok, so if you get specific threats to you and your family you'd just ignore them all? People DO crazy stuff occasionally, at some point people have to say no.

[Beetey]

I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but there is actually a possibility that the threats mentioning her address were fake. Here is a (somewhat biased) article that looks at the issue:

http://www.returnofkings.co...

While the evidence is circumstantial, I think it's enough to raise some questions. I personally don't know what to believe; it seems weird for her to fake this, but who knows? As the author of the article linked mentions, I think Twitter should release the IP address of the offender so we can put this to rest.

[Dee_91]

We all know threats are a big no-no. Using those threats to bring more attention to yourself , and by adding an "s" at the end of threat to make that threat plural to fuel hate for a certain demographic is also a no-no...which was the point of the excerpt you quoted.. not "oh it happens to everyone!".. maybe you would see that if you didn't take that out of context.

[Gh05t]

"so if you get specific threats to you and your family you'd just ignore them all?"

My point flew right over your head. My point was to take every threat to life seriously.

[Gh05t]

The Competing Hashtag: #DescribeAGamerIn4Words Is A Smear Campaign.

Could you imagine the furry from these people if "Gamers" created a competing Hashtag: #DescribeAFeministin4Words

But we aren't supposed to play into stereotypes... unless its one that opposes your ideology, and then game on right (Pun intended!)

[mixelon]

Whoever came up with describeagamerin4words is not representative of their cause any more than the neckbearded basement dwellers and shouty kids are representative of the other side.

People need to seperate the issues from the personalities and the shouting and the intentionally abrasive.

[fatneal]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT?

[Beetey]

Why is it important that a massive amount of corruption exists within gaming journalism and indie game development and that all gamers are being labeled as misogynistic pigs? A better question, is why are so many people pretending it doesn't matter?

[fatneal]

IMO

i think this overly dramatic story is irrelevant. why should i care what outsiders label me as? the gaming industry isnt going anywhere so they can rally however many soccer moms or neo feminist it still wont stop this billion dollar industry.

also in regards to the corruption of gaming journalism and indie development, again this doesnt effect us really at all. its been proven that us consumers have no control over a games development or cancellation so why should we care that a world we dont live in is corrupted? last time i checked the capitalist world has been corrupt for a long time and anybody thinking its not is naive. Gaming journalism is a joke of a job imo. i wont go as far as to say its useless but its not needed. 10 years ago gaming journalism consisted of magazines primarily so dont tell me its a big part of gaming..its not. i could care less about review scores or who gets the info first because it doesnt matter. i see a game and i buy or rent it or borrow and find out if i like it the old fashion way BY PLAYING IT not by my loyalty to my favorite media head.

gaming is a big part of my life but the way people are freaking out over this makes it seem like people take gaming...video games...too seriously...its not the economy or vital crisis news..its video games news and on top of that it isnt even surprising news...what a woman has been sleeping around and people have been lobbying lol that isnt news thats every day life bro

[HurstDarkStar]

Gamers aren't "DEAD" there's just none talking in articles anymore.

[vickers500]

We need more articles like this to bring light to this annoying issue.

[Trigger_War]

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

Best thing on this list.

[DefenderOfDoom2]

I guess, no one is upset, that UBISOFT gave out free NEXUS CELL PHONES to the people who reviewed WATCH DOGS, except TOTALBISCUIT. Go watch TOTALBISCUIT "WTF WATCH DOGS" on YOUTUBE!

[Surt]

Cause every media has to be a pedestal for politics of any kind. even games. geez.. We buy the games, not them. We go on those sites are at least use too, not them. So think about who holds what control over what.

Play the games you enjoy. Don't like GTA? play infamous. More game options? Great. Censoring or removing established games to appease? Wrong.

[Picnic]

This article itself falls in to its own delusion by describing certain people who practically nobody in the UK certainly had heard of unless they read N4G as 'icons'.

If you're going to call people who have some relationship with videogames as 'icons' stick to the people who make them. Maybe a few well known video sites like farfromsubtle. Not some critic with an agenda.

It's like there is a parallel world people live in where any internet commentator on videogames means anything much at all in the real world.

[mep69]

I'm all for girls wanting to play games ETC but a curtain few need to stop bitching. Games have been aimed at males for years because that's the biggest audience. Women who can't handle that will hurt the industry more than it already is.