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[boogie2988]

You aren't boogie. Not defending me, not defending games, or even milo. The whole thing is utterly meaningless. Their concerns are trivial. Their passion misplaced. And the things they do make them the pariahs of the internet.

then my entire 7 year career on youtube is meaningless because all I've ever wanted to do was defend gamers, cry for inclusiviness in gaming, and integrity in the industry and how we treat its customers.

If you're right I really do hope someone kills me.

 

[antigoon]

boogie, I wish you would stop equating people criticizing you to people thinking you're - in your words - a monster. It's a bit absurd. Nobody here has said that. Further, I don't know how many people have prefaced their criticism with kind words about you and your work but it's more than just a couple.

 

[vcc]

this is your opinion, and I have mine. Maybe neither of us are right. its likely closer to the middle.

But you can have your opinion and I'll have mine. I don't fault you for yours and I'm really saddened to see you fault me for mine. But I'm getting used to that kind of thing. <3

Not everything is an subjective. There aren't always two equal sides.

Me and you are about the same age. I'd hazard with the same hobbies (MTG, games, posting their opinions on the internet). I actually can't fathom why you think they have any merit. I've been on the web since the beginning and their tactics and aims were transparent from day one. I've seen it on usenet, seen it on bbs's, seen it on digg etc... It's a political movement using gamers to push agenda. Why are you happy to be used for an agenda?

I worry for you boogie.

 

[boogie2988]

I hear this a lot. What should she be doing differently? What is she doing that is hurting gamers? What is she doing that is unethical? What should she change?

I see footage from games that are misrepresented sometimes and when this happens it frustrates me. I agree with the majority of her issues but sometimes I feel she misrepresents aspects of a game to deliver the point. as a gamer who has played many of these games, its frustrating.

 

[boogie2988]

Not everything is an subjective. There aren't always two equal sides.

Me and you are about the same age. I'd hazard with the same hobbies (MTG, games, posting their opinions on the internet). I actually can't fathom why you think they have any merit. I've been on the web since the beginning and their tactics and aims were transparent from day one. I've seen it on usenet, seen it on bbs's, seen it on digg etc... It's a political movement using gamers to push agenda. Why are you happy to be used for an agenda?

I worry for you boogie.

your worry is misguided. I've been in charge of what I said for 7 years prior to the gamergate hashtag existing and I'll be here saying the same shit 7 years after its abandoned.

provided one of you doesn't do me the favor I'm begging you to do and fucking put me out of my misery.

 

[boogie2988]

boogie, I wish you would stop equating people criticizing you to people thinking you're - in your words - a monster. It's a bit absurd. Nobody here has said that. Further, I don't know how many people have prefaced their criticism with kind words about you and your work but it's more than just a couple.

I don't know if its been edited and I don't want to go re-read that shit to find out, but the word 'monster' was actually used... as well as some pretty other horrible shit.

feel free to actually read this thread. <3

 

[vcc]

then my entire 7 year career on youtube is meaningless because all I've ever wanted to do was defend gamers, cry for inclusiviness in gaming, and integrity in the industry and how we treat its customers.

If you're right I really do hope someone kills me.

#GG != gamers. They are a tiny subset of gamers and many don't game. One of the most prolific posters on /r/kotakuinaction never posted on gaming form till this thing blew up and he only went to try and push the agenda. codexxx. Look it up. The majority of them game incidentally but most are MRA/TiA/TRP people.

 

[antigoon]

fucking put me out of my misery.

This is making me really uncomfortable. I'm sorry for linking to your tweet in this thread. I hope you get well.

 

[Galactic Fork]

I'm not just defending gamergate, though. I'm defending myself. I'm defending you. I'm defending Leigh Alexander. I'm defending Zoe. I'm defending Anita. I'm even defending Milo as shitty as he's been.

I'm defending every single person to ever pick up sticks. If you think I'm abandoning you just because we disagree on this, or I'm abandoning Anita because I don't like the way she addresses issues, you don't know me at all.

To quote you:

Just to be clear I've never considered zoe, or anita, or anyone else involved in this 'acceptable' collateral damage. Its quite disgusting and awful. I quite obviously condemn such things, because I have a working empathy zone in my brain. But collateral damage they still are and there's little that can be done to fix it. If there was, I would do it.

That said, I see little direction other than forward at this point or those casualties were for nothing and that breaks my heart even further.

That is not defending Anita or Zoe. That's writing them off.

yes I am aware that gamergate started because of a woman doing some silly things and people who don't generally like women grabbing the reigns. But this event also started a fire.

This is also not defending Zoe.

 

[boogie2988]

#GG != gamers. They are a tiny subset of gamers and many don't game. One of the most prolific posters on /r/kotakuinaction never posted on gaming form till this thing blew up and he only went to try and push the agenda. codexxx. Look it up. The majority of them game incidentally but most are MRA/TiA/TRP people.

which is why i'm trying to express to you that gamergate is only a small portion of the group of people i'm defending. You keep rejecting that and I don't know why. I was defending the same group of people for 7 years before gamergate was a thing. I'll be doing the same long after its abandoned.

 

[shacklesmcgee]

wish one of you (or even some crazed gamergater) would have the decency to just fucking make good on your threats and ACTUALLY FUCKING KILL ME so i could get a moments rest and get away from this fucking agony.

again, I'm begging you, to have the fucking decency to end me.

If you're right I really do hope someone kills me.

provided one of you doesn't do me the favor I'm begging you to do and fucking put me out of my misery.

Please, Boogie, step away from all this.

 

[VibratingDonkey]

What has Gamergate accomplished?
What would you like Gamergate to accomplish?
Good luck with that.

I can understand feeling offended by the inflammatory language in Leigh Alexander's article, but I can not understand this one article by that one person justifying the prolonging of the utter shitfest that has always been, continues to be and will forever be, Gamergate.

Stop reading her articles.
Don't try to pull ads from the publishing site.
Stop reading her articles.
Don't send death threats.
Stop reading her articles.
Don't say games media hates gamers.
Stop reading her articles.
Stop reading her articles.
STOP READING HER ARTICLES.

I'mma go to bed.

Stay sane boogie. You ain't never running out of that decent human being cred as far as I'm concerned. Unless you grow an unironic Hitler stache.

 

[boogie2988]

To quote you:

That is not defending Anita or Zoe. That's writing them off.


This is also not defending Zoe.

Is it not possible or reasonable that I have learned, grown, and become a better person since making those statements? Isn't that what this whole debate, and life itself, about? becoming a better you?

I've become a better me and I'm trying to do better.

How about you go find the tweets that I sent to zoe directly apologizing for any harm I had ever caused her, and her saying that I've done nothing of the sort and that I was 'cool' with her?

 

[vcc]

your worry is misguided. I've been in charge of what I said for 7 years prior to the gamergate hashtag existing and I'll be here saying the same shit 7 years after its abandoned.

provided one of you doesn't do me the favor I'm begging you to do and fucking put me out of my misery.

It's not the hashtag, it's the people in #GG. The several thousand extremely angry people which alienate everyone else. They won't hurt you directly, they love that you support them. But their association taints your brand.

 

[zeldablue]

I would also like to add that the shit I read here in this thread discussed in my absence hurts me more than the shit I read on 4-chan about how I was an 'oppurtunistic schill' who wanted to 'count his shekels' and was only involved so that I could 'profiteer like a war baron'.

Instead coming here to find that my years of work trying to support diversity in gaming is not only unappreciated but entirely dismissed because I can also defend gamers at the same fucking time.

good stuff.

again, I'm begging you, to have the fucking decency to end me.

:C

The past few months have been real messed up. Even though I couldn't bare to read the articles, I am sorry that so many people were personally hurt by what was stated. I consider myself a huge nerd and a die hard fan of games. And even though I wasn't offended, I am sorry that other people were. I've been playing since I was six years old, and when my parents were going through a terrible divorce, the games of my childhood were there to tell me everything was going to be alright. When no one was there, I still had that to help me through.

I believe a lot of us have suffered from loneliness and have found solace and comfort with the games we choose to play. Games are extremely important to our lives and to have that experience trivialized and mocked is wrong. It is wrong because it is saying that our experiences don't matter. And that is wrong. So Boogie, I want you to know that anyone mocking you or your hobby is dead wrong. And I also want you to know they are only saying that so that they can feel better about themselves.

I also have to make it clear, that as a woman, I don't feel great about what has been happening. In fact, I feel as though the anger and hatred has been extremely disproportionate and that makes me very uneasy. There are very big problems about how people of the opposite sex are seen and treated as outsiders by the gaming culture. These people, who try to attack and belittle you, are doing that solely because they feel belittled and attacked. I can't stress enough. These people are doing bad, because something bad was done to them. And this spiral that we've all caused is going to take a lot of resistance to bring everyone back together. The best that we can do is try to trust more.

I'm sorry people on Gaf are so quick to judge.

 

[boogie2988]

Please, Boogie, step away from all this.

I absolutely promise you that on the day I come back to this thread and don't see a dozen posts belaboring what a piece of shit I am, I will.

but I genuinely do hope someone fucking ends me because that would be preferable to me at this point. My mind, my health, and my career are in fucking shambles simply because I said "I think we should treat women better but not at the cost of treating gamers worse" and my world is fucking upside down because of it.

 

[boogie2988]

It's not the hashtag, it's the people in #GG. The several thousand extremely angry people which alienate everyone else. They won't hurt you directly, they love that you support them. But their association taints your brand.

Like the people in this thread, #gamergate has actually directly harmed me. It doesn't keep me from defending you both and trying to steer this thing towards a common ground so it can finally be resolved.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

but I genuinely do hope someone fucking ends me because that would be preferable to me at this point.

I hope you do not honestly believe this.

 

[vcc]

which is why i'm trying to express to you that gamergate is only a small portion of the group of people i'm defending. You keep rejecting that and I don't know why. I was defending the same group of people for 7 years before gamergate was a thing. I'll be doing the same long after its abandoned.

What are you defending them against? Criticism? Why? They have behaved extremely poorly.

If I were to make a mistake, it would be good for me if someone criticizes me. Perhaps I can learn from it. This is what I do when I converse with people in #GG. Seemed ot have worked. The last two guys I spoke to on reddit stopped posting on /r/kotakuinaction and pushing the #GG thing and went back to being just gamers and not political operatives.

Why are you defending them? They have done little to nothing positive. They continue to be unreasonable.

 

[boogie2988]

I hope you do not honestly believe this.

I hope I don't either. but right now, reading this thread, and realizing that I have wasted the last 7 years of my life defending both the hobby and the people involved in it (of course including the women and all other diverse gamers) has been a fallacy and was destroyed because of my actions really makes me very fucking awful. So awful in fact that I'd rather just not feel anything at all.

 

[SZips]

Edit: Forget it. Some things aren't worth it.

 

[vcc]

Like the people in this thread, #gamergate has actually directly harmed me. It doesn't keep me from defending you both and trying to steer this thing towards a common ground so it can finally be resolved.

Some things aren't worth taking upon yourself.

#GG doesn't deserve anyone defending them.

I can do alright on my own.

You needn't trouble yourself with either of our problems.

 

[boogie2988]

What are you defending them against? Criticism? Why? They have behaved extremely poorly.

If I were to make a mistake, it would be good for me if someone criticizes me. Perhaps I can learn from it. This is what I do when I converse with people in #GG. Seemed ot have worked. The last two guys I spoke to on reddit stopped posting on /r/kotakuinaction and pushing the #GG thing and went back to being just gamers and not political operatives.

Why are you defending them? They have done little to nothing positive. They continue to be unreasonable.

Same reason I defend you. The same reason I defend even the poeple in this thread who think I'm a piece of shit.

I've dedicated myself to defending the hobby and the people who enjoy it. I've dedicated my life to trying to make it better for all people of all types from all walks of life. Because people on both sides of this thing have a point so I'm defending people on both sides of the thing. Because I truly believe it was why I was put on this tiny blue orb and if I don't i won't be able to sleep at night.

why does anyone do anything? because they're compelled to. I'm compelled to defend and attempt to improve the hobby. As you can tell from my extreme size due to my eating disorder I am a creature that cannot deny his compulsions very easily.

 

[BlastProcessing]

which is why i'm trying to express to you that gamergate is only a small portion of the group of people i'm defending. You keep rejecting that and I don't know why. I was defending the same group of people for 7 years before gamergate was a thing. I'll be doing the same long after its abandoned.

It feels like you have a ton invested in this idea of defending a group of people. I obviously don't know you, but I will say that I have seen many occasions where a person lets a long held goal become powerful. In bad times they use it as motivation. In good times they see it as justification for their success. It can take on a life of it's own. It becomes a totem. A constant, comforting companion.

It can blind people to the truth. It simplifies things that shouldn't be simplified, rounds off context and nuance.

Again, I don't know you, but I will just say take a deep breath and ask yourself why it hurts when people don't understand what you are trying to do, why it makes you feel like a monster?

Finally, you have been making a lot of off handed comments about how you wish someone would hurt you. If you are having negative thoughts about yourself go and talk to someone. I hope you feel better, man.

I really want to stress that I don't hate you or think you are a peice of shit or hold any ill will toward you. I also don't see any of that in this thread.

 

[DillonMabry]

The majority of #GG is toxic. The vast majority. Go visit /r/kotakuinaction; it's a fucking cult of people who get outraged by leftwing ideas. It's a pointless group with the only aim to shout down women and espouse far right wing politics.

#GG is toxic, and pointless. None of their concerns mean anything at all.

*citation needed*

Seriously. Show me that "the vast majority" of #GG proponents are "toxic." Go through every post using the hashtag. Hell, I'll even take a 51/49 ratio. Go on, I'll wait.

To equate all of #GG to the minority of shitty people is like claiming all Muslims are bad because some extremists blow stuff up. Or all feminists are man-hating feminazis because some of them are crazy radicals. Or all the black people in Ferguson are violent gangbangers because a few people looted stores.

It's absurd and hilariously naive.

To quote you:

That is not defending Anita or Zoe. That's writing them off.

This is also not defending Zoe.

That's not "writing them off," that's accepting the cold, hard truth. There's nothing that can be done there. People aren't going to stop being shitty to them just because we ask them to stop.

 

[vcc]

Same reason I defend you. The same reason I defend even the poeple in this thread who think I'm a piece of shit.

I've dedicated myself to defending the hobby and the people who enjoy it. I've dedicated my life to trying to make it better for all people of all types from all walks of life. Because people on both sides of this thing have a point so I'm defending people on both sides of the thing. Because I truly believe it was why I was put on this tiny blue orb and if I don't i won't be able to sleep at night.

why does anyone do anything? because they're compelled to. I'm compelled to defend and attempt to improve the hobby. As you can tell from my extreme size due to my eating disorder I am a creature that cannot deny his compulsions very easily.

You efforts are working against making it better. Which is why I'd advise you to pick other topics to be passionate about. #GG is a rot within the community and attention just makes it worse. You aren't defending our hobby. You're defending a group of extremely negative behaviour and poor reasoning skills. Our hobby is fine. Although #GG makes us look like unreasonable whiny children who don't understand how business works at any scale.

If you want to defend gaming, keep playing and quit the #GG stuff. Honestly.

 

[boogie2988]

Finally, you have been making a lot of off handed comments about how you wish someone would hurt you. If you are having negative thoughts about yourself go and talk to someone. I hope you feel better, man.

I'm just so goddamned tired of getting doxxed, and getting death threats, and getting attacked on every social media outlet every day. I've been waiting for the proverbial hammer to drop on me for SEVEN FUCKING YEARS. I'm just tired of waiting. I'm just tired of being afraid to check my mail or answer my door. I'm tired of being criticised for every little thing i do. I'm tired of reading about what a piece of shit I am. I'm tired of coming here to see that perpetuated for almost what now... 2 months?

christ. i'm just fucking exhausted. I hope whoever is going to make good on these death threats will just fucking get it done already. I'm not afraid of dying, but i'm terrified of continuing to live in fear.

 

[vcc]

*citation needed*

Seriously. Show me that "the vast majority" of #GG proponents are "toxic." Go through every post using the hashtag. Hell, I'll even take a 51/49 ratio. Go on, I'll wait.

To equate all of #GG to the minority of shitty people is like claiming all Muslims are bad because some extremists blow stuff up. Or all feminists are man-hating feminazis because some of them are crazy radicals. Or all the black people in Ferguson are violent gangbangers because a few people looted stores.

It's absurd and hilariously naive.
.

see above.

 

[boogie2988]

You efforts are working against making it better. Which is why I'd advise you to pick other topics to be passionate about. #GG is a rot within the community and attention just makes it worse. You aren't defending our hobby. You're defending a group of extremely negative behaviour and poor reasoning skills. Our hobby is fine. Although #GG makes us look like unreasonable whiny children who don't understand how business works at any scale.

If you want to defend gaming, keep playing and quit the #GG stuff. Honestly.

th #gg stuff is only a small fraction of what I'm doing. Trust me. I'm mostly focused on the other stuff. its just this thread is focusing only on that small part of what I am and what I do. that's why we discuss it here.

Lets instead talk about my merits for a while and I think I'd feel a lot better, instead.

 

[vcc]

th #gg stuff is only a small fraction of what I'm doing. Trust me. I'm mostly focused on the other stuff. its just this thread is focusing only on that small part of what I am and what I do. that's why we discuss it here.

Lets instead talk about my merits for a while and I think I'd feel a lot better, instead.

Well, I do feel you have an authenticity and a warm spirit.

Does that help?

 

[boogie2988]

Well, I do feel you have an authenticity and a warm spirit.

Does that help?

It does. Thanks
I'm glad that while we must disagree on this particular topic, that doesn't invalidate me as a person in your world view. That's very valuable to me. Thank you for that.

 

[BlastProcessing]

I'm just so goddamned tired of getting doxxed, and getting death threats, and getting attacked on every social media outlet every day. I've been waiting for the proverbial hammer to drop on me for SEVEN FUCKING YEARS. I'm just tired of waiting. I'm just tired of being afraid to check my mail or answer my door. I'm tired of being criticised for every little thing i do. I'm tired of reading about what a piece of shit I am. I'm tired of coming here to see that perpetuated for almost what now... 2 months?

christ. i'm just fucking exhausted. I hope whoever is going to make good on these death threats will just fucking get it done already. I'm not afraid of dying, but i'm terrified of continuing to live in fear.

You need to take care of yourself. No one deserves to feel that type of pain. Go talk to someone in the real world. Leave all of this internet craziness behind for a bit.

 

[DillonMabry]

Please, Boogie, step away from all this.

I've gotta agree with this guy, boogie. It's already plain to see you're pretty stressed out and messed up over all this. No point in piling on in here.

see above.

Again, I need some actual citation. You're making ridiculous claims, with nothing to back it up.

Give me some hard data to substantiate what you're saying. The burden of proof is on you. Otherwise you're just talking out your ass.

 

[SZips]

I'm just so goddamned tired of getting doxxed, and getting death threats, and getting attacked on every social media outlet every day. I've been waiting for the proverbial hammer to drop on me for SEVEN FUCKING YEARS. I'm just tired of waiting. I'm just tired of being afraid to check my mail or answer my door. I'm tired of being criticised for every little thing i do. I'm tired of reading about what a piece of shit I am. I'm tired of coming here to see that perpetuated for almost what now... 2 months?

christ. i'm just fucking exhausted. I hope whoever is going to make good on these death threats will just fucking get it done already. I'm not afraid of dying, but i'm terrified of continuing to live in fear.

Take a break from the Internet. It's not like it'll go anywhere for a few weeks while you take a vacation and unplug from everything. People do that all the time (no Internet, no social media, no gaming, at least no online gaming if you must game) and they end up loving it after the withdrawal period wears off. Hell, some even unplug all electronic devices (TV, radio, etc.) but that might be a bit too excessive, at least IMO.

You're taking everything to heart and trying to be the completely middle of the road guy that tries to make everyone happy all the time. It doesn't work. Trust me, I know. It's obviously affecting you rather severely and a big step back sounds like a good idea.

 

[vcc]

It does. Thanks
I'm glad that while we must disagree on this particular topic, that doesn't invalidate me as a person in your world view. That's very valuable to me. Thank you for that.

I'd agree with BlastProcessing. The internet is full of negativity. It's nice to be away from it for a while. I am going on a road trip tomorrow to get away from computers and games for a bit. You should too.

 

[antigoon]

It does. Thanks
I'm glad that while we must disagree on this particular topic, that doesn't invalidate me as a person in your world view. That's very valuable to me. Thank you for that.

I am sorry if anything I've posted in this thread about you makes it seem like the above is not the case.

All you are to me is a stranger (with a much larger microphone than I) with whom I disagree quite strongly. I wish you no ill will and I don't think you're a bad person or any less of a person. It's weird that I feel like I have to spell this out, but there it is.

Again, I'm sorry for bringing you up again in this thread and making you feel like shit. I will not start any conversations about you here from now on.

 

[vcc]

Again, I need some actual citation. You're making ridiculous claims, with nothing to back it up.

Give me some hard data to substantiate what you're saying. The burden of proof is on you. Otherwise you're just talking out your ass.

see above.

 

[benjipwns]

I think this is the point where when we look back we'll have seen all the pieces in place for the social revolution to have begun. Honest objective non-profit games journalism written for gamers about games made by gamers.

The only question now is who will be the Martin Luther.

And also, where can he find a door I guess.

 

[libregkd]

th #gg stuff is only a small fraction of what I'm doing. Trust me. I'm mostly focused on the other stuff. its just this thread is focusing only on that small part of what I am and what I do. that's why we discuss it here.

Lets instead talk about my merits for a while and I think I'd feel a lot better, instead.

This thread isn't about you though. It is about gamergate, so the topic of discussion is going to be about gamergate. You've been on GAF to know that there have been made topics about you where they discuss what you do, what they like, what they don't like and everything in between. This isn't one of those topics because you aren't the subject. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I really do like what you do Boogie and am a huge fan of your work. I just cannot agree with what you are saying regarding this particular topic. That doesn't I mean I think you are a monster, that doesn't make you evil. Take a step back from all this and just relax and ease your mind for awhile. You need to take care of yourself.

 

[Zeliard]

th #gg stuff is only a small fraction of what I'm doing. Trust me. I'm mostly focused on the other stuff. its just this thread is focusing only on that small part of what I am and what I do. that's why we discuss it here.

Lets instead talk about my merits for a while and I think I'd feel a lot better, instead.

I think you're a kind person. I think you genuinely want to do the right thing and are attempting your best to create a situation that results in the best outcome for everyone.

I think you're misguided when you defend gamergate and create this sort of equivalency between the two sides, and if you're getting blowback due to that it's because the gamergate tag has been used almost exclusively to spread hatred.

There is something to be said - there's always something to be said - about journalism ethics in any field, not just gaming. Policing that ideal is always important. Attaching yourself to the gamergate tag on any level is attaching yourself to a disingenuous group comprised of, most vocally, misogynists and people who ultimately don't give a shit about what it is you truly care about.

Seek another avenue with which to convey your views. Don't feel the need to tie yourself down to a horrible group simply because they're the lone popular voice on the "other side." If your view really is in defense of the depiction of women in games and a legitimate concern for proper ethics in games journalism, gamergate is the absolute last thing you want to group yourself with or defend.

 

[vcc]

I think this is the point where when we look back we'll have seen all the pieces in place for the social revolution to have begun. Honest objective non-profit games journalism written for gamers about games made by gamers.

The only question now is who will be the Martin Luther.

And also, where can he find a door I guess.

Domain name: ~$10
Hosting: ~$99/year

Time to write your own blog: Priceless.

If you feel there are opinions missing, why do it yourself?

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Bogie, step away from the computer. Now. Start talking to a therapist. I'm no expert, but you're letting yourself feel this way. You're letting yourself get this low.

 

[DillonMabry]

see above.

"The vast majority of NeoGAF users are certifiable idiots."

I'm making this claim because of my bad experience with you and your lack of the ability to engage in intelligent, reasoned discourse.

See how that's just a tad bit unfair?

inb4 "see above."

 

[darkblade77]

see above.

The existence of a subreddit doesn't demonstrate anything, if that's what you're going for

 

[zeldablue]

I am sorry if anything I've posted in this thread about you makes it seem like the above is not the case.

All you are to me is a stranger (with a much larger microphone than I) with whom I disagree quite strongly. I wish you no ill will and I don't think you're a bad person or any less of a person. It's weird that I feel like I have to spell this out, but there it is.

Again, I'm sorry for bringing you up again in this thread and making you feel like shit. I will not start any conversations about you here from now on.

The thing about verbal abuse is that it is taken in and then projected onto everyone else. If you're going through depression or taking in such negativity...it has a way of turning everyone into someone who hates you. I know when I was going through it, I truly believed my family and friends wanted me to die and didn't care about me.

Boogie, I think you're a great person. What awful people say, is not what we say or think. So many people care about you. What you think some people are saying isn't what we mean.

 

[benjipwns]

Domain name: ~$10
Hosting: ~$99/year

Time to write your own blog: Priceless.

If you feel there are opinions missing, why do it yourself?

I don't see anything on there about a door.

 

[Cyrano]

Like the people in this thread, #gamergate has actually directly harmed me. It doesn't keep me from defending you both and trying to steer this thing towards a common ground so it can finally be resolved.

Boogie, I think the article below might be some good reading. I think your heart's in the right place, but GamerGate is hurting people and I don't think you want that. I've seen you get hurt as a result of it and I don't want that either. I think it is well to have discussion about problems in the videogame industry, but the discourse available via GamerGate is compromised. In order to have a discussion, one side cannot be fearful while the other side is disrespectful. GamerGate establishes that as a precondition to any discourse within it, making discussion impossible. Saying you want to "talk" while you have a gun pointed at my head is not a discussion.

Inspiring thread made on Giantbombs forum: http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/gen...giant-bomb-should-denounce-gamergate-1496897/

Why I Think Giant Bomb Should Denounce #GamerGate?

I guess I never considered myself a member of the silent majority. But I def. have that role when it comes to our site. I'm that person who's been listening to the Jeff (and Ryan) since I was 15. I followed them from Gamespot to The Arrow Pointing Down, to Giant Bomb and back again. I've always been this weird mix of fervid yet quiet supporter.

To be honest, I've only even become a premium member in the last couple years (I blame my struggling Hollywood life). I don't post comments very often and rarely interact on the message boards. But I've always loved and supported Giant Bomb: Whether that's meant buying multiple t-shirts, watching every Quick Look and Breaking Brad, reading everything Patrick puts out, or listening to the podcast over and over again with its every release (yes, I too, still listen to the Ad version even though I'm premium).

I don't know why but Giant Bomb just speaks to me. It's a strange thing to say as a Black Gay man with a penchant for wearing heels. But...it gets me. I was originally introduced to the crew through Ryan. He was my guide through listening to him host The Hot Spot. It drew me in and it kept me coming back. There was something about their authenticity, the ridiculous breath of video game knowledge and how at the same time they never took themselves too seriously that I just connected with. And our community shares that ethos.

I can't think of many video game sites these days that can have pages long discussions about Destiny right beside a Trans member of the community asking for moving advice. Stuff like that reminds me why I always felt Giant Bomb is a special. It's not perfect but it constantly works to be better.

And I've never doubted that fact until...the horrible and vicious harassment that happened in our name earlier this summer. The critique that sprung from Jason and Dan's hiring and the ways in which alot of the gaming establishment has a certain look and perspective was a fair point. It was something I never even second guessed in Giant Bomb's case despite being a double minority myself. We all know how out of control things got and Jeff's letter was a great way to speak to it and give closure.

But that abuse and harassment is still happening and this time it's even worse then before. It seemingly has found endless fuel under the guise of #GamerGate. Let's be clear, GamerGate stopped being about ethics a long ago. It possibly never was. Whether you like it or not it is a hate and harassment campaign against women and other minorities.

These are people, not imaginary beasts, who do not want video games to change, they refuse to hear any sort of criticism and along the way spout homophobic, racist, and women hating garbage at anyone who doesn't agree with them. And while those people use places like 4chan and Reddit as their forts, they also use Gaming Sites. They can't use our site to stoke fires and engineer attacks thanks to Rorie and our fantastic moderators but we are still helping them...by being silent. Silence is a statement. It sounds crazy but not picking a side...is picking a side. And in the case of GamerGate because they are the ones with power and who are being catered to by publishers and corporate companies (See Intel) they can take silence as tacit permission that what they're doing is ok...its not.

This never hit me more then when I found out that the NoPat app I had heard about last year was still alive and well. If you don't know, NoPat is an app extension that censors out Patrick's content. It just recently received a 4 star review. It would have gotten a 5 but apparently Patrick's Alien: Isolation Review snuck through. I couldn't believe that these members of our community thought this was ok. You are allowed to have whatever feelings you want about Patrick, horror, hell even Aliens. But creating something like that even if you're allowed to is wrong.

The kind of mentality that would lead someone to create that is the same mentality that leads to attacking anyone who critiques our site or anyone who has something to say about games in general. In the real world, we treat people with basic decency and just because it's the internet doesn't mean we should exempt ourselves from acting like a human being. When you infringe on someone else's peace of mind, safety and basic right to exist (in real life and virtually), you're no longer one of the good guys.

But that alone wasn't what made me want to write this. It was coming across a sort of post-mortem by Brendon Keogh looking at the weeks that followed the rise of GamerGate and Leigh Alexander's Gamasutra piece, 'Gamers' don't have to be your audience. 'Gamers' are over.' From what's become clear to everyone involved, Gamers, the kind that viciously attack anyone who disagrees with them, harasses women and can't stand any talk of diversity or criticism in video games is most certainly not over. In the appropriately titled, Gamers are undead, Brendon talks about how, as opposed to mainstream sites, many of the "core games journalism" outlets have been silent for fear of angering and alienating what has become part of their status qou. They are afraid to go beyond making a conciliatory argument for both sides instead of stating unequivocally how harmful and exclusive GamerGate is and urging people to distance themselves.

At least that was true until yesterday when Kotaku's Editor-In-Chief, Stephen Totilo, detailed the death threats and doxxing attacks on games developer, Brianna Wu, in his story entitled Another Woman In Gaming Flees Home Following Death Threats. Stephen writes how with this latest attack by #GamerGate shows that it no longer stands for investigating games/games media ethics but has become a banner and a platform for women to be targeted and attacked. But what makes this story noteworthy is that he goes on to state that Kotaku as an outlet condemns the moniker and rejects what it represent.

I think Giant Bomb should follow their example. I want Giant Bomb to continue to grow, become bigger and continuing changing the way we talk about video games. That means being inclusive not exclusive. It's a legacy that brought me to the site so many years ago. One great way for us to continue that legacy is by denouncing a movement that clearly doesn't want the industry, let alone our site do that.

Giant Bomb should make a statement whether in a staff editorial or a feature talking about AND denouncing GamerGate and its continued attacks on women in the video game industry. They should go on to state their support for the same kind of diversity that GamerGate seeks to stifle.

Now, I know what some people are going to say...well Patrick already has. I love me some Patrick. Patrick is my everything but Patrick Klepek is only 1 of the 6 editors that make Giant Bomb great. I think it's unfair for him to have the sole role of being that voice. More importantly, he cannot and should not speak for the entire site. And while, I know both Alex and Brad have stated their opinions and Jeff as well in his awesome speech at PAX...there's still something to be said about Giant Bomb as an outlet we do not support this.

Finally, here's the part where you say that you don't care about that kind of stuff or better yet you don't think it's Giant Bomb's place. To the former, I would say...that's cool. Move on to the next article or video. But I know for me, I would care. I would care immensely and I think it would mean the world to alot of other people especially women who visit or could visit our site. It would also mean something to the people who are being harassed right now. Men and women who are thinking of not even going into video games because they feel like they won't belong or will be attacked for trying to make the industry more inclusive. It's a sign of solidarity that video games and people who love them can be so much more.

To the last point of whether or not you think it's Giant Bomb's place that depends on why you come to this site. Personally, if I just want game releases, news, and development updates, I can go to a 100 other sites. I come to Giant Bomb not just because of the editors and our awesome community but because it breaks the mold, dances to a beat of its own path and is a leader in not just the press but in the way the industry thinks and talks about games. Now is the time for some of that leadership.

Mood music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGi8LvE9Afk

 

[zeldablue]

"The vast majority of NeoGAF users are certifiable idiots."

I'm making this claim because of my bad experience with you and your lack of the ability to engage in intelligent, reasoned discourse.

See how that's just a tad bit unfair?

inb4 "see above."

Even if you said that, I wouldn't have any desire to attack you or get back at you for ruining "our image." :\

If you said all black people or all women, I also wouldn't have a desire to attack you or get back at you. I don't understand why anyone would.

 

[BlastProcessing]

I don't see anything on there about a door.

Looks like someone is squatting on that URL.

Maybe we can start a Kickstarter.

 

[BobbyRobby]

I'm just so goddamned tired of getting doxxed, and getting death threats, and getting attacked on every social media outlet every day. I've been waiting for the proverbial hammer to drop on me for SEVEN FUCKING YEARS. I'm just tired of waiting. I'm just tired of being afraid to check my mail or answer my door. I'm tired of being criticised for every little thing i do. I'm tired of reading about what a piece of shit I am. I'm tired of coming here to see that perpetuated for almost what now... 2 months?

christ. i'm just fucking exhausted. I hope whoever is going to make good on these death threats will just fucking get it done already. I'm not afraid of dying, but i'm terrified of continuing to live in fear.

You seem like you're taking on a real heavy burden.

You'll never please everyone. You seem like a solid guy. Removed from this controversy, I think most normal people would agree. Don't let the hate get to you. Everyone's got an agenda, and if you're not with them, you're against them.


You're not cut out for this partisan bullshit and that's not something you should feel bad about. Politics suck. There's no need to label yourself. You don't have to join a team to continue being a good person. Be an independent voice. You're obviously good at it because you have over two million subscribers that follow you.