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Dustin Browder apologizes for the RPS interview
- Thread starter Dawg
- Start date
WickedLaharl
Member
He doesn't have anything to apologize for.
cpp_is_king
Member
That was nice of him, but was he really that out of line? He got blindsided by these questions out of nowhere, and responded that he didn't think the characters were overly sexualized. And looking at them, I think a lot of people kind of agree with him.
KINGofCRA5H
Member
Even if he didn't REALLY need to apologize, he did the right thing by doing so.
FrontalMonk
Banned
I'm mildly upset with RPS for taking Browder to task the way they did.
The way the 'questions' were worded at the end it sounded like the interviewer was interjecting his own opinion and telling browder the way he should have designed the game, and basically browbeat him for saying "we wanted to make cool looking characters".
Then when dustin gets defensive (like ya do) and shuts down to a point where the PR guy steps in, the interviewer goes on a rant about why YOU ARE THE PROBLEM in a totally separate news post. I'm a pretty progressive guy and I more or less agree with what the RPS guy had to say...but the whole berating tone really just helps to turn me off of RPS as a news source.
The way the 'questions' were worded at the end it sounded like the interviewer was interjecting his own opinion and telling browder the way he should have designed the game, and basically browbeat him for saying "we wanted to make cool looking characters".
Then when dustin gets defensive (like ya do) and shuts down to a point where the PR guy steps in, the interviewer goes on a rant about why YOU ARE THE PROBLEM in a totally separate news post. I'm a pretty progressive guy and I more or less agree with what the RPS guy had to say...but the whole berating tone really just helps to turn me off of RPS as a news source.
Agreed. I think it's a shame that not only his time was wasted but he felt compelled to kneel to the people calling for his blood.
This is how I see it.
Yep.
The Cowboy
Member
I read this earlier on EG and for the life of me I can't understand why he had to, but in doing so he's been very smart (as it makes him look even better).
It should have been RPS who apologised to him IMO.
It should have been RPS who apologised to him IMO.
Yeah it's easier to take the blow and make this go away now. Sometimes even when you're right it's better to just say you weren't.
I'm ashamed of RPS though and I hope they do better in the future. They've been on a steady decline in almost all facets of covering games for a while now.
Mechanized
Member
RPS should be the ones issuing an apology.
This trend is starting to disturb me a bit where devs are almost forced to apologize. Every time I see one of these stories now I just assume its been overblown like in this case. Its hard to know when people are actually outraged or concerned over "over-sexualization" or "sexism" or whatever, or if someone is just overanalyzing and being loud.
EDIT: oops, wrong person. I agree. The RPS guy needs to apologize. I'm sick of these mob-like attacks that's been happening recently. Female char has heels? ATTACK. Female is covered up, strong, has breast, and likes to feel sexy? ATTACK!!!!!!!
He acted like a child. It wasn't professional. There are intelligent ways to make a point and then there's being a baby.
This. Stop apologizing for making creative decisions. Censorship is wrong.
Yeah, they should, but never in a million years will they.
Barack Lesnar
Banned
Are you talking about Browder or the RPS guy? How was Browder childish? Or do you have them confused
People complain about gaming journalism, but when someone tries to ask a challenging question they should apologize? Make up your mind. There's nothing wrong with asking a tough question, he could have defended himself or his game. Instead he chose to act like a whiny kid.
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
No, not really. But it'll make it harder for people to vilify them, so it was the smart thing.
TatteredHat
Member
Good on him, but I wish he didn't. It'll just strengthen the resolve of RPS and the like to continue this trend.
KINGofCRA5H
Member
Wait, what? Surely you must mean the RPS interviewer....?
This a million times. All GAF does is bitch about gaming journalism. Now when someone actually shows a pair of balls they should apologize.
shinobi602
Member
Nothing to apologize for.
EdibleKnife
Member
How is that childish?
Exactly my thinking. If anything the RPS should be apologizing. Browder did the smart thing though by pre-emptively apologizing to avoid a shitstorm.
He didn't apologize for a creative decision.
I don't agree with what he said in the interview, but it's an acceptable statement. The way he worded it, though, wasn't. Extremely unprofessional, imo.
Just like RPS was pretty unprofessional about their position (which I support).
Him apologizing for this is the right thing to do.
I don't agree with what he said in the interview, but it's an acceptable statement. The way he worded it, though, wasn't. Extremely unprofessional, imo.
Just like RPS was pretty unprofessional about their position (which I support).
Him apologizing for this is the right thing to do.
I made up my mind, RPS embarrassed themselves and I will take them far, far less seriously as a legitimate news outlet from this point forward.
It's not good games journalism, the way they handled that interview was fucking shameful.
He was caught off guard and didn't know what to say. He spent some time thinking about it and issued an apology. I'm not seeing the whiny kid bit.
If I was judged by my initial reaction to every tough question I've ever been asked without being given a chance to reconsider I'd be in some real trouble.
Nymphae
Banned
I came in thinking it was going to be the RPS dude apologizing.
ComputerMKII
Banned
People in the gaming industry seem to have to apologize all the time for any goddamned thing. I would hate to work in such an environment.
Barack Lesnar
Banned
We don't even know how "Uh huh. Cool. Totally" came off. It's text... maybe it wasn't said in a snarky manner, we don't know.
Well, he issued the apology because of how he was acting. I'm totally cool with him making a mistake and apologizing. I'm responding to the people who are saying that not only should he not apologize, that RPS owes him an apology for asking him a fucking tough question.
TheJollyCorner
Member
what's going on here?
Yep.
radios shipping overview
Member
Yeah, gosh, don't you guys miss when nobody questioned the silly stuff that goes on inside our clubhouse? Now we have to take down the nudie calendars and the centerfolds and oh maaaaaaan
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
I'm wondering if anyone actually read the article. He's not apologizing for how the characters are designed. He's apologizing for how he responded to the question in the context of sexism in game design.
He didn't ask the hard questions, he just used the interview to preach his cause, that's not good journalism, hell it's not even bad journalism.
LightofRohan
Member
Ugh. I hate the internet now. You have to apologize for something like that? Such bullshit.
Has a journalist ever apologized for being a dickwad?
Has a journalist ever apologized for being a dickwad?
He doesn't, but that's super good PR on his part. Well done.
And what was the point to be made? "Your secondary art is lazy at best, incredibly offensive at worst. Are you history's greatest monster?"
Come on man, no. It was an ambush style question on the tail of an interview that was basically about game mechanics up until that point.
I really disagree, I think it's nice to have someone ask a question that makes a dev think instead of just having them on for the PIMP MY GAME SHOWCASE. If you prefer a more IGN style of game coverage it's widely available so it's good for you. Sites like RPS are much less common.
Hot Coldman
Banned
The interview was a trainwreck, but the sentiment - no matter how poorly it was conveyed by Grayson - is still worth addressing as important. So, good move by Browder. Classy.