Basically, someone made an accusation against the site owner which was unfounded and unevidenced (and still is). Then some people dragged up some juvenile shit from years ago that most of the community already knew. The community was already at breaking point because of all the bullshit bans and bias moderating like you mention. Owner had trusted the mods and admins to be the custodian while they arguably took a backseat. At the end of the day, like most of us if you had a bit of bank and opportunities to travel, I'm sure most would take it. Have a look at the new owner at Resetera - he's presiding over just as many (if not more) bullshit bans, many illustrated here, twitter and the farms banbot.
So most of the community decided they no longer wanted to be part of a community like that and decided to create a new site, with new mods and new admins. A co-ordinated effort took place where they basically DDoSed this site as it was on pretty old software, posted porn, invalid accusations across the internet which were signal boosted by certain game media outlets and if you so much as said 'hold up' you were labelled as misogynist, alt-right, rapist apologists and so forth.
Anyway - coincidentally or not - resetera appeared on the exact software version etc. that had been on the project plan for GAF (apparently by various statements), the community that decided it was fed up of itself all migrated to this new site. At first they all pretended it was Utopia and some people who thought the whole thing was a sham, decided on principle to stay here and try to rebuild an actual new community. Not content with that, the campaign of hate persisted (and still does) against anyone who posts here being called sexists, alt-right and any other headline title. They left here declaring themselves full of virtue and the 'good ones' yet every day they embarass themselves. They have had like two mod team, and most are far, far worse than anything on GAF. The semi decient mods who make an attempt to shape a community are cycled out. Have a look at the names who have survived the staff recycles and you'll see a pattern with those so desperate to cling to power that they'd never 'step down' or admit they were wrong/complicit in any wrongdoing.
GAF is back to what it was years ago and it's recovered a lot though it might not seem it. There are still good people on era that are there simply because of the quick aggregation which is fair enough, but more and more are returning and it's really nice to see. A lot of people have stuck round here and though we only rub shoulders in passing you can see a genuine attempt to build a community that sort of looks after itself - and the new mods/admins largely keep out that side which is perfect. Sure, sometimes I see shit and think wtf, but read through the thread and the exchange of ideas takes place. Era by contrast is like soem weird digital watseland rife with expurgation. Their motto is basically "don't @ me - just let me babble my ill informed views without contestation because I'm terrified of having to explain my views under a microscope of actual debate"
So, I'm thankful seeing this site recover from those days of double digits online and for everyone who stayed and comes back to reshape this community
Musky_Cheese
Papa
brap
Melon
GribbleGrunger
IbizaPocholo
Sakura
S
Saruhashi
Bullet Club
EviLore
Sub_Level
Mista
Jigsaah
Leonidas
-Arcadia-
SirKicksalot
pramod
Afro Republican
Komatsu
Grinchy
TrainedRage
Airbus Jr
#Phonepunk#
@hariseldon
Stuart360
cryptoadam
ManaByte
Starfield
@SLoWMoTIoN
JORMBO
Nymphae
@Zefah
ROMhack
MiyazakiHatesKojima
Kadayi
bitbydeath
BadBurger
OutrageousFacts
SonGoku
ethomaz
R
R600
FranXico
- and go on then
JordanN
, forgot
DunDunDunpachi
as well!
and loads more who make GAF what it is today. And I think nex year we'll get some more people coming back and eventually hopefully hit critical mass