Difference between revisions of "GamerGate"
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| − | '''GamerGate''' | + | '''GamerGate''' is a consumer revolt by the players of [[video games]]. The original focus of the movement was on the investigating the ethics of video game journalistic, including accusations of using personal relationships to grant favorable reviews and awards in the industry. The journalists responded by accusing the gamers of misogyny and harassment. This tactic allowed the journalists to distract attention and evade the issue of journalistic corruption. In particular, many gamers were outraged by a group of articles published on August 28 that proclaimed that "gamers are dead." The articles urged the industry to use politically themes to recruit female and transgendered gamers. An episode of ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' aired in February depicted a fictionalized version of the affair, based on the views of the journalist involved. The episode features gamers driven to misogyny and violence by the games they play. |
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
| − | In 2013, | + | In 2013, Chelsea Van Valkenburg or better known as '''Zoe Quinn'''<ref name="ebin1">Milo Yiannopoulos, [http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/09/01/Lying-Greedy-Promiscuous-Feminist-Bullies-are-Tearing-the-Video-Game-Industry-Apart "Feminist Bullies Tearing the Video Game Industry Apart"]. [[Breitbart]], 1 Sep 2014.</ref>, made a game called ''Depression Quest'' in which the player role-plays the life of a individual suffering from depression, and eventually got it green-lit on Steam.<ref>, [http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3465218/depression-quest-now-available-on-steam-for-free "Depression Quest Now Available on Steam for Free"]. AusGamers, August 16, 2014.</ref> Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend published a WordPress blog called ''The Zoe Post'' showing evidence of infidelity, using sex with game journalists and developers as a means to gain favorable coverage for herself and her game amongst mainstream sites.<ref>[http://thezoepost.wordpress.com/ ''The Zoe Post'']</ref>. In addition to sites like 4chan, [[Reddit]], and Tumblr (all which are also drastically different politically and culturally<ref name="ebin2">William Usher, [http://www.cinemablend.com/games/-NotYourShield-Hashtag-Shows-Multi-Cultural-Support-GamerGate-67119.html "#NotYourShield Hashtag Shows Multi-Cultural Support For GamerGate"]. Cinema Blend, 1 Sep 2014.</ref>), calls from individuals such as ''Firefly'' actor Adam Baldwin and even people of diverse backgrounds and members in the LGBT community had rose to support change and unite under umbrella movements such as #gamergate and #NotYourShield.<ref name="ebin2">William Usher, [http://www.cinemablend.com/games/-NotYourShield-Hashtag-Shows-Multi-Cultural-Support-GamerGate-67119.html "#NotYourShield Hashtag Shows Multi-Cultural Support For GamerGate"]. Cinema Blend, 10 Sep 2014.</ref><ref name="ebin3">Todd VanDerWerff, [http://www.vox.com/2014/9/6/6111065/gamergate-explained-everybody-fighting "#GamerGate: Here's why everybody in the video game world is fighting"] [[Vox]], 6 Sep 2014.</ref> |
==Responses== | ==Responses== | ||
Revision as of 02:55, February 27, 2015
GamerGate is a consumer revolt by the players of video games. The original focus of the movement was on the investigating the ethics of video game journalistic, including accusations of using personal relationships to grant favorable reviews and awards in the industry. The journalists responded by accusing the gamers of misogyny and harassment. This tactic allowed the journalists to distract attention and evade the issue of journalistic corruption. In particular, many gamers were outraged by a group of articles published on August 28 that proclaimed that "gamers are dead." The articles urged the industry to use politically themes to recruit female and transgendered gamers. An episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit aired in February depicted a fictionalized version of the affair, based on the views of the journalist involved. The episode features gamers driven to misogyny and violence by the games they play.
Background
In 2013, Chelsea Van Valkenburg or better known as Zoe Quinn[1], made a game called Depression Quest in which the player role-plays the life of a individual suffering from depression, and eventually got it green-lit on Steam.[2] Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend published a WordPress blog called The Zoe Post showing evidence of infidelity, using sex with game journalists and developers as a means to gain favorable coverage for herself and her game amongst mainstream sites.[3]. In addition to sites like 4chan, Reddit, and Tumblr (all which are also drastically different politically and culturally[4]), calls from individuals such as Firefly actor Adam Baldwin and even people of diverse backgrounds and members in the LGBT community had rose to support change and unite under umbrella movements such as #gamergate and #NotYourShield.[4][5]
Responses
Erik Kain, an editor for Forbes, argues that the GamerGate movement is in response towards the increasing left-leaning criticism of video games.
- "What it boils down to is many people feeling upset that the video game space has been so heavily politicized with a left-leaning, feminist-driven slant," he said.[6]
Liana Kerzner, writing for Metal Eater, was, among other things, critical of the video game media's part in stoking the controversy, and apologised on behalf of her colleagues:
- "The fellow gamers I feel the absolute most sympathy for in all of this are the 'fat, white, heterosexual, cisgendered neckbeards' whose demographic was directly associated with bigotry. Columnists could have just said 'misogynist bigots,' but they didn't. [...] The generalizations were unprofessional, anti-intellectual, and dehumanizing. So, wearing my other hat as a member of the video game media, I am sorry for that. It was wrong, and you guys didn't deserve it. The intentions on all sides of #GamerGate are, for the most part, sincere. I believe everyone wants a free, safe, open and honest video game media and community. There is, however, a deep divide regarding how to go about that."[7]
Edit wars broke out on the GamerGate article on Wikipedia, which resulted in a case before Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee.[8] Some of the editors then moved their dispute to another wiki site.[9] These edit wars in turn drew other media attention.[10]
Miscellaneous
GamerGate.me [11] is a website created by supporters that provides information on email campaigns, blacklists, whitelists, charity drives and in depth commentary, including the Dossier on Games Journo Pros.
What is a SJW or Social Justice Warrior? by Internet Aristocrat [12]
References
- ↑ Milo Yiannopoulos, "Feminist Bullies Tearing the Video Game Industry Apart". Breitbart, 1 Sep 2014.
- ↑ , "Depression Quest Now Available on Steam for Free". AusGamers, August 16, 2014.
- ↑ The Zoe Post
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 William Usher, "#NotYourShield Hashtag Shows Multi-Cultural Support For GamerGate". Cinema Blend, 1 Sep 2014. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ebin2" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Todd VanDerWerff, "#GamerGate: Here's why everybody in the video game world is fighting" Vox, 6 Sep 2014.
- ↑ Erik Kain, "GamerGate: A Closer Look At The Controversy Sweeping Video Game". Forbes
- ↑ Liana Kerzner, "A look at the controversy surrounding GamerGate.". Metal Eater
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/GamerGate Retrieved January 2, 2015
- ↑ http://gamergate.wikia.com/wiki/Gamergate_/_Quinnspiracy_Wiki Retrieved January 2, 2015
- ↑ Wikipedia and the War on Women's Dignity. Wikipediocracy (September 7, 2014). Retrieved on January 2, 2015.
- ↑ http://gamergate.me/
- ↑ Internert Aristocrat "What is a SJW?"