Gamergate (video game industry scandal)

[Havard]

Does anyone on here understand what Gamergate’s really all about?

I’ve read several articles that contradict each other (WaPo, Breitbart, etc), each with a clear bias on one side or the other.

 

[Midwest88]

Is “Gamergate” about the female video game maker sleeping with her boss to get her game published and to get favorable reviews?

each with their biases

Compared to what?

 

[Havard]

Is “Gamergate” about the female video game maker sleeping with her boss to get her game published and to get favorable reviews?

each with their biases

Compared to sources that don’t have an agenda that affects their reporting WaPo and Breitbart have editorial agendas, and they show in their reports on Gamergate.

As far as I understand, Gamergate refers not to the scandal, but to a faction. It seems counter-intuitive, but it’s what the articles suggest.

 

[Joe_5859]

I’ve not heard of this “Gamergate.” Is it something recent?

 

[Havard]

I’ve not heard of this “Gamergate.” Is it something recent?

Relatively. Here are the two very different takes on it to which I was referring:

washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/

breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/09/01/Lying-Greedy-Promiscuous-Feminist-Bullies-are-Tearing-the-Video-Game-Industry-Apart

 

[Rhubarb]

I think Gamergate should be more broadly construed than just one incident or event.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy

 

[edwest2]

This is just a rerun of a rerun of similar things that have happened in other industries in the past plus the reach of the internet. The sad fact is that some internet forums and even news sources, have aggressive, politically oriented people who push their agenda with great energy.

This is not new on the internet and has caused me to dump sites where agendas become more important than the subject matter or critics are soon silenced.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Midwest88]

Compared to sources that don’t have an agenda that affects their reporting WaPo and Breitbart have editorial agendas, and they show in their reports on Gamergate.

Er, okay, but compared to what. Name me a newspaper, a news site, a blog, whatever. If you’re looking for a truly objective editorial you might as well hire a homicide detective to do the write up. Heck, even asking the people directly involved with Gamergate you’ll get different stories.

In fact, it’s quite simple. Figure out what happened - not too hard even with the bias - then decide yourself based on the political/social trends. One source think it’s about sexism, the other feminism.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Er, okay, but compared to what. Name me a newspaper, a news site, a blog, whatever. If you’re looking for a truly objective editorial you might as well hire a homicide detective to do the write up. Heck, even asking the people directly involved with Gamergate you’ll get different stories.

In fact, it’s quite simple. Figure out what happened - not too hard even with the bias - then decide yourself based on the political/social trends. One source think it’s about sexism, the other feminism.

Well, there’s another view centered on journalists (even bloggers) and the duty to disclose a conflict of interest to the reader.

 

[edwest2]

On the internet, some people are convinced opinions are facts. Thanks to the anonymity cloaking system, I could set up a professional looking web site, pose as a journalist (I’m a professional storyteller) and make up whatever I want. That is why print will never disappear. You have a document with real names, real addresses and real phone numbers. You can contact the Editor and point out the flaws in Joe Smith’s article and call him on it.

Not so here. The con-man has a great, a tremendous outlet on the internet where some professional could be a fake.

Since I’ve studied psychological warfare methods, the internet is the perfect place to “leak” a combination of real and fake information and monitor the progress of the infection. You can determine how many people ‘drink the kool-aid.’ Fake or partially factual stories appear in the print media. The internet is a far worse breeding ground for manipulation, especially by professionals.

Ed

 

[Havard]

Er, okay, but compared to what. Name me a newspaper, a news site, a blog, whatever. If you’re looking for a truly objective editorial you might as well hire a homicide detective to do the write up. Heck, even asking the people directly involved with Gamergate you’ll get different stories.

In fact, it’s quite simple. Figure out what happened - not too hard even with the bias - then decide yourself based on the political/social trends. One source think it’s about sexism, the other feminism.

I didn’t intend this to be a discussion about objectivity in journalism. I merely reported that I had found the articles that I had read to have clear biases. If people are aware of a good, objective blog or article on the subject, I hope they will share it/them.

 

[styrgwillidar]

I didn’t intend this to be a discussion about objectivity in journalism. I merely reported that I had found the articles that I had read to have clear biases. If people are aware of a good, objective blog or article on the subject, I hope they will share it/them.

I don’t think there are any purely unbiased news sources. And it’s particularly difficult since many sources of video news carry both straight news programs, and opinion/discussion programs.

I think you have to do what you’ve done, read multiple sources and try to come to a conclusion on what the truth is. From what I’ve read of it, it seems mostly to have come down to the readers of the blogs objecting to/pointing out what they perceived as biases in reviews and it came out that several of the bloggers/writers had personal relationships that could have affected their writing. The writers got defensive for being called out on it. Hilarity and drama ensued. I can’t find one article that I could swear was completely objective-- one of the ones you cite as biased could actually be dead-on accurate but you’re rejecting it out of doubt and suspicion that’s been created as journalism has degenerated from actually simply reporting the news to taking sides on it-- ‘political operatives with by-lines’. Not having first hand knowledge of the issue I can only read multiple sources and reach my own conclusion.

 

[Robert_Filmer]

I thought it was about a bunch of video game journalists, who exposed their nasty attitude toward average gamers. They considered them “sexist”, “misogynist”, et cetera.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

You have a document with real names, real addresses and real phone numbers. You can contact the Editor and point out the flaws in Joe Smith’s article and call him on it.

Which is… kinda what you do with an online publisher except it’s all digital and electronic…

Not so here. The con-man has a great, a tremendous outlet on the internet where some professional could be a fake.

Oh if only that were true. My job would be a whole lot easier.

Fake or partially factual stories appear in the print media. The internet is a far worse breeding ground for manipulation, especially by professionals.

Right, and print media during the 40s and the 50s were so snow-white pure. Nope, not an inch of misinformation or propaganda about blacks, women, Germans, Asians, and communists.

Sorry Ed but your post is exactly why stuff like overhyped, overrated, flame wars like Gamer Gate are even born. People act like as if they can just casually dismiss this or that piece of information because it was ‘on the internet’ or (perhaps in your defense) written in a book you can’t link.

Give me a humble world view that admits everything is and always has been more complicated than that.

 

[minion]

Does anyone on here understand what Gamergate’s really all about?

I’ve read several articles that contradict each other (WaPo, Breitbart, etc), each with a clear bias on one side or the other.

I didn’t really want to post in CAF again due to being extremely irritated here in the past, but saw this topic and figured what the heck, one more post.

#gamergate is a consumer revolt against corrupt, politically driven, agenda-pushing journalism in the game industry. Paid off reviewers, politically-biased reviews, clickbait leftist news headlines, etc. Evidence of corruption is posted in twitter with image macros usually, in my experience.

It just happens the corruption’s current form is extremely left-wing, radical feminism, and game sites supporting the agenda have censored dissenting discussion, and misrepresented the movement in their respective news outlets, all the way up to the #gamergate piece on MSNBC. And the pressure is starting to shape game developers’ perceptions of what type of games to create.

If you’ve ever wondered why the atmosphere in the game industry is generally hostile to Christianity and extremely liberal, there you go. Left-wing agenda pushers attempting to control the narrative and manipulate the political mindset of the average gamer. With people graduating from liberal, increasingly secular colleges, this can hardly be a surprise to old-timers.

Since #gamergate is a consumer revolt that is leaderless, individual’s actions can range from noble to nasty. And you can bet the nasty is what will be highlighted by leftist news outlets, rather than unbiased coverage.

But, us Catholics are kinda used to this from the secular news media though, huh? I hope you guys will be unbiased, and honestly consider the #gamergate side, instead of listening to standard news sites.** Looking at the #gamergate hashtag on twitter for the past two months should tell you more than enough about the movement in better detail than I can express.**

If #gamergate is snuffed out by the news media, don’t be surprised when the next generation of gamers are anti-religious, left-wing loudmouths impermeable to logic and reasoning. For Catholics inclined to winning the “culture war,” a hole has been poked into the anti-tradition tidal wave, finally, by of all people, gamers, and culture-conscious Catholics would be wise to inform themselves of the movement.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

If #gamergate is snuffed out by the news media, don’t be surprised when the next generation of gamers are anti-religious, left-wing loudmouths impermeable to logic and reasoning. For Catholics inclined to winning the “culture war,” a hole has been poked into the anti-tradition tidal wave, finally, by of all people, gamers, and culture-conscious Catholics would be wise to inform themselves of the movement.

What about the issue of sexism and the gamer identity though? I have to agree that whatever GamerGate stands for, it’d be nice to see proof that it doesn’t actually defend the idea of gamers being of a particularly singular stripe. I’d love to see the day when the fat cats who treat me like a ‘filthy casual’ are truly driven into the basements where they dwell, faced with the truth that they don’t represent the industry anymore. They are its own disease.

After that, when they have realized the depth of their social ineptitude, they have my permission to die.

 

[minion]

What about the issue of sexism and the gamer identity though? I have to agree that whatever GamerGate stands for, it’d be nice to see proof that it doesn’t actually defend the idea of gamers being of a particularly singular stripe.

The sexism charge, is, to be frank, a distraction, from the primary issue, which is journalistic integrity.

Gamergate has been given a blanket generalization of being sexist by extreme-left game journalist news outlets, largely because of their support/association with Anita Sarkeesian. Anyone who criticizes unethical journalists are labeled sexist. And consider the current climate - anyone is sexist if not politically correct - including Catholics. This mindset has been invading the gaming culture for quite a few years.

In any case, the narrative is being controlled. A few weeks ago, it was “Gamers are Dead” articles, now it’s “Gamergate is Over” articles, all being pushed by multiple news sites simultaneously - the current form of game journalism is a propaganda machine pushing a particularly progressive, left-wing ideology. The “gamer identity” crisis is merely another distraction. They are simply trying to stop the gamergate movement by diversion and misrepresentation, typically with ad hominem attacks, which tends to be the giveaway.

I wish I could p(name removed by moderator)oint a source that has all of the #gamergate info altogether for “proof,” but I mostly kept track of the movement through various forum discussions (that haven’t been censored or locked) and twitter. But for what it’s worth, here’s a few, hoping it may give those curious, an alternate, more accurate picture of gamergate, as opposed to the picture being painted by simply googling gamergate, and reading the biased headlines.

1. Twitter - Follow Adam Baldwin, Christina Hoff Somers & Internet Aristocrat. I definitely don’t agree with all of their political views, but they often tweet the pro-Gamergate side. Also search #gamergate & #notyourshield
2. Gamergate Community - gamergate.community/forumdisplay.php?fid=7 - covers some of the recent events concerning pro-gamergate
3. knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/gamergate - despite being a meme site, gives a history of the gamergate movement, along with a gallery of image macros containing evidence of corruption, deleted tweets, etc.

I’ve been tracking this movement a few weeks after it began, and this whole debacle made me realize just how far-reaching the liberal agenda can go. MSNBC and CNN gave biased coverage against gamergate - amazing considering all they have to do is a moderate amount of research on twitter to get the pro-gamergate side. It made it obvious to me they are completely corrupt. Not that I didn’t think so before, but wow. Even wikipedia gives an unfair perspective, due to higher-ups, and its use of “journalistic sources” which is part of the problem to begin with.

On the bright side, gamergate made me more aware that I will never be satisfied with things of this world, particularly games. I was better off studying Aquinas while leisurely sipping coffee in the morning.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

The sexism charge, is, to be frank, a distraction, from the primary issue, which is journalistic integrity.

Okay. It’s just rather odd how much of this somehow dragged in the debate about women’s portrayal in videogames.

If you ask me, I’m as shameless as any man-geek who likes his fanservice (with a heavy dash of moe). You’d think I’d be with the type to criticize the Sarkeesian camp.

That’s only half-right though. I think the feminists need to keep some distance but I wouldn’t go as far as send them death threats. If they want to make games, let them. All I ask is be left to indulge my own appetites in peace.

The “gamer identity” crisis is merely another distraction. They are simply trying to stop the gamergate movement by diversion and misrepresentation, typically with ad hominem attacks, which tends to be the giveaway.

Well, if these are indeed distractions, does that really take away any valid point they’ve raised? I’m not here to discourage you from calling for more journalistic integrity. I’m just here to ask if you also agree that it’s about time the gamer label needs a massive, cultural overhaul.

I’ve been tracking this movement a few weeks after it began, and this whole debacle made me realize just how far-reaching the liberal agenda can go. MSNBC and CNN gave biased coverage against gamergate - amazing considering all they have to do is a moderate amount of research on twitter to get the pro-gamergate side. It made it obvious to me they are completely corrupt. Not that I didn’t think so before, but wow.

So have I. My ultimate assessment though is that it’s just one big drama fest and I might as well just form my own opinion and stick with it. Isn’t that the benefit of looking up opposing sources?

On the bright side, gamergate made me more aware that I will never be satisfied with things of this world, particularly games. I was better off studying Aquinas while leisurely sipping coffee in the morning.

Er, kind of a minus point you’re making here. Downplaying games while claiming to be for gamergate is kind of proving the point that you’re really just for the political agenda and not as much concerned about the gaming industry.

Really, that’s the only real issue that needs to be put on the table. This is about games first and foremost so it shouldn’t diverge from that. The whole drama is overblown enough as it is.

 

[minion]

I’m too lazy to quote every thing as neatly as you did, but:

1. The discussion of sexism is highly relevant to our culture, but it is being used in a way to disparage gamers and deflect from journalistic integrity.
2. It’s only a drama fest because it’s on a smaller scale. It’s really a microcosm of something bigger occurring in our culture.
3. The political agenda (you claim I am chiefly concerned with) is being hammered into a hobby I used to enjoy, couldn’t escape from it. I didn’t need to see two 13-year old girls do a homosexual kiss in the Last of Us to realize this.

Consider the difference between Borderlands 1, to Borderlands Pre-Sequel. What began as funny, now is pushing a liberal agenda.

So yeah, I don’t enjoy games like I used to. I liked them to the degree I could play them with others for leisure, but as soon as that is gone, they become an obsolete, tedious time-waster. The contemplation of God > video games perspective is a realization, not something I made an effort to do. I find it strange you criticize me on those grounds.

It’s a real headache filtering the good games from the bad, and with the intermediaries (the game journalists) so obviously corrupt, it’s no longer worth the effort. I’m calling it done after I get Hastune Miku Project Diva F 2nd.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

1. The discussion of sexism is highly relevant to our culture, but it is being used in a way to disparage gamers and deflect from journalistic integrity.

No disagreement there. But you know, the real solution is simply to acknowledge that video games are their own broad medium of entertainment (much like books and movies). There’s a bit of something and there should be a bit of something for everyone regardless of religion or political bent.

I honestly don’t see how gamergate and its opponents can’t just adopt this and get this all over with.

1. It’s only a drama fest because it’s on a smaller scale. It’s really a microcosm of something bigger occurring in our culture.

That still shouldn’t mean it should be turned into another political debate with video games being just a cover picture. You want to use the words gamer and video games in a discussion, it has to be about them as a topic.

Otherwise, this shouldn’t be called gamergate. It’s just another political movement (along with the opposition to it).

1. The political agenda (you claim I am chiefly concerned with) is being hammered into a hobby I used to enjoy, couldn’t escape from it. I didn’t need to see two 13-year old girls do a homosexual kiss in the Last of Us to realize this.

It’s rather hard for me to really take sides here if you’re also holding a mixed bag of both gamergate and the supposedly-leftist critics who would’ve blasted a scene like that for pandering to lesbo-charged male audiences.

So yeah, I don’t enjoy games like I used to. I liked them to the degree I could play them with others for leisure, but as soon as that is gone, they become an obsolete, tedious time-waster. The contemplation of God > video games perspective is a realization, not something I made an effort to do. I find it strange you criticize me on those grounds.

Because you’re descending into the same bad pool as those I’ve come to least like on both sides of the gamergate debate. You want to drive a political agenda, that’s your right. Just stop disparaging the entire game industry by saying it suddenly validated your generalizations about gamers and an industry that you know full well encompasses too many diverse demographics.

Heck, I’d go as far and say get a thick skin and stop trying to whine about every political issue you think is being pushed into your face.

And frankly, you are making an effort or else you wouldn’t reach these bizarre conclusions that you think entitles you to call games a waste of time (a very subjective label at that). I mean, it’s really odd for you to declare that you’re ‘done with video games’ just because you deliberately perceive an agenda being pushed into your face.

It’s like you’ve finally found an excuse to say such things when you could just simply say, “I was never this kind of gamer to begin with.” You never needed gamgergate. It even offends me further that the right wing apparently has come on board despite the fact it’s a demographic that harbored:

• Parents who spawned moral panics about video games.
• Sorority jocks who blog about the glory of manhood, the disease of feminism, and the loserhood of virgin gamers
• Republican commentators who would normally side against video games for a number of other issues but are suddenly chummy when gamers become the enemy of supposed feminists.

Mind you, this is just the sample list of what I don’t want the entire industry to represent just as much as I don’t want the industry characterized as supposedly left-leaning. It’s neither. It’s both. It’s mixed. There is no longer such thing as one kind of gamer. End. Of. Story!