Where do you stand on GamerGate?

Wow, what a lot of effort put into such a pointless article. And if you're going reference b-grade actors please put in links to their Wikipedia page.
 
I do kind of wish that there was an article like this, but maybe one that wasn't so vapid (yes, I know the point of this article is just to have a bit of fun with it). I think the biggest problem with this whole incident is that there are so many different issues, and people aren't even on the same page with what they personally feel a word like "sexist" means.

1. With games like League of Legends or DOTA which have a >90% male player base, does that show that there's sexism somewhere in the game, be it character design, community etc? (basically does such an extreme percentage like that prove sexism, and now it's just a case of figuring out where and eradicating it)

2. Is a game with a lot of scantily clad women sexist? (in terms of character or armor design)

3. If the men are poorly armored as well is it still sexist as the men are just a male power fantasy?

4. Are games with mostly/all male characters sexist?

5. Is having a man rescue a damsel in distress reinforcing a sexist world view? (ala Mario etc)

6. Is showing most of the women in the game in positions where they are dependent on men or doing silly things to protect men sexist? (personally I felt Injustice was like this)

7. Does showing sexist things in game have an impact on people's behaviour in the real world? Does showing violence in games impact people in the real world? What influence do games have on our regular behaviour and general culture.

8. Is "jiggle physics" sexist?

9. Is killing women in games sexist? If you kill men as well? Only if the women can't fight back?

10. Is showing a women being killed by the villain to try and more sympathy than having a man die sexist?

11. Is an online community that will use gender slurs sexist "you're playing like a girl/p***y/get back in the kitchen" etc? If the same community uses slurs against blacks/Jews/Russian/French/obese is it still sexist or just general bullies/*******s? Is there more of a priority to stop sexist slurs than, say, fat slurs, because while there are plenty of fat men playing games there are only <10% women?

I feel this is one of the things where there are so many different views, even within the circle of people I know personally, that it makes having the bigger discussion almost impossible with the lack of common ground.
 
Game Journalists?
er... kinda like tech "journalists".

If you don't endorse the big releases, you don't get invited to the reveals and other functions.
If you don't endorse indie games... you're a corporate a'hole.

I honestly feel there is too much money in gaming publicity and not enough true independence.

For example, Top Gear, is the one car show that can do what the hell it wants and say what the hell it wants because it doesn't rely on advertising to buy it's groceries.
The views are biased, for sure... but.. not because Mercedes sends them a care package or offers to pay for their holiday in Dubai. They're biased because they're people, and people are biased. But at least the show is entertaining.

Tech journalism is a different animal.

Imagine if "Stuff Magazine" had to rubbish the latest Samsung curved UHD shiny penis and call it an over priced status symbol... right next to a full page advertisement for Samsung's new Galaxy note whateva...
Samsung would be like... broe... you mad? I'm taking my monies and going down the road. Oh... and no more paid flights and accommodation to our launch in Vegas. Kthxbaai.

Gaming journalism is the same.
There's too much happening behind the scenes that doesn't make it to the metascore.

As for anti-establishment and anti-corporate hate from the 4chan crowd... WOW!!! NOW THERE'S A FRIGGEN SURPRISE!!!
Imagine that!!!
You can't pander to everyone... but if you look carefully under the hate... it all stems from the same feeling we all have:
"How can a game which releases it's first major update in the same week it's released because it had so many bugs have a metascore of 98%? Who you trying to fool chaps?"
"Why are big developer companies buying smaller competing studios and canning their projects?"
"Howcome EA?"
"Minecraft FTW!"
"Pool has AIDS LOL!"

Sexism... ooooooo boy!
I'm not going near that minefield... but... I will say... that if one had to imagine the average game developer, draw assumptions about their gender, age, relationship status and prowess with members of the opposite sex, I'm pretty sure we all will have the same image in our minds.

Add that stereotype to the stereotype line manager... who just doesn't want to rock the boat.
Add that stereotype to the stereotypical executive who deals with numbers and sales figures...
What do you get???

Now... what do you get when you have a crazy rogue developer with more insanity than sense... spends his money on yellow Testarossas and coffee... does what the eff he likes instead of pandering to some marketing exec in a grey suit?
BOOM! History gets made.
Then... the business gets too big, the creatives lose the permission to be creative...
And you suddenly are marketing the 4th sequel in the "franchise" because it's easier to milk the awesome work done by the amazing original instead of working on the next ORIGINAL!

If you can't change that cycle... how you gonna change the sexism in game titles... when the money perpetuates the formula because it makes them MORE MONEY!!!
All those cosplay babes at ComicCon aren't doing the cause any favours either... but they're sure as F#@K not gamers with big boobies who have come to join in the fun at a geekfest... they're paid promo hookers who bring in the $$$ with their T&A.

I happen to know many "proper" (personal and inside joke - i mean hard news) journalists who work at varying news agencies. There are a cr@p load of ethical standards by which they are held... some by their professional standards boards or the news agencies themselves.
for example: A journalist working at agency "A" can't pay sources for inside info as an internal ethics policy. That agency happens to maintain it's credibility with it's consumers as well as it's detractors.
Whereas, tabloid "B" pays $$$ for scoops... yet they have never been regarded as a credible news source. Even by it's own readers.

What the gaming journalism fraternity needs is a well set out ethical framework. With recourse should there be legitimate transgressions. One can't go to the BSA for example and complain about factual inconsistencies in gaming reviews. It would be nice to know there is an independent watchdog body watching over these guys making sure they have to declare all interests every quarter so that if too many readers complain about a biased piece, one can point out conflicts of interest.

Exhibit A:
Search for South African reviews on "Next Gen Consoles". Read them... and ask yourself: "Is this journalist being fair, unbiased and balanced? Is this reviewer really taking the average gamer into account when writing this review? Or... Is this reviewer paying lip service to the needs and wants of the SA gamer, and writing a review to justify the donation of a $400 - $600 worth of gaming console together with as many titles as they desire? Is the person who is going to spend that type of money on a console, here in SA, really interested in certain online features or lack thereof (specifically with our current broadband infrastructure)?

Exhibit B:
Steam

Exhibit C:
Ask yourself how much you look forward to buying a game is based on hype/marketing?

Exhibit D: Why is "Sierra" coming back?
 
Ignore it.

Let the wh**e have her fun and ****ty games. I do my research before I buy games, I don't rely on some sperg with crap tastes telling me to "BUY THIS GAME GOY, IT'S REALLY ARTISTIC 11/10".

Don't give them what they desire most, attention. Avoid Kotaku/RPS and any other "le gaming journalism, forefront of muh femifeels" sites.

1. :/
2. 6
3. 2
4. 5
5. what?
6. 4 (http://noa.moe/yohxw)
7. Meh, they k.
8. Don't care lel
9. 1
10. 6
 
Last edited:
I dunno what you teenagers are on about but this should solve your problems:

1. Send any complaining feminist to the kitchen...because sandwiches
2. Tell the remaining "politically correct" *******s to STFU
3. You STFU
4. Play your game


Seriously though the mere fact that there is something called "GamerGate" clearly points to game developers not developing anything worthwhile playing at the moment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X