The Gaming petition is a fascade - The hard truth
So it was Boogie that started the "Stop the hate petition"? I had no idea (red).
Disclaimer:
Currently circulating around the internet is a petition to stop the hate ("the gaming industry please stop the hate", then there´s Andreas Zecher´s open letter to the video game industry) , and desecration of Game Developer’s ethics. Now understandably, we shouldn’t have discrimination in the gaming industry, or in life, especially after almost 500 years of settling our differences together, and separately. Now we at thegamingground.com (TGG), don’t endorse segregation, discrimination, nor do we support any organizations, or persons who do.
Having said this, we will display our own opinions, just as everyone else has, and will continue to do since the creation of the 5th estate. Should our opinions in the ensuing article offend anyone, in any capacity, we thoroughly apologize, however there are several inaccuracies with this petition that it is our duty to speak upon.
Gamers believe that everyone, no matter what gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion has the right to play games, criticize games and make games without getting harassed or threatened. It is the diversity of our community that allows games to flourish.
when we see threats of violence or harm in comments on Steam, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook or reddit, we ALWAYS take a minute to report them on the respective sites.
WHENEVER we see hateful, harassing speech, take a public stand against it and make the gaming community a more enjoyable space to be in.
We are asking indie developers, AAA developers, and other folks to stop branding gamers as neckbearded, misogynistic, hatefueled, ignorant, homophobic, idiots.
While hate exists in ALL demographics, gamers are no exception. However like most demographics, most gamers are kind, open minded, good hearted and love our fellow gamers.
Stop the hate.
Some of the major signatures of this petition, are also some of the biggest contributors to the very issues that they are seeking to rectify. Zoe Quinn, and Ubisoft, who are major proponents in the fight for equality, tolerance, and acceptance. However recently, Ubisoft caused a twitter tirade to be launched at them called #womenaretoohardtoanimate for their exclusion of women from Assassin’s Creed Unity.
“Gaming has been a large part of my life for a long time. To see people willfully drag its name through the mud with journalistic scandals really offends me. Standards and professionalism should be a common place!”
- signer of the petition
“I am a Game Developer who is sick of the industry forgetting who built it.”
-signer of the petiton
They also came under fire for not having a Gay main character lead one of their titles, even though they prominently contest that they can’t foresee the inclusion point. Far Cry 4’s antagonist is said to be gay, however this most likely came about due to their backlash in the gaming community.
Zoe Quinn….well if you haven’t heard about her, then there’s not really a need for google, and that’s where we will leave that. Getting back on topic, if the same people who develop games, and desperately need us the consumer who wields their fate in our wallets to buy them, why do we get insulted on social media for having a difference of opinion about their product?
The answer: It’s for the same reason you don’t see Nathan Grayson’s signature on the petition. It’s because it’s too obvious. We’re groomed to believe that we are by default appreciated, and loved by the game developers, only to be put down akin to a Barbie doll when their game hits maturity on store shelves.
Now what does this correlation have to do with the petition you might ask? The relationship that they hold with us when they need something is pretty astonishing (the petition), but once we serve our purpose back to the closet we go (insulting innocents on social media).
If we take a look at their social media profiles after entries in Anita Sarkeesian’s Tropes vs. Women series came out, and Zoe Quinn’s situation there’s an obvious difference.
Once the criticism did reach its pinnacle for said situations, the internet responded, and we have the result in the form of this petition. Now the underlying issue that we can clearly see with this, is the blatant hypocrisy that the signers of this petition, that they ultimately crafted, and helped to bring about have decided to renounce their own ideals, and actions. The worst thing is, that they are asking us to become participants in their lip synching.
We should never be influenced to feel a certain way, or told we’re wrong for stating our opinions. However when those who are casting stones live in a glass house, we shouldn’t be so quick to follow their lead, nor their cause.
