The great GamerGate discussion. (Stuff and things)

So there this Red Shell marketing tool that is kind of a spyware since its without the knowledge of the user, while im not that outraged by it as some seem to be (i kind of agree with the people dismissing it with things like “do you use facebook? they gather and sell even more of your info” crowd”).
 
I find it idiotic how they say you can opt out of it by informing the company but none of the games using it would even mention to you that its gathering this data that way…

@Background Pony #AABE  

 
We can only hope.
 
and prey.

Saw this in a discord:
 

 
Tell me this isn’t 100% true.

@Cyborg_pony  
Game journalists always hated Japanese games. It wasn’t so bad back in the 90s and 80s, where arcades were a thing. Nowadays, they care more about politics than actual gameplay.

@HJSDGCE, God’s Wrath  
Most of them are just bloggers that couldn’t get job in more esteemed places, so they went to gaming sites where they didn’t care about material being talked about.
 
I wish I could find that Polygon article where one of them goes to some even for a new NBA game and they just piss it away, acting like he’s above being there.

@HJSDGCE, God’s Wrath  
I believe that games journalism as a whole has always been rather light on gameplay critique. I used to brush it off as just an example of how video gaming is too new a medium for good analytical techniques to have spread around. But over time gameplay analysis hasn’t really developed much from professionals, but rather they’ve focused more on story and graphics. It’s disappointing.

The comic book store that kicked out a customer simply for their political leanings (perceived) is now in major financial trouble
 
CAPITALISM Bitches!

@Lord Seraph  
After the current manager took over, they’ve been bleeding money and consumers. Kicking they guy out for no reason and playing victim sped up process.

@Lord Seraph  
I’m real glad that we’re seeing people stand up for equality here. Alternatively, the demographic they’re trying to target with this discrimination isn’t spending enough to make it a financially viable option, which is also good.

@HJSDGCE, God’s Wrath  

 
I dunno. Nintendo’s games get great reviews. Like, almost constantly?
 
Lots of Japanese games get consistently amazing reviews. Plenty of western games get trashed.
 
I’m not seeing it.
 
 
@Lord Seraph
 
Wait, what’s this have to do with video game journalism? That’s what this is about, right? Ethics in video game journalism?

@Zendigo  

 
This thread started out as a GamerGate discussion thread, and it still is, but now it’s also used for just GamerGate-esque situations in general, like what the comic book industry is going through right now.

@Background Pony #AABE
 
I mean… One asshole kicking someone of their store is bad. I agree that shouldn’t have happened.
 
But is it really indicative of corruption or a lack of ethics in the comic book industry? The stores that sell the books are only tangentially related to the production and/or critical reviewing of the books, right?
 
If this was a tale of a reviewer who gave a comic an inflated score due to bribery or coercion or something, I’d be there with you, but I feel like this isn’t really an “ethics in comic journalism” situation here.

@Zendigo
 
@Background Pony #AABE
 
@Zendigo  
I don’t think anyone can be assed to make a thread for movie/comic-gate and are just posting shit relate to them here.

@Zendigo  
Game reviews and game journalism are two very different things. For one thing, game reviews often focus on how fun a game is to them and whether they enjoyed it. It focuses on the game alone, from expressions, design and technical aspects. It doesn’t matter about the context of the game or the story. As long as it’s enjoyable, it’s good enough.
 
Game journalism talks about the game, from its history to the inner politics and socio-economics. You don’t have to play the game to be a game journalist. You just have to understand it. Watching someone else play it is good enough. There’s no talk about the technicality or design aspect.
 
Comparing game reviewers and game journalists are like comparing two fictional books produced by either a chef and an engineer.

Left-Wing Media Cabal Outed, Features 400 Members From Journalism, Academia
 
It’s the gamejurnospros list on steroids.
 
This is why the medium of journalism is in the shitter. These people want to be the pastors in the church.

@Lord Seraph  
Let’s see the “prejudice + power” crowd try to worm their way out of this one.

Tumblr is trying to write the new hamster hero in Overwatch as gay and trans.
 
Tumblr, you fuck.

@HJSDGCE, God’s Wrath  

 
Fans interpreting a character a certain way for fan-content shouldn’t even be on the radar for “ethics in gaming.” It’s such a non-issue that it isn’t worth commenting on. I just feel like some serious focus is in order.
 
 
@Lord Seraph  

 
Now see, this is a gaming-industry ethics issue.
 
Problem is, it’s misleading. These diversity training sessions were optional. The guy in the video even says as much, despite also claiming - somewhat nebulously - that not going could possibly have negative consequences.
 
Either way, I think the whole “forced re-education camps” headline is a tad sensationalist. Diversity training in and of itself is nothing new, and can be beneficial to the workplace environments if done well.
 
But I think the big reason it exists is insuance; if an employee of a company does publicly do something prejudiced, the company can point to their records and say “Ah, our company offered diversity training that this employee did/didn’t take part in, so this employee’s statements clearly don’t represent our company’s values.” More than anything, it’s something for companies to fall back on so that a rogue employee who descends into a racist rant on Twitter or something doesn’t tank their company’s reputation. By taking precautions and at least offering counter-measures against prejudice like this, the company itself is less likely to be viewed as responsible or complicit in the employee’s actions.
 
tl;dr - Stuff like this exists so companies can cover their asses if their employees fuck up, and I really can’t blame CEOs for doing it.

@Zendigo  
Something being “optional” in a workplace rarely is. Whether it be enthusiasm for your company or wanting to increase your social stature taking on extracurricular activities is highly encouraged, and it’s hard to stand up to that kind of pressure when it’s very much in your best interest to go for it.
 
That said, the cover our asses angle makes perfect sense. Diversity training is hella sketchy though, and can easily be “re-education” depending on how progressive it is. I will reserve judgement on this particular case however.

@Plain Pony  

 
I mean, diversity training usually covers basic things like “Hey, don’t use slurs. Don’t make insensitive comments. Respect your colleagues’ personal space. Respect your colleagues’ new name/preferred pronouns if they transition. Etc.” More basic etiquette and civility than anything. I wouldn’t imagine most people here would have a problem with the vast bulk of what these training sessions teach.

@HJSDGCE, God’s Wrath  

 
She is gay and trans and there’s nothing you can do about it
 
@Plain Pony  
Apparently being told “please don’t say the n word” is 1984 style oppression now

@Commune  

 
The fact that they (including you, apparently) need to insist that a hamster riding a mecha suit is gay and trans before anything else really says something about their priorities.