Controversies in Games Media

[Psychotic]

Oh, they both got it as did many more groups. Including your very own Italian-American heritage!

[Del Murder]

Could you still be called a racist if you hate everybody?

[Fox]

I think you're looking at it the wrong way, you're looking at it from the point of view of the donators who believe they are entitled to a refund. I agree that's not how donation works but that's missing something important. Look at it as if you were the company. If you find racism to be so abhorrent that you will cut all business ties with an outspoken racist, why would you want to keep donations from other racists? Where's the consistency?

Only one of those things is a business relationship. If someone sends donates £20 to me, and it came with a note that says "BTW I hate jews," should I throw that money away? I don't see any reason to. I have more money and the racist guy has less, that doesn't seem like a bad thing. Giving money to someone is an implicit endorsement in a way that receiving money is not.

[Psychotic]

Only one of those things is a business relationship. If someone sends donates £20 to me, and it came with a note that says "BTW I hate jews," should I throw that money away? I don't see any reason to. I have more money and the racist guy has less, that doesn't seem like a bad thing. Giving money to someone is an implicit endorsement in a way that receiving money is not.

I don't think you can entirely write off a crowd sourced campaign to produce a specific product as not being a business relationship, particularly if, as in this instance, a donation also acts as a purchase of the product. It is not the same as a traditional consumer-business relationship, but I also don't think it's an equivalence to your anonymous anti-semite donor either. If you're struggling to eat then £20 is a lifesaver. If you're trying to make a professional video game, is £20 that big of a deal? Can you not be more discerning about where you accept backing from? Although for all I know, perhaps the Yooka Laylee developers are struggling to eat too.

To address your dilemma, we all have different standards. "BTW I hate Jews" might not be a red line for anyone reading this thread. But what if it had said "BTW I got this £20 from mugging a Jew"? Would we be so quick to pocket the cash then? Still, I don't think what I am saying is that radical. Here's an example of a cancer charity declining a donation from an EDL leader.

[Fox]

I don't think you can entirely write off a crowd sourced campaign to produce a specific product as not being a business relationship, particularly if, as in this instance, a donation also acts as a purchase of the product. It is not the same as a traditional consumer-business relationship, but I also don't think it's an equivalence to your anonymous anti-semite donor either.

Maybe not a traditional consumer-business relationship or an anonymous donation, but I think in all three cases you, as the business, are perfectly in the right to accept payment from wherever it comes from. Refunding people you are not obligated to refund affects the development of your game. It potentially affects the quality of your game and your profit margins (after all - the backers you refund are unlikely to re-purchase it at retail), which can in turn affect the job security of the people working there. £20 isn't much, but that's more than 2 hours of my salary. 4 people backing out could employ me for a day. How many until it does become a problem?

Personally if I were Playtonic my view would be thus: these people knew what they were getting into. They handed over the money of their own free will - it's ours now. If they wanna be mad at anyone, why not be mad at JonTron for being such a jerk?

To address your dilemma, we all have different standards. "BTW I hate Jews" might not be a red line for anyone reading this thread. But what if it had said "BTW I got this £20 from mugging a Jew"? Would we be so quick to pocket the cash then? Still, I don't think what I am saying is that radical. Here's an example of a cancer charity declining a donation from an EDL leader.

Money obtained through a confessed crime is kinda different. That's not theirs to give away so yeah, in that instance I may take issue with it.

And honestly I'm coming down against the cancer charity on this one. If a jerk does a good thing then it's still a good thing​. Use the damn money to help someone with...I dunno... cancer or something.

[Old Manus]

I preferred the days when BIG GAMING CONTROVERSY meant Diakatana being trout or Lord British being killed rather than today's world where not a game seems to go by without some kind of trout-slinging row about its quality or creative direction.

[XxSephirothxX]

I AM THE MEDIA. BLAME ME.

Why the smurf is this my username

[Vyk]

Why the smurf is this my username

First time you've posted in a while? Welcome back lol

[Pumpkin]

That JonTron though, amirite

[Squall Leonhart Loire]

That JonTron though, amirite

What you mean?

[Vyk]

I hear tell that PeanutbutterGamer tried to put him in his place on Twitter, and they got into a huge argument, and people went to Reddit to hide and talk about it, saying it's like watching their mom and dad fight. It's so weird. I feel weird about this now

I was also just reading (how do I keep coming across this stuff?) about how a native american person was offended by Horizon: Zero Dawn using terms like tribe, savage, primal, and brave(?). And appropriating native american cultures (because those are apparently the only tribal societies Gorilla games could have drawn inspiration from?), and wrote some long essay about Gorilla and the Atlanta Braves. I'm about done with the internet for a day or so

[Pumpkin]

I love PBG, he's so adorbs

[Sephex]

I hear tell that PeanutbutterGamer tried to put him in his place on Twitter, and they got into a huge argument, and people went to Reddit to hide and talk about it, saying it's like watching their mom and dad fight. It's so weird. I feel weird about this now

I was also just reading (how do I keep coming across this stuff?) about how a native american person was offended by Horizon: Zero Dawn using terms like tribe, savage, primal, and brave(?). And appropriating native american cultures (because those are apparently the only tribal societies Gorilla games could have drawn inspiration from?), and wrote some long essay about Gorilla and the Atlanta Braves. I'm about done with the internet for a day or so

On JonTron and PBG, they had a falling out before JonTron started to go nuts on Twitter. Also, despite that, PBG apologized to Jon since he did admit he called him out for no real reason (at the time he did Jon wasn't really posting anything political and this was before the stream fiasco). Jon accepted the apology and suggested that they chill sometime and have a beer. Doubt that is going to happen, but kudos to them for being reasonable for at least one moment in this whole mess.

[FinalxxSin]

While I don't agree with a company mocking others, I see no problem in them moving and blocking threads. When one partakes in someone else's domain, one either respects their rules and go by them or the person doesn't associate themselves with the organization within the organization's own domain. I am sure ALL VA's in a professional setting sign some form of contract that details what can and can not be done. Why do you think VAs often avoid talking about things that would be spoiler for an upcoming game? The gameplay remains the same and changing one VA isn't that impacting on this type of game. If the game itself were to be different, then perhaps my outlook would be different.

An individual that hates everyone can still be prone to show discrimination if that hate steams from outer appearances that can't be changed.

[Spuuky]

Could you still be called a racist if you hate everybody?

Yes, I am still a racist