Recently, some truly deplorable news may have reached your ears. A great many of you are enjoying Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us: Part II but there is a vocal group of gamers who fail to share your elation. However, instead of discussing their criticisms in a constructive fashion, they have taken to social media to hurl abuse at the game’s staff and cast.
Not long ago, director Neil Druckmann shared some notable examples of the abuse he had received from disgruntled fans via screen shots on Twitter. Many of the comments embedded in his tweet were homophobic, transphobic, and anti-semitic. In fact, Druckmann himself described them perfectly when referring to these comments as nothing more than ‘vile, hateful and violent’.
Unfortunately, this is far from the first example of gaming industry professionals being subjected to undue abuse, but why is this industry that we all love so much filled with hate? It is a question that is difficult to answer. Mercifully, it appears that the gaming community is optimistic about positive change. In this feature article, I aim to expose the systemic abuse suffered by so many in the gaming industry, and how we can bring about that aforementioned change of the positive variety.
Skipping A Beat
Without meaning to spoil anything for those yet to experience Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic survival game in full, many of the criticisms that reached the ears of the creative team behind the title concerned the narrative. While word had reached my very own ears that many considered the narrative of The Last of Us: Part II to be inferior to that of its highly acclaimed predecessor, this does not excuse the comments my eyes had the displeasure of viewing.
Among these were individuals who accused Druckmann of betraying the pre-established development of the returning characters in favour of producing a heavily political narrative. As a matter of fact, there were some bold creative decisions made concerning these characters, which proceeded to infuriate the more toxic portion of the fanbase.
Firstly, all consumers of a product are entitled to their opinions. However, these critiques were laced with profanity and anti-semitic remarks, openly mocking the Jewish beliefs of Druckmann. Further, they offered no practical methods of improvement Druckmann could apply to his next game. Instead, these criticisms are nothing more than a series of offensive insults strung together to form incoherent sentences.
Mature discussions concerning creative endeavours are vital to create a community that is welcoming to all and getting video games recognised as a legitimate art form. Often, this involves us distancing ourselves from those emotions we feel in the moment to reflect on the product we are critiquing and consider why these decisions were made. It is not compulsory to like them, but it is imperative to understand them.
Billionaire Boys Club
Furthermore, it is apparent that these vocal fans are incapable of distinguishing fiction from reality as Laura Bailey, the voice of Abby in the game, has received similar abuse due to the actions of her fictional character. In fact, in messages that Laura herself shared on Twitter in a similar manner to Druckmann, irate fans describe these actions as though the seasoned voice actor committed them in real life. A clear lack of mercy and moral fibre was demonstrated by these fans as even the life of her son – who is only 2 years old at the time of writing – was threatened.
Not only does this afford us a glimpse into the disturbed mindsets of these unscrupulous individuals, but it also leads me on to the topic of systemic sexism in the gaming industry. One of the most tragic examples is the news of women suffering sexual harassment on streaming sites like Twitch and at gaming events. There are also further stories of women being discriminated against in the industry.
No woman should ever be hired for a job based solely on whether or not she is deemed physically attractive. Nor should be pressured in their place of work to satisfy a man’s sexual desire. No woman should be made to feel as though her skills and input are appreciated less than those of her male colleagues. When a woman exposes these wrongs, she should be commended for her bravery and not lambasted by insecure men.
If we fail to challenge the, at times, sexist culture of the gaming industry, and continue to let straight white men of the geeky variety monopolise it, then we have failed these women. Let us not fail them.
In the Face of Diversity
From what I have written thus far, it would seem that toxic individuals in the gaming industry are averse to diverse representations. Again, I refer to the comments exposed by Druckmann. Comments that are rife with homophobic and transphobic language.
The Last of Us: Part II features two female characters who players can take control of. One is gay, while the other is an atypically muscular woman. While some may agree with the voice of Ellie, Ashley Johnson, when she states that it is important ‘to have a young female lead, that is gay’ in gaming as it ‘makes it feel real’, those who decided to let Druckmann know how they felt took underhanded shots at both the gay and trans communities with vulgar language I dare not repeat here.
This is not the first example of individuals in the gaming industry being discriminated against because they fail to fit into the gamer stereotype. For instance, many streamers on Twitch have been accused of using racist language.
Fortunately, it seems that the site is striving to improve the technology it currently employs to identify offensive language in usernames and messages. While this is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, it is still not enough. Like with sexism, we need to actively challenge this. The world is full of people of different colours, creeds and sexual orientation, not a one of them less beautiful and valued than the other. Only when we realise this, and accept it, can we move forward.
A New Hope
Action is being taken in the gaming industry to ensure that the effects of hate and harassment can be minimised. Along with Twitch, I have also heard tell of Facebook Gaming suspending abusive members on a temporary basis.
However, we cannot allow this momentum to stall. We cannot afford to become complacent. We cannot be afraid to make our voices heard. So, when you see abuse being dealt, report it. If you yourself are a victim of abuse, I encourage you to report it. For everyone else, support the brave victims and those fighting their corner.
It is only when we are united as one that we have any right to call ourselves a community.
