3 ms·

gamers are simultaneously angry with that Activision example AND the invasion of political activists into the hobby.

vimacs2 6y ago
Sure but you are being disingenuous if you think that the outrage on Activision is even remotely comparable to the backlash against feminism in gaming. There is also no actual objective problem that feminism has caused to gaming that gamers can point to and I would argue that the vehement backlash against it is as driven by the "invasion of political activists into the hobby" as Anita Sarkeesean and other feminist pundits.
- strken 6y ago
  Bobby Kotick has a PR department, strong incentives not to antagonise the community he sells to, and enough power within his company to fire anyone who does. Activists have an incentive to be as incendiary as possible to gain media attention, smaller PR departments if any, and little to no control over what other activists say. It's an unfortunate reality that if my local supermarket fires a bunch of workers for trying to unionise, but my neighbour gets in a screaming match with me because he thinks I scratched his car's paint, then I'll be mildly disappointed by the supermarket but frothing mad about my neighbour. It doesn't even matter what the confrontation is about: I'll be frothing mad about any topic that my neighbour brings up if he's screaming it at me, the medium is the message.
  - vimacs2 6y ago
    I mostly agree except for the fact that I don't really think the gaming community are that dangerous to antagonise for a company at all considering that Activision and EA together are some of the most hated companies in both the gaming community and the world in general yet sell the most games. It's not about the medium or even the message here. It's all about the product. As long as you control the product, it doesn't matter how much grumbling gamers do under their breath, they will still fork over their cash. Activists on the other hand do not have a product to offer. Instead they make you think uncomfortable thoughts and try to get you to reconsider or reflect on your viewpoints or biases. That's a lot harder than buy and consume product. That's a difference that even god-tier PR is not going to easily be able to overcome.

Sure but you are being disingenuous if you think that the outrage on Activision is even remotely comparable to the backlash against feminism in gaming. There is also no actual objective problem that feminism has caused to gaming that gamers can point to and I would argue that the vehement backlash against it is as driven by the "invasion of political activists into the hobby" as Anita Sarkeesean and other feminist pundits.

strken 6y ago
Bobby Kotick has a PR department, strong incentives not to antagonise the community he sells to, and enough power within his company to fire anyone who does. Activists have an incentive to be as incendiary as possible to gain media attention, smaller PR departments if any, and little to no control over what other activists say. It's an unfortunate reality that if my local supermarket fires a bunch of workers for trying to unionise, but my neighbour gets in a screaming match with me because he thinks I scratched his car's paint, then I'll be mildly disappointed by the supermarket but frothing mad about my neighbour. It doesn't even matter what the confrontation is about: I'll be frothing mad about any topic that my neighbour brings up if he's screaming it at me, the medium is the message.
- vimacs2 6y ago
  I mostly agree except for the fact that I don't really think the gaming community are that dangerous to antagonise for a company at all considering that Activision and EA together are some of the most hated companies in both the gaming community and the world in general yet sell the most games. It's not about the medium or even the message here. It's all about the product. As long as you control the product, it doesn't matter how much grumbling gamers do under their breath, they will still fork over their cash. Activists on the other hand do not have a product to offer. Instead they make you think uncomfortable thoughts and try to get you to reconsider or reflect on your viewpoints or biases. That's a lot harder than buy and consume product. That's a difference that even god-tier PR is not going to easily be able to overcome.