And now.... I am pissed off again. Cloud? I suppose you have a apologia ready already, because this is a doozy!
So in addition to making a shitty game, Quinn's guilty of fraud? I've tried to avoid insulting her in person, but really?
Apology for what? How many times do I have to say that I don't fucking care about Quinn. This whole Quinnspiracy and GamerGate thing is fucking stupid as it not only started as a means to slut shame someone (her actual crimes notwithstanding and completely irrelevant to the discussion of journalistic ethics), even the well meaning people involved can't source their claims of corruption from anything other than completely anonymous Tumblr and 4chan posts that claim to be "in the know."
Here's how easy it is to fake an anonymous post:
I work for a site that I can't name out of fear of losing my job. My editor is pissed because the world knows he's been working with other sites to keep his secret dealings quiet.
It's that simple. These are the only kind of sources I see GamerGate supporters citing. These are not sources and are not verifiable facts. And, no, cherry picked posts from #NotYourShield are neither proof of corruption or relevant. The fact is that they have no verifiable proof and won't get any as this allegedly widespread corruption is not likely to be even half as widespread as they claim.
I'm not some social justice warrior white knighting against what I perceive to be an oppressed group, I'm a rational person who sees that GamerGate was built on a harassment campaign and that it never stopped being one, it just got a lot of well meaning folks who don't know any better to hop on the bandwagon so the assholes in it can use them as a shield. To the ultimate irony of the "#NotYourShield" tag.
There is discussion to be had. We've seen legitimate examples of conflicts of interest and corruption in game journalism. Geoff Keighly, anyone? GamerGate is not out for that discussion. I'm not even sure what it IS out to do anymore. I think there's a reason some people who otherwise supported it have abandoned it and started using "#GameEthics" to actually discuss ethics in game journalism. Of course, as I haven't been paying attention to #GameEthics, that could have been hijacked by GamerGate for all I know, but my point stands that well intentioned people who understand that GamerGate isn't the righteous movement it claims to be are going elsewhere.
EDIT: And just so we're clear, I'm also not defending the people actively fighting against GamerGate and saying that gamers are awful and that gaming culture is awful and that anyone who supports GamerGate is a white male misogynist and there's no exception. I honestly think the #NotYourShield tag picked up because the well meaning folks do want to make a point against that, but it doesn't change what GamerGate is.
Not to mention that I don't care about the toxic parts of the gaming community, at least not in regards to the alleged issue of corruption in game journalism. I've said it before and I'll say it again, my only investment in this is how it pertains to journalism because that's the alleged heart of the matter.
