Gamergate

Gamergate is a controversy centered on journalistic ethics, censorship and accusations of sexism in the video gaming community among others. It came to a head in August 2014 due to personal attacks on game creators Zoe Quinn, Brianna Wu, and game culture critic Anita Sarkeesian, eventually leading to a series of articles from games journalists and others decrying gamers at large.

Ongoing since 2014, the conflict has seen harassment, doxxing (revealing of private info), and death/rape threats on both sides of the debate. Various social media forums have likewise become heated battlegrounds regardless of which side they're supporting or not.

Two general camps have emerged:


 * Pro-Gamergaters (pro-GG) - They view this as a war against questionable ethics in video game journalism, feeling it is imperative to expose favoritism and and corruption in the gaming press (often simplified to plain "paid reviews" - some of those were exposed not long before the scandal). Over time, this has extended to fighting against censorship and defending free expression in gaming and elsewhere.


 * Anti-Gamergaters (anti-GG) - They see this as an attack on women (both transgender and birth gender women) in the gaming industry, prompted by misogyny in the gamer culture, and thus the accusations of corruption in gaming journalism are merely a shroud for this aforementioned goal of marginalizing women in the gaming culture. They also tend to view this as a reactionary backlash to what they see as an increasingly diverse and progressive gaming culture.


 * Depression Quest - An interactive browser game in Twine by Zoe Quinn centered around the issue of helping the clinically depressed protagonist overcome that depression.
 * Oppression Quest - A parody of the above, focusing instead more on the motives of the creator of Depression Quest (though she is never referred to by name)
 * Afterlife Empire - A strategy puzzle game published by The Fine Young Capitalists, who were involved in a previous controversy informally named the "Quinnspiracy". The game Vivian James was originally created for.
 * Social Justice Warriors - A game lampooning social media drama and SJWs.
 * Project SOCJUS - A work-in-progress game directly inspired by GG and featuring Vivian James as one of the main characters.

"No bad tactics, just bad targets."
 * All Issues Are Political Issues:
 * For anti-GG in general, a major argument is on how those sympathetic to GG and gamers at large, given that everything is political, are holding back progress by not allowing socio-political critique and purportedly not endorsing games that are progressive, transgressive, etc. in favor of "problematic" and childish content.
 * For pro-GG in general, a major argument involves rebutting what's being passed off as socio-political critique, questioning whether everything is or should be political in the first place and insisting that gaming should be free of any ideological line, regardless of one's politics or views.
 * Angry White Man: Gamergate is often stereotyped as consisting mainly of these. Whenever anyone not fitting to said stereotype comes up, those critical of GG tend to resort to invoking Category Traitor.
 * Animal Motifs: Pro-GG people often associate themselves with sea lions (and to a lesser extent, alligators).
 * Anthropomorphic Personification: Vivian James, after a fashion. Aside from being associated with the /v/ boards in both 4chan and 8chan, though her origins are traced back to 4chan and a group called The Fine Young Capitalists, she's sometimes affectionately used to symbolize modern gaming. And sometimes used as a Straw Character by anti-GG, corrupting her established carefree personality.
 * Artifact Title: After a fashion. Gamergate originally referred solely to the events around August 2014, but has over time come to refer to something more if not something else, depending on which side you're on. That being said however, the general focus still remains on video games and nerd culture in general.
 * Author Tract:
 * The infamous "Gamers are Dead" pieces that came out on August 2014 (which contributed to GG exploding in the first place) and subsequent variations later on.
 * From around 2015 onwards, there've been attempts to push variations of an "Everyone's a Gamer" angle, which ultimately come across as a veiled attempt to rehash "Gamers are Dead" in more positive spin. For if everyone's a gamer, no one is.
 * Berserk Button: Trolls and opportunistic "e-celebs" for both sides. In the case of pro-GG, these are even more so, in addition to tone policing and the notion of "trigger warnings."
 * Another pet peeve among at least some pro-GG is the tendency by anti-GG to misinterpret if not rewrite the origins of GG in the first place.
 * Big Name Fan: At least by certain definitions of "Big Name," but GG has attracted a sizable number of more popular personalities on both sides.
 * Blue and Orange Morality: How both sides view each other at times.
 * Boomerang Bigot: An accusation thrown around by both sides of the debate.
 * Bourgeois Bohemian: It's not uncommon for prominent anti-GG figures to be called this.
 * Broken Pedestal: In the wake of GG, certain journalists, developers and organizations which have previously perceived as well-respected have become this for various reasons. Journalism at large, especially in the mainstream media, is increasingly seen to be this in the perspective of pro-GG.
 * Category Traitor:
 * A disconcerting tendency in anti-GG arguments is to treat women, minorities and anyone who otherwise supports GG or other "problematic" ideas as either this or "sockpuppets." Pro-GG, not surprisingly, is fond of pointing out the literal Unfortunate Implications of treating them as "Uncle Toms" or denying their existence. This is also one of the reasons #NotYourShield came into being in the first place.
 * As time went on, this treatment was also thrown at liberal, feminist, and left-leaning supporters as well as anyone at large who was remotely pro-GG, calling them closeted fascists or "vile" conservatives.
 * Conspiracy Theory: Accusations relating to some events in Zoe Quinn and Brianna Wu's lives at the time can only reliably be classified as this.
 * Could Have Avoided This Plot: It's been argued that GG could have been avoided (or at least have ended quickly) had there been no censorship on discussing the issues that led up to it in the first place, or had games journalists been more upfront in addressing ethical concerns early on, or had Nathan Grayson been properly disciplined. Instead, what transpired made GG all but inevitable and persistent.
 * Defector From Decadence: Some pro-GG supporters include a number of dissenting feminists, among others, who view the actions and mindsets of their former erstwhile allies as going way too far.
 * Domestic Abuser: There is strong evidence to suggest that Zoe Quinn abused her boyfriend Eron.
 * Elephant in the Living Room: A common sentiment early in GG was the view that completely ignoring unethical, censorious and questionable behavior, it would mean preventing those partaking in them of a platform with which to work from, thus supposedly propagating those very problems in the first place. Over time, this has proven itself to not work.
 * Within GG-related discussions, discussing current politics can at times be awkward, which could lead to the occasional heated debate.
 * Anti-GG tends to frame alleged harassment, sexism and reactionary sentiment as this regarding pro-GG.
 * End of an Age: It can be said that GG marks a point wherein games journalism (at the very least) lost its innocence before the gaming community at large. While it's arguable that it's also signalled the end of innocence for indie gaming as well.
 * Enemy Civil War:
 * The slander and accusations certain SJWs and prominent anti-GG throw against each other can come across as this to pro-GG.
 * Pro-GG isn't immune to this either: conflicts have broken out between ethics-exclusive and anti-SJW-exclusive camps, over which e-celebs to interact with and just how much attention should be given to "X said something stupid on Twitter" drama. And that's before GGrevolt comes into the equation.
 * Epic Fail:
 * The Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls report released in 2015 garnered this reaction from GG discussions due to how disingenuous and utterly inept it is.
 * The Law and Order Special Victims Unit episode "Intimidation Game" in 2015 is recognized by many on both sides as being So Bad It's Good at best. Among pro-GG in particular, not only is it viewed as on par with Reefer Madness in terms of accuracy, but it also manages to convey the anti-GG case in the worst light possible.
 * The Sy Fy original series The Internet Ruined My Life, which started airing in 2016 is rapidly becoming this. Thanks largely to its crass inaccuracies, outright lying regarding GG and incredibly sensationalist tone, despite purportedly being Ripped from the Headlines.
 * Et Tu, Brute?: Elements of pro-GG often claim that they felt betrayed by the gaming press during the "gamers are dead" blitz.
 * Everything Is Racist: A recurring criticism thrown by anti-GG and others, though usually framing it more along the lines of "everything is sexist" as well. It's generally rebuked as ultimately leading to Political Correctness Gone Mad.
 * Fallen Hero/He Who Fights Monsters:
 * The previous decade Jeff Gerstmann was martyred for being fired for not writing a paid review and the censorship of this fact by his former employer, which was how he was able to successfully found his own competing website. Now Gerstmann censors talk of journalistic corruption, hires "journalists" who write positive coverage of friends and financial interests and refuses to go against his sponsors.
 * The longer GG has gone, certain individuals and groups have become this, depending on which side you're on. In the case of pro-GG, the sense of "betrayal" from the likes of Adam Sessler of X-Play fame and later on, Moviebob and Jimquisition is among the most notable.
 * Certain "e-celebs," whether out of ego or a desire to thoroughly crush the opposition, have wound up becoming the very thing they're purportedly fighting against. At times, this can reach a point wherein both sides ostracise them in disgust.
 * Even organizations like the International Game Developers Association or IGDA haven't been spared. Especially in light of the IGDA outright endorsing a social media auto-blocklist in 2014. It targeted anyone supporting GG, included those who followed those supporting GG on social media and outed more than a few developers and journalists for supposedly endorsing "problematic" issues like GG. It Got Worse.
 * The "Hero" part is debatable, but this has happened to a number of e-celebs. The commentator King_Of_Pol is probably the most straightforward example - going from a relatively "relevant" figure to having nothing to do with the ruckus after widely spreading a baseless conspiracy allegation about Nick Denton.
 * Feeling Oppressed by Their Existence: An accusation thrown by both sides:
 * Anti-GG tends to accuse pro-GG of finding the mere presence of what's perceived as progressive, academic and critical thought in gaming and elsewhere as forbidden if not an affront to a backward beliefs.
 * Pro-GG tends to posit that anti-GG finds the mere existence of anything that doesn't conform to their ideologies or beliefs as demeaning if not oppressive.
 * Flame War: Taking sides guarantees you will be one side or the other of this. The Other Wiki in particular is a clear demonstration of this regarding GG.
 * Foil: Dissenting feminists on the pro-GG camp, such as Christina Hoff Sommers, tend to be presented as this to the likes of Anita Sarkeesian on the anti-GG side. While both are arguably seen as outsiders in one way or another, substantial differences are found in how they approach gaming and gamers; anti-GG ones for example are generally much more likely to view the whole affair as sexist and "problematic," in contrast to their pro-GG opposition.
 * Foreshadowing:
 * While Gamergate wasn't inevitable, it's not without precedent. With at least some viewing previous controversies in gaming like Doritosgate or the Mass Effect 3 backlash as foreshadowing of sorts.
 * A recent video by Larry Bundy, meanwhile highlights how certain, seemingly forgotten events in games journalism and the video game industry at large ultimately set the stage for something like GG to happen.
 * Forever War: In a sense, as it's been ongoing since 2014. Given the issues, passions and controversies surrounding GG or whatever takes its place, it's unlikely to end anytime soon.
 * Go Mad from the Revelation: One explanation given by pro-GG as to why discussions and topics can at times come across as lighthearted and outright irreverent is because it's a good way to avoid this trope. According to the argument, it's better to sometimes keep one's fun, sanity and to laugh at the ludicrousness of the whole situation than to lose oneself in just how serious it all is.
 * Godwin's Law: Almost from the very beginning, accusations were thrown against pro-GG as being akin to not only Nazis, but also ISIS and other terrorist groups.
 * He Who Must Not Be Named:
 * Invoked in the coining of the term "Literally Who" by pro-GG not long after GG kicked off in 2014. In reference to certain individuals like Zoe Quinn and Anita Sarkeesian, it's originally intended to emphasize how they aren't the center of attention of GG and to deny them of the publicity they supposedly crave; it's been argued that Quinn wouldn't have had any publicity at all outside the industry if it wasn't for GG. Others, primarily pro-GG counter that she's been seeking publicity regardless of GG and that the likes of her have enough clout and connections that simply ignoring them would not make the problem go away. While anti-GG generally interprets its as denying such people of their identity. Although the term itself is still used albeit as more of a Forced Meme, there's still rather heated debate in pro-GG discussions on how useful it's been.
 * For anti-GG and certain neutrals, GamerGate tends to framed as a kind of boogeyman that could be conveniently slapped on to whatever is deemed "problematic" or just about any news-worthy event.
 * History Repeats: In addition to GG being one of the latest manifestations of the culture wars, pro-GG supporters point out how the narratives and arguments being presented are more than a little reminiscent of those touted by the moral guardians and anti-video game violence crusaders of yesteryear.
 * Hypocrite: A common accusation thrown by both sides. Pro-GG arguments however tend bring up how the anti-GG claims say more about the ones making said claims, invoking "Sargon's Law."
 * An accusation thrown against those who insist that no one's taking video games away or endorsing censorship. This is especially in light of certain figures in games journalism and elsewhere endorsing taking video games away.
 * I Am the Noun: Leigh Alexander notoriously claimed that she was game journalism.
 * Insult Backfire: Some of the slander and accusations thrown against GG backfired spectacularly.
 * One particular example is how the term "shitlord" turned from insult into a badge of pride among pro-GG.
 * Accusations of "sealioning," the practice of shoehorning in discussions of GG under pretensions of polite nagging, by anti-GG have led to pro-GG mockingly adopting sealions as one of their Mascots.
 * Ironic Echo:
 * Among the logos displayed on the pro-GG KotakuInAction subreddit is Vivian James done in the style of Kotaku's original, "problematic" logo, highlighting just how hypocritical that particular site is.
 * Variations of the phrase "We're not taking your games away" took on a darker tone in light of various news surrounding censorship and ideological slander, in some cases endorsed by elements in games journalism. In the process providing proof that yes, they are taking your games away.
 * It Will Never Catch On: When GG first exploded in 2014, it was thought by some that it would fizzle out within days if not weeks.
 * It's All About Me: In addition to the ego-boosting antics of "e-celebs" and trolls on both sides, an observation made of anti-GG arguments is how they tend to be this trope.
 * Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: A common accusation thrown by both sides against each other, and to a degree amongst themselves. Pro-GG in particular contends that this in part explains the current state of the narratives being propagated as well as why censorship of "problematic" ideas and views are being justified.
 * Knight Templar: These have existed on both sides of the conflict. The anti-GG side has had those who are utterly convinced of gaming's "problematic" nature and that "gamers are not their audience" that anyone in opposition to their views should be silenced and demonized. The pro-GG side, meanwhile has had individuals so intent on discrediting and humiliating the opposition they are willing to sink to the same depths if not worse than their opponents to "win."
 * Know-Nothing Know-It-All: A common accusation used by pro-GG people against certain "aGGros," an alternate term for anti-GG.
 * The Last Straw: Of sorts. It's been argued that while unethical practices and ideological slander in gaming have been present for years, the events leading up to Gamergate were what metaphorically broke the camel's back.
 * Mascot: Vivian James and sea lions, among others have since become associated with GG and pro-GG especially, which is also acknowledged by anti-GG.
 * Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot: An indie dev cheats on her boyfriend -> censorship, massive corruption in games journalism.
 * Moral Myopia: How pro-GG tends to view the justifications behind anti-GG arguments and actions. Which isn't helped at all by an infamous tweet from Moviebob, known for his anti-GG views, that's generally condensed into:


 * Morton's Fork: One accusation from pro-GG is that at times, the arguments thrown against GG are framed such that regardless of the option one chooses, it's always in anti-GG's favor. This is often framed as a case of kafkatrapping as well, with pro-GG and anyone sympathetic to GG being blamed regardless of what they do.
 * Motive Decay: A increasingly prominent rebuttal of GG, particularly from anti-GG stems from how it's either never been about ethics in games journalism or no longer about it. The general response among pro-GG meanwhile, has been to point out how even while maintaining a focus on games journalism, GG isn't just confined to it.
 * Murder Simulators: Efforts by certain journalists and ideologues to rehash the old "video game violence" angle with more progressive and feminist pretensions have been exposed in the wake of GG.
 * My God, What Have I Done?: A noteworthy example coming from moderator and editor Ian Miles Cheong, who had previously endorsed anti-GG.
 * Never Live It Down: Leigh Alexander for her "I am games journalism" and "gamers don't have to be your audience" comments, as well as Bob Chipman's infamous "no bad tactics" line.
 * No True Scotsman: An accusation thrown by both sides against each other, though the anti-GG version tends to ring hollow due to the actions and antics of those making such claims.
 * Not So Different: Subverted. While there has been much in the way of drama, slinging and tension on both sides, over time the differences had long since grown more pronounced. Reaching the point that any attempt to find equal footing for all parties involved risks sliding into accusations of false equivalency.
 * In various discussions, there's a tendency to notice how similar the likes of Jack Thompson and Anita Sarkeesian, just to name a few, can be in terms of their arguments and mindsets despite ostensibly coming from opposing sides of the political spectrum.
 * Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Whichever side one is regarding GG, it's generally agreed that there's really no going back for games journalism, gaming and the media at large.
 * Outside Context Villain: How certain criticism levied against GG and gaming in general can come across. This is especially clear in the case of the mainstream media's general coverage of GG and its consequences.
 * Political Correctness Gone Mad: Increasingly prominent in pro-GG discussions is how political correctness and similar trends had contributed to the current state of games journalism, the gaming industry and society in general. Some would argue still that this trope was what made something like GG almost inevitable.
 * Punny Name: Vivian James is named after "video games."
 * Project SOCJUS. In addition to the allusion to social justice warriors, it's also a deliberate nod to Nineteen Eighty Four and how SJWs ironically invoke the book.
 * Lillian Woods is a play on the term "Literally Who."
 * Quote Mine: Brought up by pro-GG regarding of the coverage surrounding GG and gaming at large, if not calling out outright Manipulative Editing on the part of the media.
 * Right-Wing Militia Fanatic: How at least some anti-GG narratives try to frame the affair if not gaming at large in some form or another. Befitting the slander of pro-GG being comprised of dangerous reactionaries.
 * Rule of Cautious Editing Judgment: Enforced on most websites that wish to discuss this in anything resembling a relatively neutral (not fanning the Flame War) fashion.
 * Sacred Cow: Both sides have been accused of being hypersensitive about criticism of their respective interests, be it gaming or feminism.
 * Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Some posters of 4chan, following a growing trend of censorship (which include GG-related topics) ended up migrating to a newly established imageboard called 8chan.
 * Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: It's been argued that in purportedly trying to defend the state of games journalism against accusations of corruption, those implicated in the events that led to GG unwittingly exposed the rotten core within media.
 * Serious Business: Both sides regard this event in this fashion.
 * Slobs Versus Snobs: How GG can at times come across as. Anti-GG tends to view pro-GG as largely comprised of backward yokels and stereotypical "dudebros." While pro-GG tends to view at least some of the more vocal anti-GG voices as detached (pseudo-)intellectuals and propagandists.
 * Soapbox Sadie: A common stereotype of anti-GG alongside Granola Girl. Though it's not entirely without merit as certain individuals do live up to the image.
 * Small Name, Big Ego: Sometimes the drama on both sides can stem from certain "e-celebs" more interested in stirring up trouble or bolstering their own ego than anything else of note.
 * Straw Feminist: Pro-GG has been accused of treating every feminist like these, while anti-GG has been accused of acting like these.
 * Straw Misogynist: How anti-GG narratives tend to frame the whole affair and those who are even remotely sympathetic to it.
 * Strawman News Media: The response and reaction to GG from certain people not just in games journalism but media at large has brought this issue into the limelight. Particularly in relation to Types 3 and 4, due to the allegations of clickbait, ideological narrative-pushing and what's usually called "gamedropping".
 * Streisand Effect: It's generally agreed that early and subsequent attempts to either censor or slander GG contributed to it gaining steam in the first place.
 * Suspiciously Specific Denial: Early on, those implicated in the initial incident insisted that there was no collusion, let alone ethical breaches involved. Which proved hollow when some of those same people openly admitted it.
 * Think of the Children: What pro-GG claims certain anti-GG arguments amount to, though in this case, women, minorities and anyone deemed "oppressed" tend to take the place of "children" despite the logic ultimately being identical.
 * The Unfair Sex: According to pro-GG, Eron saw his name dragged through the mud and was slapped with a gag order simply for speaking out about the abuse and heartache he suffered at the hands of his ex-girlfriend. A common claim is that if the genders had been reversed, the outcome would have been very different.
 * Violence Is the Only Option: A common criticism of Anti-GG is that many games boil down to this and that more games based around nonviolent alternatives should be made.
 * This point is generally agreed upon by pro-GG but only to a point. Seeing games like Undertale as a great example of defying this trope while providing a quality gaming experience, while rejecting the more extreme calls to sanitize even games like Fallout and Doom of violence.
 * We All Live in America: Discussions and debates have a tendency to be this due to the initial focal point being in the (English-speaking) West, and the United States in particular. Over time however, this has increasingly been downplayed as more attention is placed on (and coming from) other parts of the world like Japan and Poland.
 * We ARE Struggling Together!: Over time, there's been the occasional if at times fierce debate among pro-GG camps on whether to stick strictly on ethics in games journalism or incorporate other issues considered relevant, such as similar situations in other fandoms and political correctness to name a few. On the other hand, such discussions have allowed pro-GG to remain focused and intellectually diverse while also making compromises when necessary.
 * What Happened to the Mouse?: #NotYourShield, a hashtag movement made to debunk anti-GG accusations, dropped off the face of the Earth since May 2015.
 * With Us Or Against Us: Anti-GG is often said to have this mentality.
 * Your Cheating Heart: The catalyst for the whole thing is split between Zoe Quinn cheating on her boyfriend, Eron Gjoni and the events of August 2014 that culminated in the infamous "Gamers are Dead" articles.