This.
I see a lot of different posts and commentary online in general like "xyz community is the worst!" but in really for the most part I see the same shit just about everywhere and a lot of handwaving.
Good on Bungie and some other companies for seeming to do the right things when it comes to their staff and standing up against this shit. At this point I pretty much don't want to post or be active online in general with what a cesspool a lot of it is, I can't even imagine what it's like to be on the receiving end like they are.
I think moat online communities that define themselves by some "fandom" are set up to be toxic. The identity becomes tribal and somewhat codified as sacred. Anything that shifts, questions, or confronts that adopted identity are viewed as personal slights due to the individual's poor ability to differentiate themselves from the adopted "fan" identity. This is enforced by people finding like-minded groups that reinforce their identity by finding an enemy and then ganging up on them which makes them feel like they both belong and validated.
This may start with "This game is the best." but unchecked and in unhealthy people it becomes "Fuck you for ruining my identity and changing something dear to who I am."
Before social media become as strong as it was, it was hard to go this far. You didn't have insular communities that functioned as echo chambers. You may like your N64 better than the Playstation, but you still knew your neighbor and built forts with him in the woods. It wasn't like you actually thought he was a bad person - how could you?
Now? You can go as deep as you want to go and you will continue to find others who also want to go that deep, only to reinforce it and go even deeper. Before long, you're finding meaning in this shared hate vortex and IT becomes your identity.
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