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Mitch Dyer speaks out about pressure to include forced gossip into IGN news stories from Steve Butts and Tal Blevins

Precious Tritium

Precious Tritium

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,392
Encourage you to read the entire thread as it outlines an exploitative work environment, but pretty insane that the controversial news article, which cited sources, on Amy Hennig's Firing and Neil Druckmann's hostile takeover were actually "forced gossip" and not the author's intent. They didn't even stick up for Dyer when the reporting came under fire from Sony and Naughty Dog.

EDIT:
Both Steve Butts and Tal Blevins are no longer at IGN and work at a consulting firm.

This is also not just about bad reporting: Thread on original complaints of abuse at IGN


Mitch Dyer worked at IGN between 2012-2016, his opinion is working conditions are much better there now.
"Progress has been made as they rooted out the rot inside. Change is possible."








Neil Druckmann's and Bruce Straley's response:





Tal and Steve were also behind the article claiming The Last Guardian was cancelled, without consulting their News Team.

 
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Serene

Serene

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
52,514
gaming media being clickbait gossip trash

not surprised

gotta get that engagement
 
Milennia

Milennia

Prophet of Truth - Community Resetter
Member
Oct 25, 2017
18,252
Holy shit.
These 2 were the epitome of what people view scumbag gaming journalism as, clicks and nothing else.
I'm glad they're gone and ign can be legitimized.
 

Deleted member 34788

User requested account closure
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Nov 29, 2017
3,545
Oh wow this is big, the sexual harassment and abuse thread is shocking in of itself for all the obvious and depressing reasons and now this.

Game industry is being rocked to its core.
 
Toumari

Toumari

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,300
England
Here is the original article, along with the fabricated lie:

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https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/05/uncharted-ps4-writer-amy-hennig-leaves-naughty-dog
 
SunBroDave

SunBroDave

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,133
The "Amy was forced out by Neil and Bruce" rumor was pretty much already debunked in Schreier's book, which had a great chapter on the development of Uncharted 4, but it's really great to hear Mitch bring up the truth about this article. He didn't have to, and he did anyway. I've had my fair share of criticism of him in the past, but I do think he's a good dude
 
Cess007

Cess007

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,076
B.C., Mexico
Wow, this is funny (not really) because up to this day, I read claims of people telling that ND went to shit because Neil forced Amy out and instated his 'SJW propaganda'.
 

Deleted member 887

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
16,738
Yup. Always knew gaming journalism was immature, but this is beyond the limit. Making up forced gossip for clicks. This is horrible.
 
Landford

Landford

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,678
Not only that, people attributed for years that it was Amys fault for leaving because she was hostile or something, even taking her failed SW games as "Proof" that it had to be because of that.

Fuck that man. I hope things get cleansed out with this wave of reaveals. Bring everything to light.
 
criteriondog

criteriondog

I like the chili style
Member
Oct 26, 2017
11,064
Holy crap at the Amy Henning story being fake/gossip and it being published, despite knowing otherwise. There was a lot of bad blood pushed over to ND, Neil and Sony over that and it was completely fake. And yet, IGN thought it would be good to publish that for relationship with Sony?! How??

Good god, IGN.
 
Landford

Landford

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,678
I always remembered Mitch as the "The human eye cant tell the difference between 720p and 1080p beyond 50 inches" guy, but now I will remember him as a brave human being for exposing this shit.

Good job, Mitch.
 
Agamon

Agamon

Member
Aug 1, 2019
1,781
How about instead of vilifying IGN, we focus of the Level 74 company where those turds work now?
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,940
Look at the incentives of internet economies--drive engagement. That's the whole business model.

Don't' be surprised bad actors take advantage of those incentives.
 
PRrambo_

PRrambo_

PlayStation.jif
Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,855
Remember all the cringey "Druckmannnnnnnn" posts people would make in jest? Always hated that shit.
 
Risev

Risev

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,405
SunBroDave said:
The "Amy was forced out by Neil and Bruce" rumor was pretty much already debunked in Schreier's book, which had a great chapter on the development of Uncharted 4, but it's really great to hear Mitch bring up the truth about this article. He didn't have to, and he did anyway. I've had my fair share of criticism of him in the past, but I do think he's a good dude
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That never stopped people from bringing it up, especially now as many pieces of shit are using whatever bits and pieces they find to attack Niel. These people don't care for a second if it's true or false of course.
 
Toriko

Toriko

Member
Dec 29, 2017
7,664
Holy shit! I feel sorry for Neil and Bruce. I would have been livid if I were in their shoes. Neil still gets shit on for this to this day.


Risev said:
That never stopped people from bringing it up, especially now as many pieces of shit are using whatever bits and pieces they find to attack Niel. These people don't care for a second if it's true or false of course.
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Click to shrink...

This. He gets hate even now.
 
Lobster Roll

Lobster Roll

signature-less, now and forever
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Sep 24, 2019
34,278
entremet said:
Look at the incentives of internet economies--drive engagement. That's the whole business model.

Don't' be surprised bad actors take advantage of those incentives.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's pathetic that the road often taken is create as much sensationalism as you can to get clicks, rather than creative a competitive advantage by generating high-quality content. It makes it difficult to parse through which sources are worthwhile and which ones are worthless.
 
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