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VG247 pulls support and coverage of GOG.com following pro GamerGate tweet [Update: GOG apology]

Kenzodielocke

Kenzodielocke

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,849
The tweet:

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Following a recent (now deleted) tweet from digital distribution platform GOG.com, VG247 is pulling its support of the storefront for the foreseeable future.

In the past, our site has promoted GOG as a DRM-free alternative to Steam, and we've even supported the retailer with VG247-themed sales on the front page of the site.

Today, GOG tweeted out a promotional gif for Postal 2, which is not the problem. The gif contained an image of someone pissing on a headstone marked 'games journalism', which also isn't the problem.

The problem is that the gif can be interpreted as a dogwhistle that panders to hate group GamerGate, which itself has been proven to lead to radicalism and even murder.

GamerGate has destroyed lives, and we're very disappointed that GOG has furthered the divide between those who cover games and a vocal minority that hate games journalists, women, and minorities.

It could be that GOG didn't know the significance of the dates on the headstone, but until we know the company is taking proper action to find out how this happened, we are pulling support.
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https://www.vg247.com/2018/07/19/vg247-pulls-support-coverage-gog-com-following-pro-gamergate-tweet/

lock if old.

Update:


MOD EDIT:
Update 2 (GOG response):
https://www.resetera.com/posts/10557998/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bufbaf

Bufbaf

Don't F5!
Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,659
Hamburg, Germany
Since the tweet has been deleted without further comment, I'll take that either as "We didn't get the reference and thought it was funny, now we feel shitty about it" or "Some guy posted this intentionally, we removed it because it doesn't fit our company's views" or "Whoever posted this has been dealt with".

All of which are fine for me, I guess. I was worried there would be a giant string of justification from GOG but there was none it seems.
 
Imran

Imran

Member
Oct 24, 2017
6,586
I'm assuming the tweet had, at best, ignorant intentions rather than actual bad ones, but yeah. That wasn't a good look.
 
Savantcore

Savantcore

Member
Oct 28, 2017
880
Seems a little extreme. Obviously Gamergaters are a bunch of cunts, but I'd hope that VG247 actually spoke to GOG to clarify before this.
 
LewieP

LewieP

Member
Oct 26, 2017
18,099
Really cowardly of GOG to take a stance on this stuff then just quietly sheepishly delete it when there's (rightfully) a backlash.

Now they're kind of forced to make clear what their actual stance is, which I'm open to hearing.

I do question why they bother sending out press releases if they have such distain for games media.
 
alosarjos

alosarjos

Member
Oct 27, 2017
364
User Banned (5 Days): Shutting down discussion concerning hate movements. Account still in junior phase.
God... Now everything is related to politics and sexism...
 
Kaeden

Kaeden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,905
US
I'm pretty ignorant on all of this so this question is sincere: Does their statement, "can be interpreted as a dogwhistle that panders to hate group GamerGate" mean that it's almost certainly only about that or is it not something that's highly likely? Hope that makes sense.
 
Moobabe

Moobabe

Member
Nov 7, 2017
918
Bufbaf said:
Since the tweet has been deleted without further comment, I'll take that either as "We didn't get the reference and thought it was funny, now we feel shitty about it" or "Some guy posted this intentionally, we removed it because it doesn't fit our company's views" or "Whoever posted this has been dealt with".

All of which are fine for me, I guess. I was worried there would be a giant string of justification from GOG but there was none it seems.
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This is where I'm at. It was a shitty thing to post, sure, but I would imagine it was someone trying to be funny (or hope that that's what it was)
 
LewieP

LewieP

Member
Oct 26, 2017
18,099
Kadin said:
I'm pretty ignorant on all of this so this question is sincere: Does their statement, "can be interpreted as a dogwhistle that panders to hate group GamerGate" mean that it's almost certainly only about that or is it not something that's highly likely? Hope that makes sense.
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I can't think of any other intended interpretation other than maybe pleading ignorance.
 
Zomba13

Zomba13

#1 Waluigi Fan! Current Status: Crying
Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,940
I assume it was this? (This is an image of the gif because I couldn't find the gif):
Are+you+ready+for+it_4af202_5381847.png
 
Kaeden

Kaeden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,905
US
LewieP said:
I can't think of any other intended interpretation other than maybe pleading ignorance.
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Okay, good to know. I was just kind of shocked that they did it because of their interpretation but if it's highly likely that most, especially a company like GOG, should know what it means, then good on them for taking the action they did.
 

Deleted member 11370

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,494
I wasn't really expecting something like this from GOG... but it's 2018 and this kind of people are everywhere, unfortunately.

Good on VG247 for their quick and swift response. This kind of behavior can't be tolerated. So long, GOG. I'm not buying there anymore.

Lucumo said:
One can interpret a lot of stuff into different things...

Yep, apparently.
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Ah, yes. "Gaming journalism died in 2014" has absolutely nothing to do with GamerGate.

"In August 2014, the harassment campaign targeted several women in the video game industry; notably game developers Zoë Quinn and Brianna Wu, as well as feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian."

Don't try to justify this shit under the false pretence of plausible deniability.
 
Sanctuary

Sanctuary

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,229
Kadin said:
I'm pretty ignorant on all of this so this question is sincere: Does their statement, "can be interpreted as a dogwhistle that panders to hate group GamerGate" mean that it's almost certainly only about that or is it not something that's highly likely? Hope that makes sense.
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This is exactly my own line of reasoning. Can be, doesn't mean the same thing as is. I'm completely ignorant about the events surrounding this, but context and intent is everything. I would be extremely surprised if a company like GOG was pro-GG.

trashkitty said:
The day GG kicked off with the hack of Zoe's blog and her doxxing.
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Hmm.
 
Stitch

Stitch

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
325
The problem is that the gif can be interpreted as a dogwhistle that panders to hate group GamerGate
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uhh ok

Or maybe it just means that Postal Dude is pissing on game journalism because they never liked his game.

Also in the last DLC you can kill Milo.
 

Lucumo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
690
Joey Ravn said:
Ah, yes. "Gaming journalism died in 2014" has absolutely nothing to do with GamerGate.

"In August 2014, the harassment campaign targeted several women in the video game industry; notably game developers Zoë Quinn and Brianna Wu, as well as feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian."

Don't try to justify this shit under the false pretence of plausible deniability.
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I did edit my post after the picture got posted and before your post. Maybe try not to be over-aggressive in the future.
 
Potterson

Potterson

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,416
Wait, what? I can't believe they were like "Hell yeah, let's use this gif, because it's pro-gamergate".

If it wasn't a tweet about Postal 2 being available on GOG, I would consider it. But here? No... I had no idea that scene was even associated with GG.
 
Don Fluffles

Don Fluffles

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,061
Joey Ravn said:
I wasn't really expecting something like this from GOG... but it's 2018 and this kind of people are everywhere, unfortunately.

Good on VG247 for their quick and swift response. This kind of behavior can't be tolerated. So long, GOG. I'm not buying there anymore.



Ah, yes. "Gaming journalism died in 2014" has absolutely nothing to do with GamerGate.

"In August 2014, the harassment campaign targeted several women in the video game industry; notably game developers Zoë Quinn and Brianna Wu, as well as feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian."

Don't try to justify this shit under the false pretence of plausible deniability.
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Just remember. GGers got offended by women's opinions on games and have attempted to censor them despite crying the exact same thing at us. We need to lean on this fact. They're a bigoted censorship group.
 
Kaeden

Kaeden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,905
US
Sanctuary said:
This is exactly my own line of reasoning. Can be, doesn't mean the same thing as is. I'm completely ignorant about the events surrounding this, but context and intent is everything. I would be extremely surprised if a company like GOG was pro-GG.
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Yeah as to the latter part, I completely agree. My first instinct was that this was simply a mistake or a bad choice they made without full knowledge of what it meant. I guess we'll wait and see but I've always been very supportive of them, hopefully it's just an honest mistake.
 
Hamster Plugin

Hamster Plugin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,841
TheMadTitan said:
I can only see it mean something if that date means something since people have been shitting on gaming journalism since at least 2004.
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It does. August 2014 is when Gamergate started. It's specifically a pro-gamergate message. Games Journalism is just an excuse for the right-wing harassment campaign that it actually was.
 
derFeef

derFeef

Member
Oct 26, 2017
16,358
Austria
Hamster Plugin said:
It does. August 2014 is when Gamergate started. It's specifically a pro-gamergate message. Games Journalism is just an excuse for the right-wing harassment campaign that it actually was.
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Plus it's the date Zoe Quinn started to get death threats.
So yeah, the pissing on the tombstone is fucking disgusting, not to mention even posting it.
 
sredgrin

sredgrin

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
12,276
Guys, the game was updated like a decade after release to put up a bunch of gamergate bullshit.

I don't buy that they just thought it was a random funny thing. This isn't part of the game people remember, it was added in 2014. You'd have to go looking for it (or I guess have someone show you it). I don't think GoG is pro GG or something but it's not exactly a stretch to buy some social media employee is.
 
Anti

Anti

Banned
Nov 22, 2017
2,972
Australia
I cant believe there are people siding with gog in this thread, Idk if they are doing it due to ignorance or other motives but seriously, FUCK YOU.
 
Ferrs

Ferrs

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
18,829
If this is truly about GOG ignorance then ok, release a statement claryfing that and condemning Gamergate. But as far as I know they simply deleted the tweet and went radio silent, how comes?
 

dedacc

User requested ban
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
318
...
I really hope this was some social media person fucking up. I just migrated a lot of my library and purchase wishlist from Steam to GOG.
 
Kalor

Kalor

Resettlement Advisor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,629
I'd be surprised if the person posted it without realising the context because if you're a social media person for a gaming company in 2018, I would expect that they know about Gamergate and the context of the gif.
 
duckroll

duckroll

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,205
Singapore
Kalor said:
I'd be surprised if the person posted it without realising the context because if you're a social media person for a gaming company in 2018, I would expect that they know about Gamergate and the context of the gif.
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I mean, GOG are the same folks who made a big joke that they were shutting down, and then after people got upset about that the bosses showed up on video for the next PR event dressed as monks as a "sign" of contrition. They have a bad sense of humor.
 
Kaeden

Kaeden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,905
US
Anti said:
I cant believe there are people siding with gog in this thread, Idk if they are doing it due to ignorance or other motives but seriously, FUCK YOU.
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Who in here is siding with them? All I see are some like myself simply asking for clarifications because not all of us know the details.
 
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