Quinnspiracy - Zoe Quinn internet debacle

[Death BOO Z]

I'm not much into gaming journalism, but this seems to be a heated issue.
most of my knowledge comes from the following two sources in the bottom, but I'll be glad to learn more.

do you guys have any thoughts on the matter?


http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/quinnspiracy
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/columns/moviebob/12173-Comparing-Film-Journalism-and-Games-Journalism

[Kraco]

Such bullshit. Very American. I haven't even heard much of it, but what little I know tells me it would only spoil the taste of popcorns.

[Ryllharu]

The problem is most of the outrage is misplaced.

Zoe Quinn has probably done some unethical things in the promotion of her career, but the real fault lies in the fact that journalistic integrity in games journalism is at an all time low. Rather than get any kind of story on what really happened here (besides the bunch of nerds going on misogyny rants endlessly...it's he said-she said) we get what we usually get from the kind folks of games journalism: Regurgitated Press Releases. Since no one really has any idea what happened it has devolved into trolls trolling trolls.

[Edort4]

First time I hear (or read) of it. I dont know what the scandal or rage is for. If its about the unprofesinal behaviour of the journalist I can agree the rest I dont care about what ppl do with their life unless it goes against any of the negative liberties. Personally I wouldnt mind giving sexual service to 5 women (that I dont dislike) that could help me with my career. Its up to them to be professional or not.

[Ryllharu]

The true problem is that thanks to the indie development scene exploding, combined with members of the gaming press often being personal friends with developer(s). Kotaku has admitted that the indie dev-game reviewer social dynamic is very cliquish, the same people travelling in the same circles and all having the same friends...who are either developers or game journalists.

It's kind of an evolution of the Kane and Lynch Gamespot Controversy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kane_%26_Lynch:_Dead_Men#GameSpot_controversy) more than it is anything about feminism. The indie dev asks his/her friends the game reviewers to promote, preview, or review their games rather than the developer getting angry about bad reviews. Indie games live or die based on exposure or word of mouth, because there are so damn many of them.

The Sun at Night (http://minicorestudios.com/games/the-sun-at-night) was a good example. It's a sub-par game from a nothing-of-note indie developer about Laika the Russian Space Dog Puzzle Platformer. Failed its Kickstarter, by the way. There's only five reviews on metacritic, all below average. Joystiq in particular has sixteen stories about this game, following every stage of its development. Compare this to Transistor, which has 18 stories, and is the second game from an already extremely successful indie dev. Very successful Kickstarter game Shadowrun Returns got 26 stories and a AAA release like Wolfenstein The New Order gets an average 20 stories. A lot of indie games are lucky if they get 5 stories.

It's pretty obvious what went on there.


This controversy is about gaming journalism trying to circle the wagons and passing the issue off as a feminist issue (because of the allegations toward Quinn for her barely-a-game Choose Your Own Adventure title) rather than the backlash to their pervasive lack of integrity. Then the trolls found it.

[Xelbair]

The main point was that she basically slept with reviewers for reviews if i recall right. She's just a manipulative person who tried to turn the situation around and made herself a victim.

Game journalism is worst journalist group ever combined with giant circlejerk that even #tlwiki cannot exceed(and that is one of biggest circlejerks ever).

the more people talk about her, the more she 'wins'. there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Oh, and all the 'harrasment' was fake, and her 'leaked' personal info was fake.

[Ryllharu]

The evidence seems to point against her sleeping with the people who actually reviewed her game at various sites. Different people wrote the review. Sleeping with people who promoted her game, or people who suggested her game was worth reviewing to editors? Maybe so. Manipulative? Definitely.

Indie games don't stand out unless they get lots of publicity and promotion. Misogyny exists in video games, the development and marketing communities, and among gamers to be sure, but it is the red herring in this case.

The circlejerk and defensiveness of journalists and their indie dev friends to achieve personal gain or fame is the real problem. In any other industry this would be illegal.


Btw, Anita's videos are getting better despite being a bit heavy handed, but she's playing to her primary audience - feminists, so whatever. The Women as Background set is quite good, even calling out "pro-feminism" developers like Bioware for the moustache-twirling token villains abusing women as somehow being good writing. Writers are lazy, and use or trivialize abuse of women as easy ways of why the player is supposed to care. It was a well done video.

[Y]

There's no evidence that any sort of unethical activity happened regarding Quinn promoting her game. There's no evidence she slept with anyone, for any reason. There's no evidence she paid for good reviews, with sex or with any other currency. There's no journalistic conspiracy regarding her.

Does games journalism suck? Sure. It barely qualifies as journalism. But regurgitating ad copy is not a crime, unethical or unusual. Professional film reviewers write actual ad copy for blurbs on the poster, TV ads, home video releases et al in their reviews.

The idea that she faked personal harassment is a laughable conspiracy itself. There is literally a 450 page thread on another forum I read devoted to the idea that Quinn and Anita Sarkeesian are cult leaders who use indie games festivals as sexual brainwashing centers to molest vulnerable gamers into their ideology and that federal agents should form a task force to arrest or kill them. Of course Zoe Quinn is being harassed. The entire "scandal" originated from her ex-boyfriend launching a series of public accusations against her. Calling your ex-girlfriend a whore in public is harassment, friends.

[Death BOO Z]

we just had a cult leader convicted today, he had 21 wives (illegal here) living with him and he made them tatto his name or face on their bodies. Can Quinn & Anita top that?

I did hear that Anita was hired as a consultant for Mirrors' Edge 2. I'm not sure how I feel about that, seeing how I have zero respect for her gaming critique or her 'feminist' critique. it mostly feels to me as if they are buying themselves silence from bad online press.

[Y]

I did hear that Anita was hired as a consultant for Mirrors' Edge 2. I'm not sure how I feel about that, seeing how I have zero respect for her gaming critique or her 'feminist' critique.

Sarkeesian's Feminism 101 approach isn't terribly informative but is a strong and worthwhile voice in gaming criticism.

[Ryllharu]

She plays to her audience. It tends to be bombastic. She hasn't toned down on "this is all the fault of the Patriarchy" language, but her points are getting more nuanced from Woman In Fridge and Helpless Princess.

At first I thought her influence in Mirror's Edge 2 couldn't possibly be a good thing, but if she helps them avoid any pseudo-feminism clichés that ultimately end up being a bit on the sexist side (Bioware and Isabela come to mind; the confidant, entrepreneurial, pirate...slattern) it may end up making Faith a better character in the long run.

At least Bioware got Aveline right. She's strong, adamant in her beliefs, and as dense as the worst male anime protagonist when it comes to romance.

[Y]

Who cares about the plot in Mirror's Edge anyway? Skip that shit and get to the parkour stuff.