Blizzard CEO slams #Gamergate, condemns hate and harassment in gaming

 

 

At the opening of the Blizzcon semi-annual video gaming convention last Friday, November 7, Blizzard president and co-founder Mike Morhaime took a moment out to ask attendees to show "the world what the gaming community is really about" by "[taking] a stand against hate and harassment." 

 

This is in light of problem groups in the gaming industry that have reared their ugly head over the past few months. Morhaime said that he wanted to take a moment out to "talk about something serious." "Over the past couple of months, there's been a small group of people who have been doing really awful things," Morhaime said. "They have been making some people's lives miserable, and they are tarnishing our reputation as gamers. It's not right."

 

Morhaime was talking about the mainstream media attention given to "Gamergate." A 'movement' spawned out of a Twitter hashtag, its supporters describe it as a call to effect change in video game journalism and defend 'gamer' identity. However, the lack of central leadership or an agreed upon manifesto has denied it any credibility and has been linked to ongoing and well-established harassment of women in videogames. Targets of such harassment include cultural critic Anita Sarkeesian and game developers Zoe Quinn and Brianna Wu.

 

Morhaime did not name "Gamergate," however and focused his remarks to encourage BlizzCon attendees to bring positive energy into the two-day event and into the rest of the world. He called a "great example of how positive and uplifting gaming" and its community can be.

 

"Let's carry the good vibes from this weekend out into the world all year round," he said. "There is another person on the other end of the chat screen. They're our friends. Our brothers and sisters. Our sons and daughters. Let's take a stand to reject hate and harassment. And let's redouble our efforts to be kind and respectful for one another, and let's remind the world what the game community is really all about." — TJD, GMA News