cormack12
Gold Member
Summarised by A.I.
Gamergate as a Tool and Movement
- Sargon believes Gamergate was positive and a necessary part of internet history because it gave people permission to criticize progressive ideology.
- Milo believes Gamergate was a pivotal moment in history because it allowed people to openly mock and criticize movements like feminism and Black Lives Matter, which he believes were previously off-limits for criticism.
- Gamergate is described as providing a "toolkit" and "arsenal" for challenging what is referred to as the "progress left".
- Gamergate is believed to have contributed to the unification of individuals with right-leaning views, who found common ground in opposing feminism and what is termed "wokeness".
- Carl believes that Twitter was a useful tool during Gamergate because it allowed individuals to document and expose what they perceived as extreme viewpoints held by their opponents.
Criticisms of the Video Game Industry
- The video game industry is criticized for releasing unfinished or substandard products despite being a multi-billion dollar industry and for ignoring the views and desires of its consumers.
- The video game industry can release products and fix them later with updates and patches.
- The modding community will often fix important aspects of PC games.
- AAA video games are moving towards a more movie-like storytelling experience, prioritizing visuals and textures over gameplay.
- The increasing ease of video game development, combined with their money-making potential, contributes to their susceptibility to "woke" trends, although their interactive nature makes them somewhat more resistant than traditional media.
- Many video games are not heavily reliant on storylines, making the inclusion of "woke" elements less impactful on gameplay.
Personal Experiences and Opinions on Gamergate
- Milo offered a public apology to Sargon for negative comments made about Sargon's child.
- The speaker believes that while Gamergate did not result in the creation of a successful alternative video game news outlet, it significantly damaged the reputation of gaming media and journalists.
- Gamergate attracted many apolitical people who were drawn to the gaming aspect and held predominantly center-left libertarian views, desiring to enjoy gaming as a break from their daily lives.
- Gamergate proponents felt that constructive dialogue was not possible because they believed their opponents viewed them as irredeemably evil for not agreeing with their ideology.
- One speaker, a self-described lifelong gamer, viewed Gamergate as an opportunity to attack feminist ideologues and that the ethics of video game journalism was a less important aspect.
- Another speaker believed that while corruption in the video game industry existed before, Gamergate was different because it was political and ideological, aiming to impose a specific worldview on a space where it was unwelcome.
- Sargon of Akkad has maintained friendships with people he met during Gamergate and credits the movement with helping his online career.
- Sargon of Akkad believes that Gamergate, which he feels ended in 2015, lacked direction and was negatively impacted by individuals who profited from the conflict.
- Milo stated that Gamergate had a positive effect on his professional life.
- Milo believes Gamergate helped him realize he was not alone in his views and that there was a community who shared his opinions.
Steam User Reviews and "Woke" Culture
- The video game "Concord" is mentioned as an example of a game that failed commercially despite a large budget, which the speaker attributes to its perceived "woke" elements.
- Steam user reviews are an effective platform for people to voice their opinions on games.
- Steam user reviews are important because they provide authentic feedback, unfiltered by corporate interests and biases.
- Steam user reviews can have a significant impact on game developers, as seen in "Steam revolts" where negative reviews reflect dissatisfaction with changes made to games.
- The politicization of society has made it difficult for movements like Gamergate to re-emerge, but the "woke" presence in the gaming industry persists.
Tactics and Strategies
- Milo Yiannopoulos believes that Gamergate created a large number of right-wing activists and commentators, such as Carl Benjamin, who were not previously politically active.
- Milo believes there are strategies and tactics that can be used to reclaim institutions from within.
- One suggested tactic is to join these institutions and make hiring decisions that do not favor individuals who engage in what is perceived as "virtue signaling" about social justice issues.
- Sargon of Akkad believes the introduction of YouTube's Super Chat feature incentivized and worsened the infighting within the movement.