For 10 years, digital retailer Gamersgate.com has been selling games for download. However, due to the recent controversial #gamergate movement, which is a mix of journalistic ethics and sexism wrapped into one giant clusterf*ck (or something like that — does anyone really know at this point?), the retailer is starting to get dragged into it — and not by choice either.
"As many of you are aware of, recently there has been a fierce and infected discussion about sexism as well as journalistic ethics in the gaming industry. We’ve received threats and harsh words from around the world and want to make it clear for everyone that Gamersgate.com is not part of this controversy whatsoever," Gamersgate CEO THeodore Bergqvist said in a statement.
Talk about an unfortunate company name. Making matters worse, people intending to reply to the "#Gamergate" movement have mistakenly been using Gamersgate.com's Twitter handle, @gamersgate.
It's pretty amazing what difference one "s" can make. Or in this case, I guess it's not much of a difference seeing as how people are still mixing up the two.
What I find a bit intriguing in Bergqvist's statement, however, is the fact that Gamersgate is the one receiving threats and "harsh words." If people are mistaking this retailer's website, email, or Twitter for the official Gamergate one, sending threats, then is this indication that perhaps anti-gamergate people are also flinging mud?
It's been argued that Gamergate is an excuse for sexism in the video game industry, but supporters of the intended purpose (which I think is journalistic integrity) have also said that they've received equally offensive threats from those against the movement.
This whole thing is out of control.
