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The Small Company at the Center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’

KannonGames2025-07-0353113

The accusations began around the release of Spider-Man 2 last October. More came when Alan Wake II hit a week later. They were all over the replies to the social media accounts of Sweet Baby Inc.: hateful comments, many of which hinged on the idea that the Montreal-based narrative development and consulting company was responsible for the “wokeification” of video games, recalls Kim Belair, the company’s CEO.

In the months following, the noise only increased. “You made this character Black, or you added these gay characters, or you ruined the story,” Belair says of the comments, the tone of which, she adds, never changed. Neither have the demands of the people behind them. “It’s usually, ‘leave the industry,’” Belair says, or admit there’s truth to wild conspiracy theories about being involved with investment company BlackRock. (Sweet Baby is not.) Or, more succinctly: “Die.”

Online, those clamoring for Sweet Baby’s demise are calling it Gamergate 2.0, invoking the online harassment campaign that erupted into a culture war a decade ago. Gamergate formalized the playbook for online harassment used by hate groups and the far right; it inspired figures who would later tap into that outrage and rise all the way to positions of power, such as chief strategist in the White House. The two movements do share a handful of similarities: harassment campaigns flooded with falsehoods and accusations bordering on conspiracy; attacks aimed primarily at women and people of color; the idea that video game culture for cis white men is being stolen from them.

“People want to believe that our work is surgically removing the things that they would have liked. ‘Change this line, make this line less racist,’” she says. “That's just not the reality of it.”

It’s no coincidence that the campaign against Sweet Baby is taking place during a contentious election year. “Large-scale harassment campaigns like this fuel—and are fueled by—political events,” reads a statement from the mental health nonprofit Take This, whose research director, Rachel Kowert, is an expert on extremism and radicalization in video games. “As political rhetoric heats up ahead of the US presidential election later this year, this kind of online activity is going to ramp up and it’s important to understand that these phenomena are interrelated.”

Media Matters reports that platforms like YouTube and 4chan have already become rallying points for what users hope to turn into this second Gamergate, asking if their fellows are “ready for the Second Great War.” Elon Musk, owner of X and one of the richest men in the world, has retweeted a post claiming “Gamergate 2 is underway,” while Libs of TikTok—a far right account that regularly targets LGBTQ+ people, inspiring vicious harassment of individuals and bomb threats against schools and hospitals—is currently targeting a former Sweet Baby developer, who has since gone on to another studio, for speaking about creating a safe environment for a team of color.

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Lila

The Small Company at the Center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’ exemplifies both strength and resilience, demonstrating how even a modest enterprise can retain its authentic identity amidst online controversies.

2025-07-05 08:00:07 reply
Hugo

The Small Company at the Center of 'Gamergate 2.0' elegantly carries a narrative that undermines too often hidden stories about employee protection, ethical concerns within video game development and how targeted harassment can start from an anonymous online incident.

2025-07-09 05:20:57 reply
Kyro

The Small Company at the Center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’ exposes how a low-profile studio can inadvertently shape one's destiny amidst digital boycott controversies, offering both challenges and opportunities to lobby for fair treatment in an increasingly polarized online ecosystem.

2025-07-09 05:21:12 reply
Julien

The article delves into the small company's pivotal role during 'Gamergate 2.0,' highlighting their strategic positioning amidst a complex watershed moment in gaming culture, turning them effectively at center-stage while also casting light on industrywide controversies.

2025-07-10 05:26:52 reply
Harland

The article Gamergate 2.0 paints a nuanced picture of the impact small, but influential gaming companies can stir in an industry yawning for more diverse and ethical practices - showcasing once again their inability to be outsized by any formidable hype solely due限量其内容和思想的大小。

2025-07-10 05:27:07 reply
Oaklyn

The Small Company at the Center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’ exemplifies how an industry outcry against harassment and portrayal misappropriations can be effectively harnessed for positive change; albeit inadvertently displacing attention from larger systemic gender issues.

2025-07-10 05:27:22 reply
Lyra

Tucked away in the heart of 'Gamergate 2.0', a small but influential company stands as an unlikely beacon, Unshaken by controversy and steadfastly driving change within its communities.

2025-07-11 14:43:58 reply
Cassia

The Small Company at the Center of 'Gamergate 2.0' exemplifies how a dedicated and passionate indie developer can spark an intense debate on ethics, inclusivity within gaming communities while also raising awareness for essential issues like harassment prevention.

2025-07-11 14:44:12 reply
Darnell

The Small Company at the Center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’ highlights how a sliver-thin enterprise can become an unexpected beacon for advocacy amidst vast online controversies, shedding light on both industry dynamics and community activism in contemporary gaming culture.

2025-07-11 14:44:27 reply
Fiona

Underneath the shadow of 'Gamergate 2.0,' a small company emerges as an unintended yet central figure, raising concerns about corporate responsibility and ethics in online communities.

2025-07-14 00:05:49 reply
Rex

In the title 'The Small Company at the Center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’', it highlights a valuable insight into how even small entities can become pivotal in shaping global digital controversies, underscoring both their fortitude and repercussions amidst continuous debates within gaming communities.

2025-07-14 00:06:05 reply
Simone

In 'Gamergate 2.0', the modest company at its core embodies a fight not for individual victories but rather as an altruistic shield defending free expression and ethical gaming cultures.

2025-07-23 02:40:37 reply
Maximus

'Gamergate 2.0', centered on a small company's story, offers an intricate view into the complex web of online gaming dynamics and ethics surprisingly woven by even unassuming players.

2025-07-26 17:56:20 reply

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