Game journalists are vindictive, petty, vengeful, and economically dangerous. Individually they’re about as harmful as a hogtied gimp in a leather suit stuck in a windowless basement. However, collectively, game journalists can be as vicious and as dangerous as starved flesh-eating rats roving through the French countryside during the dark ages. A perfect example of that is what happened to THQ Nordic, who were forced to apologize, twice, for partaking in an AMA on 8chan after gaming journalists teamed up together and bullied the corporation into an apology. However, even after doing so, outlets like Waypoint have made it known that they won’t be forgiving THQ so readily.
On March 4th, 2019, Waypoint’s Patrick Klepek penned an editorial titled “THQ Nordic’s ‘Apology’ Over 8chan Incident Isn’t Worthy of Forgiveness”.
Klepek makes it known that the Social Justice Warrior mindset is all about chronic punishment and perpetual suffering for those who step out of line, writing…
“The bare minimum is already in the past, when THQ Nordic got a pitch from some Internet rando named “Mark” about a Q&A on 8chan, a place that’s been banned by Google search results but whose toxic history is easily findable, and decided “nah.” That’s not the timeline we’re living in. THQ Nordic already made their choice.
“[…] Over the weekend, I made a snide tweet about how THQ Nordic should have to live with this mark “forever.” The foreseeable forever is a time at which I will personally determine it’s no longer relevant to point out the company held hands with a place better known for fostering active fascism than video game commentary. That time is not now, less than a week after THQ Nordic stepped in it to a degree that’d be laughable if it wasn’t so obviously harmful.”
Harmful for what or toward whom?
Klepek doesn’t say.
However, hilariously Klepek does borrow an infamous line from chan culture: We don’t forget, and we don’t forgive.
Near the end of the article, Klepek makes it known that the inner clique of game journalists are holding THQ Nordic in contempt for daring to talk to their own customers on 8chan, writing….
“It’s possible to continue holding THQ Nordic to account for what happened, to not let the inevitable progress of the news cycle—Why is Anthem bricking PS4s?!—and a shiny “apology” provide a convenient way to turn the page. It’s also possible to take the games THQ Nordic publishes on their own terms, as works of art created by teams who were not part of the broken decision making resulting in THQ Nordic executives posting on 8chan.
“What happened last week wasn’t just an ordinary mistake. It can, and should, take time before THQ Nordic is allowed to move on. Part of whether that happens is we don’t forget.”
It’s like after threatening and bullying THQ Nordic into an apology, they’re not threatening and bullying them to only behave in a specific manner.
This kind of ideological dictatorship over the gaming industry is why so many gamers have given up on game reviewers and video game journalists. They see them as a joke, a farce, a gatekeeping blockade preventing real gamers from playing and enjoying games.
This THQ saga has also revealed that studios aren’t free to engage with customers whenever and wherever they want. Only journalist-approved outlets are allowed where Left-wing moderation is the standard, such as Reddit, ResetEra, or Twitch.
THQ Nordic learned the hard way that “Progressive” game journalists controlling the media sphere, and if you visit any social media service that they don’t condone of, you’ll have your company dragged through the mud.
(Thanks for the news tip Ebicentre)
