According to a report by IGN, the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) issued a statement during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) expressing concern over increased harassment of marginalized developers and diversity initiatives, reminiscent of the GamerGate era.
The GamerGate era refers to a period of controversy and harassment within the gaming community that began in 2010. It originated from a dispute over ethics in video game journalism, but quickly evolved into a broader movement with elements of misogyny, harassment, and targeted attacks against individuals, particularly women and marginalized groups, who were perceived as advocating for diversity and inclusion in gaming.
The GamerGate movement came to prominence for its employment of social media and online forums to organize harassment campaigns against its chosen targets. The movement’s behavior was widely condemned for being toxic, and it caused significant harm to individuals and communities alike. The gaming industry regards it as a dark chapter in its history. Many people in the industry are wary of similar incidents occurring again in the future and are committed to preventing them.
The statement emphasizes the need for a safe and inclusive gaming environment and condemns harassment campaigns. Specifically, it references Sweet Baby Inc., a studio facing harassment for promoting diversity in gaming. Sweet Baby Inc. may not be the largest narrative design company in the gaming industry, but it has worked on major titles such as Alan Wake 2, and God of War Ragnarok.
According to Kotaku, a consultant from the company recently came across a Steam group dedicated to identifying games associated with Sweet Baby Inc. This group wants to steer people away from these games because they believe Sweet Baby Inc. is promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion which was labeled as pushing a woke agenda.
This concern over harassment targeting marginalized game developers is why IGDA is urging game developers to provide diversity and inclusion training and offer support to victims of harassment.