So apparently it started with some game developer going out with an editor of a video game review site to get a good review. Don't know if its true or not but then it somehow morphed into sexism and how women are portrayed in video games. Seems that everyone is a little late to the party since just as with movies, women have been sexualized ad nauseum forever. This is hardly new and it seems weird that its just popping up now as an issue. Hell, Leisure Suit Larry was a game released in the 90s and is probably the most offensive game you could imagine.
It's been going on for years, it's only recently got a name. Gamers have been complaining about ethics in gaming journalism for years. However, a few months back there was suggestion of unethical practices between gaming journalists and a female developer, Zoe Quinn, and this enabled Anita Sarkeesian and her ilk to pretend that concerns about ethics in journalism wasn't a concern until she came on the scene. A very small number of gamers are using it as an excuse to vent their misogyny, which is literally all the mass media is concentrating on. The vast majority are concerned with what they've always been concerned about, finding good reviews so they can decide what to spend their $40 to $100 on and not be ripped off.
Gamers are indeed typically young and thus typically leftist. Personally I quite like female characters having unusually large breasts - probably for the same reason girl gamers prefer Commander Shephard to not be 250lbs and balding. Give it a while. The industry will eventually go full PC, and games like Lara Croft will be taboo. I just hope the feminists get to my games after they all become COD clones.
No they're not. Gamers are typically in their 30s or 40s. I don't think you know what Gamergate is. It's radical feminists accusing gamers of being conservatives.
It started with her ex-boyfriend making that accusation in a blog. The relationship happened but there was no review and no evidence that was her intention. You can read in to that what you will. The problem was that while the apparent point was part of an on-going discussion about the closeness of game developers and game press, the manner in which it was presented and nature of responses to it by some brought in the questions of sexism and misogyny in gaming. Some of the reactions towards this woman as a result of the blog and the very nature of it being written was picked up on by others in gaming, especially those who already raised questions about sexism in the industry. That exploded as many of the people speaking out (the female ones at least - go figure) faced similar attacks and it became something of a vicious circle. It then became so high profile as to attract general trolls and idiots who got involved just to cause trouble and continued to feed the monster. The issue of sexism in games (and the industry more generally) isn't just popping up now. Many of the people being attacked now are ones who have been commenting on it for some time and got involved in this because they saw this as another example of the problem. The scale and scope of this has brought it to mainstream attention but that doesn't mean it hasn't been going on within the industry for much longer.
The problem is that they're being attacked by 4chan (now 8chan) who attacks literally anyone, but the radical feminists are pretending that 4chan (now 8chan) are where the majority of mainstream gamers hang out to plan their attacks on women and the mass media is just eating it up without it seems any research at all.
Whose saying what now? Given that a major element if this is stupid stereotypes, I think you should be much clearer regarding exactly who you're accusing and what they've said. Otherwise, you're just part of the problem.
Sure, but you've not demonstrated they ("and their ilk") have actually said the things you're attributing to them which, as I said, is a major part of the problem here.
I do not, was speaking in general. The average age of gamers is 30 - ie: young, but this varies depending on whether you ask about ownership or use.
Not according to Anita Sarkeesian. I imagine she got everything she needed to know from the trailers or something since she doesn't actually play games.
Probably. IMO the "Damsel in Distress" argument is usually bullcrap, anyway. Sometimes, in real life, women are in bad situations they can't handle themselves. I expect my books/movies/video games to reflect that. If that's supposed to be a sign of weakness, I'm a damsel in distress, too.
