The digital storefront GOG has but once more tweeted one thing horrible and silly. In a (deleted however widely screencapped) tweet on Monday, GOG used the #WeWontBeErased hashtag. The tag is being utilized in protest of Trump administration’s plans to rewrite the authorized definition of gender to strip authorized protections from those that have modified theirs. Co-opting the tag to advertise themselves didn’t go down nicely. The firm has since issued a worryingly unapologetic retraction, however this time appears to be the breaking level for some customers and even studios promoting on GOG.
While different latest social media feedback have earned GOG derision and the occasional scathing article, this one appears to be having extra direct results. While I’ll not hyperlink to them for worry that they’ll be harassed, I’ve seen just a few outspoken indie game devs and streamers on Twitter requesting to have their GOG accounts terminated, even when it loses them entry to all bought games. Geek TV producers Zombie Orpheus Entertainment have additionally requested that their merchandise be faraway from sale on GOG’s video part, as covered by Gamasutra.
This is unfortunately simply the latest in a sequence of painfully dumb, offensive issues posted on GOG’s Twitter account. As pointed out by Kotaku, again in July they put out a tweet selling the risible Postal 2 enlargement Paradise Lost with a screenshot from it. The screenshot confirmed a headstone being pissed on, with the headstone studying “Games Journalism, committed suicide August 28, 2014”. That’s the date that many Gamergate advocates take into account the second they went to battle in opposition to the media. An apology was issued claiming ignorance of the difficulty, however I wasn’t satisfied.
While not from GOG instantly, it feels associated that in August the Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account responded to an innocuous comment with a typical transphobic meme. If you don’t know, GOG and Cyberpunk 2077 are linked through homeowners CD Projekt. One of those tweets may very well be defined as a silly mistake. Twice is regarding, however 3 times suggests intent. That suggestion has been firmed up by some web detectives piecing together details on GOG’s Social Media Manager, together with articles they’ve written up to now.
GOG’s non-apology response – additionally posted on social media, although who is aware of who wrote it – is an issue in itself. Aside from not apologising, it states that “GOG should focus only on games. We acknowledge that and we commit to it.” It’s a dedication to depart politics out of games and reads like one other dogwhistle to Gamergaters. Involving politics wasn’t why GOG’s preliminary tweet was galling – it was that it offensively co-opted a hashtag involved with the human rights of a bunch of individuals in a manner that confirmed no concern with that group of individuals.
Kotaku writer Heather Alexandra requested GOG’s Head of Global Communications whether or not there was any vetting course of for social media managers on the firm. Their response was “There is no process per se”. Perhaps there must be.
