8 Worst (But Likely) Outcomes Of The #GamerGate Scandal

8. Anita Sarkeesian Quits

Prominent female rights activist Anita Sarkeesian is a hugely influential figure in the industry one way or the other, having chosen to address the very nature of tropes such as the 'damsel in distress' ideal that permeates so many games, as well as noting that for the most part females throughout gaming history have been over-sexualised and applied to certain titles - like Duke Nukem for example - as mere objects to be passed by. Now regardless of whether or not you agree with her points doesn't matter - she has a right to say them, as do we all to disagree. In fact there's been quite a lot of academic backlash against her tact of picking out certain scenes that are emblematic of her agenda, as combing through and highlighting certain scenes without their full context does little to convince players that are fully aware of a game's entirety that one specific example is considered offensive, but we digress. Sarkeesian recently appeared on The Colbert Report, in which she came across remarkably well considering the amount of death threats and hate speech flung her way on a daily basis, noting in response to Colbert jokingly mentioning how "We're saving damsels in distress, is that not what you want?" by ascerting "Well, perhaps she could save herself" to a rapturous audience response. Anita's work definitely has a place in the ongoing evolution as games as something more than just children or isolated socially-awkward peoples' playthings, but thanks to the public nature of her work and a very educated manner, she's ended up as the primary target for those wishing to spread the worst things they can think of when older ideas of what games 'should be' are challenged.