A Modest Proposal (or the Rebuild Initiative: Spice Edition)

To start it off, no, I’m not a shill. I’m just another person standing beneath the banner of GamerGate just like you.

And like you, this infighting episode is bad. And I will tell you why.

Organized boycott is bad, as we all know any devs, AAA or AA or indie that stand behind our banner is our allies, whether they are public or anonymous. There’s no need to cause bad faith with them

However, bending over backward is also bad.

Remember Mass Effect 3?

Remember DMC: Devil May Cry?

Remember Aliens: Colonial Marines?

Remember Assassin’s Creed: Unity?

Yeah, we all need our devs allies. But they had committed unethical, anti-consumer behaviour themselves as well. One could almost argue that they had a hand in making the press this corrupted den that we are fighting against. They are not saints or the heroes we are waiting for.

Also, shills. There are two types that are profiteering off of this. The first type sided with the organized boycott camp, looking to sow dissent and division in our rank.

And there’s the more lethal, but stealthier type: the AAA shills. They are the ones that trying to profit off of our sympathy for the devs and their situation. And unlike the other one, they probably are doing it not for free.

Remember: we are the customers. We have the power of purchase on our side.

So, to bring a compromise to the situation, I offered my humble suggestions on how we should proceed forward from this:

1. No organized boycott, but no impulse sympathy buy either. Buy what you want from the dev you want to support, and don’t buy what you want from the devs you hate. It is up to you. You want to pre-order? Go ahead. You want to wait till Steam sale? I’m all for it. You want to impose embargoes on yourself? Good for you. Make your own decision and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise

2. For the Rebuild Initiative, I’d suggest a little option for those who want a little spice in their mall. Express all the supports for your devs all you like, but also, politely (and I mean very politely) remind them that as a customer you are also dissatisfied with some of the anti-consumer behaviours from the publishers and it hampers your enjoyment. Remember, this is not a love mail, this is not a hate mail. This is just mail from customers who would like to get their voices heard. Express your support, but politely reaffirm your stance on unethical behaviour.

In conclusion, or TL/DR:

+Devs aren’t saints. Stop propping them up because we are desperate for allies

+Beware of shills: AAA shills and the boycott shills.

+The power of purchase is on your hand. Buy what you want, and don’t buy what you don’t want.