The Cost Of Being A Woman Who Covers Video Games

At the beginning of 2010, I had no idea how often I would be terrified, over the next ten years, to be writing about video games and gender. I had no idea how tired and jaded I would become by the time 2020 arrived. I had no idea that Gamergate would become international news, that various people I had met in passing at local gaming meet-ups would become talking points for mainstream political pundits beyond the world of games. I had no idea how much games would change, and how hollow and pointless the supposed victories would often feel in comparison to the fear and the pain I experienced and watched my peers experience.

This is the best article I’ve read in weeks. A lot has changed in the past decade when it comes to video games, and this article sums up the often toxic world of “gaming culture.” I love the medium itself, but the abhorrent behavior and gatekeeping of a loud minority of gamers is frankly embarrassing. This article summarizes the “highlights” from the past 10 years perfectly.