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After a wave of Twitter broke out in a crowd of fans going after a narrative designer for Guild Wars 2 ArenaNet studio, the developer said that He fired two employees: Jessica Price and Peter Fries
On July 3, Price, a writer on Guild Wars 2 published a Twitter thread on the challenges of creating a personality for an MMO player character and how the ArenaNet storytelling team approaches things internally. She explained that if ArenaNet gave the character too much personality, it could conflict with the players' understanding of their character. In response, a fan and YouTuber of Deroir spoke saying that although he appreciated the "perceptive thread", he did not agree with his assessment of the situation. He said that he felt that the problem could be solved with more dialogue options that allow players to choose how to express themselves.
Price had the impression that Deroir exceeded his limits. "Today as a female game dev:" Let me – a person who does not work with you – explain to you how you do your job ", she tweeted adding that she would have been working in the narrative for a decade and did not need the concept of branching dialogue that had been explained to her
That was, told Price Kotaku in an email, a straw that was breaking … the moment of-camel-back. "By the time this guy arrived, I was so tired of having random people who explained to me my work in corporate spaces where I just had to smile and nod that it was like, "No. not here, not in my space," she said. [19659007] Fans of Guild Wars 2 did not take it nicely.In the days that followed, the MMO subreddit exploded with discussions about it. Many people ask that Price be punished or fired. Some even threatened to stop spending money for gambling until the situation was "resolved" in a way they thought appropriate. The problem also found its way onto Gamergate subreddit Kotaku In Action, a community that went after Price in the past. All the while, people have been showering insults on Price, accusing him of being a "screaming child SJW", playing "The Vagina Card", and d & # 39; Other meanings of the same kind
also went after Peter Fries, a writer who stuck for Price in a couple now removed the tweets. "Here is a bit of insight on which I legitimately hope that he thinks: she never asked for her comments," Fries writes.
Yesterday ArenaNet sent Price and Fries back. "Recently, two of our employees did not meet our standards of communication with players," said ArenaNet president, Mike O. Brien, in a message on the forum of Guild Wars 2 . "Their attacks on the community were unacceptable and as a result, they are no longer with the company." When reached by Kotaku ArenaNet sent a follow-up statement that echoed what was said. O & # 39; Brien wrote but would not comment further.
"9 10 fans are fine, and I've had a lot of really nice interactions with individual fans in which the affection I've expressed is genuine. But 10% of your fandom toxic is still a very high percentage. "
The subreddit of Guild Wars 2 again broke out, this time in celebration. Some fans have also encouraged people to give their positive feedback to ArenaNet and hoped that developers will not be afraid to interact with the community in the future. Other people, however, were surprised by ArenaNet's decision to fire developers instead of defending them.
"Here I thought that being independent meant that I was 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but apparently AAA to take what people are sending you because of the 'norms' of communication with our community & # 39; and & # 39; we do the game for you (so feel free to give to our diviners) & quot; & quot; wrote Rami Ismail of Vlambeer on Twitter
Others made comparisons with Gamergate and his previous using crowd tactics.
"The industry did not condemn what the goobergate was doing, because the goobergate was closing the ranks around the industry and was turning to critics. independent developers, " said activist and Casey Explosion streamer on Twitter." It is in this context that the company's actions make the most sense, that they benefit in the end to throw their employees into the wolves. "
Despite all this, Price rated ArenaNet as largely favorable and" full of "I warned people in my interview that I was loud about these problems on social networks and that I had no intention of keeping quiet, "she said to Kotaku. when she was hired for the first time at ArenaNet. "They reassured me that they admired [my] wanting to tell the truth to power."
"[CEO Mike O’Brien] told me that I would look back and regret it." because we were doing incredible work and I ruined it. Price says. "The only regrets I've ever had, however, have been in situations where I did not stand up for myself, not those in which I did it, and I did not get up to it. Do not wait for it to change anytime soon My only real regret is that I encouraged other women to get on board and promised them that it was a safe venture for them. "
She said that the community Guild Wars 2 was rather favorable. The problem, in his eyes, is that studios tend to be structured around the small percentage that is not.
"I want to start by saying that 9 out of 10 fans are doing well, and that I have had a lot of really nice interactions with individual fans in which the affection that I'm having. I expressed is genuine, "said Price. "But 10% of your fandom is still a very high percentage."
She added that, according to her experience, developers – especially creative women – often have to serve as a customer service, which puts a strain on them that most people do not notice. "We do not talk much about it, but it's one of the biggest factors in the high rate of burnout among video game developers," she said. "You work very hard to create content for people who hate you … It's about trying to exercise control over our personal lives and personal space." A few months ago, I saw one of the community members being harassed because she was not answering customer support questions during her working hours on her personal social networks. "
Despite the fact that Price and Fries have been fired and still have to die.The two continue to receive barrages of insults on Twitter, some of which seem galvanized by ArenaNet's decision to let the pair go. [19659003] "We can probably shoot the development team GW2 as long as we make a stink big enough," wrote the member of Subreddit GW2 5NightsAtUndert413 in a now deleted post. "No one in Arenanet is safe from Reddit's hand … From the moment a dev slips or tries to answer a player, guess what, they'll know we've got their hands on on their throat and we can squeeze the time we like. "
Price is concerned about the precedent that shots put. "The message is very clear, especially for women in the company: if Reddit wants you to fire him, we will fire you," she said. "Go out and make sure the players have a good time, and make sure to smile while they hit you."
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