Oh dear…here we go again. Anita Sarkeesian is once again making headlines and causing rants all over the internet. Me, i heard the news just before i went to bed last night. So what´s the deal this time then?
Well, apparently Gamers don´t like the fact that Anita Sarkeesian has been hired by EA (and DICE) to work as an consultant for Mirror´s Edge 2.
But why is that a problem really? At least that´s what most people would think (and ask).
Well, these are some of the things (and reasons) why Gamers don´t like the thought of having Anita working on the Mirror´s Edge 2 project:
1. Anita has her own agenda
2. She has no credibility or experience in-game development
3. Anita does not speak for gamers, female or otherwise
4. Anita seems to think that females needs a “simplified” control set for Mirror´s Edge 2 (newsflash Anita, female Gamers are NOT stupid)
And ever since Gamers found out about Anita´s involvement in Mirror´s Edge 2, things have started to turn really ugly. I don´t know if ReviewTechUSA made the very first video on the topic (you will find the video down below).
But that sure toke this whole “Gamers Vs Anita Sarkeesian” to the next level. Then we got the “Remove Anita Sarkeesian from Mirror´s Edge 2 game development” petition (which just happens to have over 30,000 supporters at this date).
Let´s just say that people (the Gamers) are “somewhat” angry with EA and Dice at the moment. But i´m not surprised to hear that EA made a move like this.
Anita Sarkeesian is a big magnet name at the moment (it´s a brand), and EA wanted her onboard the Mirror´s Edge 2 project simply because they hope to sell more games (by attracting more female gamers to Mirror´s Edge 2).
A genious plan right? Sure, but it´s far from bulletproof. It´s a gamble with very high stakes, and it may cost EA dearly in the end (in both fans and money). And it the boycott against Mirror´s Edge 2 (and EA) has already started.
But what do you guys think about all this? Do you like or disslike the thought of having Anita Sarkeesian as a consultant for Mirror´s Edge 2?
Remove Anita Sarkeesian from Mirror’s Edge 2 game development (the petition was started by Danielle Bristol):
“We the undersigned are presenting our names in solidarity against the decision of EA Games and DICE to include Anita Sarkeesian in any aspect of the game development of Mirror’s Edge 2. Our reasoning follows as thus:
Anita Sarkeesian has no credibility or experience in-game development. She is merely a self-proclaimed critic and her opinions should offer no sound foundations in the development of this or any game. She has no experience in the industry.
Anita does not speak for gamers, female or otherwise, on the difficulty or appeal of games. She only offers personal insights catering to her own agenda. In fact, she went so far as to say that women needed a whole new “simplified” control set for this game, based on her personal experiences, passing them off as the opinion of the female gaming community.
In the past, Anita has even spoken against her status as a gamer, only to rebut her stance to serve her own purposes.
We are not against strong portrayals of women in video games, but believe that consultations on games should be given by more credible and experienced sources. We agree with Anita’s right to voice her opinion on any subject matter she sees fit, however we do not agree with her input on a professional level and do not want to see the game we love influenced by ignorance.”
Robin “V-Act” Ek
The Gaming Ground
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Tags: Anita Sarkeesian, Danielle Bristol, EA, Gamers Vs Anita, Mirror´s Edge, Mirror´s Edge 2, ReviewTechUSA