Journal of Other Forum Analysis

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-385?post=122353647#post-122353647

They hate Jeff Gerstmann now for not being sufficiently outraged about Stellar Blade and having the audacity of acknowledging that some women like the game. The burka brigade really needs to figure out this "listen to women" thing they love to echo.

It honestly gets my blood boiling. I'm going to vent. More so because it made me remember of a YouTuber couple that I'm a fan that covered the game recently. They are left leaning, very progressive, and normally jump on topics defending feminist points. That said, they decided to show a Stellar Blade gameplay and started it by saying something like "We are going to ignore the controversy that is running around. We will just focus on the gameplay. It could be the case like Bayonetta were people had issues with it, and now it is a figure of female empowerment.". They them praise the gameplay, and joke on Instagram about the bear outfit making it look like there is no issue. That people are just overblowing it.

It is infuriating. I hate, HATE this "the issue doesn't exist" approach. These people don't get that this isn't about being against sexy or sensual people. It is about people being against being treated and/or displayed as objects, and against ONLY wanting that. And that yes, being against does things actually made things better.

Also, as much as I still have caveats with Bayonetta (because she is character created by a person), she has tons of character and is aware of her sensuality. Y'all have said it many times before with several great examples.

And last but not least, I'm obviously not saying you can't think Stellar Blade gameplay is nice, or that you can't enjoy it. But also saying there is no issue, or just praising while choosing ignoring the issue is too much. Even more when you are an influencer, as you said in your last paragraph.

"People I like and respect not taking issue with this game MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL!"

How are they so fucking pathetic? Really? How?

Also they're mad Gerstman for having the most normal ass take. No one with a brain believes that this game actually hurts women

FFS Kyuuji and PB are out there enjoying the game and even think Eve is attractive.

[Daffy Duck]

1714583849[/url]']
https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-385?post=122362404#post-122362404

Heya. I'm going to speak a tiny bit about being a mod, but just to make it clear it's not going to be about mod decisions or anything like that. I'm not here being all official or anything.

What always makes me go 'oh no,' when I see one of these *frankly* embarrassing games, is when it's published by one of the platform holders. Like, Stellar Blade's character designs are laughable, and I feel ashamed to be the same species as the people I see defending them, but also I've seen far worse. There's still far worse being made.

But throw in the whole 'platform exclusive' thing... and fucking hell. Moderating discussion around games like Stellar Blade (and Xenoblade Chronicles 2) is some of the most exhausting and depressing stuff. You have people genuinely concerned about these things, like most of you here. But then you've got people that would defend anything their favored platform holder does, and people who will criticize anything the 'enemy' platform holder does. Add those to the mix and now you've got multiple kinds of bad faith posters on top of the misogynistic ones.

It's really really depressing. Like, 'oh god, am I going to have to talk to my therapist about people fighting over Stellar Blade on a game forum?' levels of depressing.

So I sort of get the 'eh whatever' reaction from some quarters, because Stellar Blade's content is... well there's much worse, and if it wasn't an exclusive it wouldn't have attracted a fraction of the firestorm even if it was doing the same number of sales. But... even if its just an example of the kind of shit that we should really really really have left behind already, it's still a valid example, and the exact sort of thing I'd expect to see discussions around here.

Heck, I know that the thread reply banner specifically asks people to use examples, and Stellar Blade is absolutely that. But goodness me am I going to be very very happy to see the reports on it die down.

I would imagine if you told your therapist about Era they’d tell you to leave the depression factory as soon as possible and then shortly after everything about you would all make sense and they’d tell you to to immediately leave

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/korea-to-focus-on-fostering-console-game-industry-over-next-5-years-culture-ministry.858537/?post=122347101#post-122347101

User banned (permanent): Dismissive commentary, prior bans for dismissing transphobia

less shitty, misogynistic GamerGate trash like Stellar Blade, cool.

What is wrong with you? Stellar Blade is amazing and there's nothing misogynistic about it

From Saint-Petersburg, Russia

[HaughtyFrank]

1714583849[/url]']
https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-385?post=122362404#post-122362404

Heya. I'm going to speak a tiny bit about being a mod, but just to make it clear it's not going to be about mod decisions or anything like that. I'm not here being all official or anything.

What always makes me go 'oh no,' when I see one of these *frankly* embarrassing games, is when it's published by one of the platform holders. Like, Stellar Blade's character designs are laughable, and I feel ashamed to be the same species as the people I see defending them, but also I've seen far worse. There's still far worse being made.

But throw in the whole 'platform exclusive' thing... and fucking hell. Moderating discussion around games like Stellar Blade (and Xenoblade Chronicles 2) is some of the most exhausting and depressing stuff. You have people genuinely concerned about these things, like most of you here. But then you've got people that would defend anything their favored platform holder does, and people who will criticize anything the 'enemy' platform holder does. Add those to the mix and now you've got multiple kinds of bad faith posters on top of the misogynistic ones.

It's really really depressing. Like, 'oh god, am I going to have to talk to my therapist about people fighting over Stellar Blade on a game forum?' levels of depressing.

So I sort of get the 'eh whatever' reaction from some quarters, because Stellar Blade's content is... well there's much worse, and if it wasn't an exclusive it wouldn't have attracted a fraction of the firestorm even if it was doing the same number of sales. But... even if its just an example of the kind of shit that we should really really really have left behind already, it's still a valid example, and the exact sort of thing I'd expect to see discussions around here.

Heck, I know that the thread reply banner specifically asks people to use examples, and Stellar Blade is absolutely that. But goodness me am I going to be very very happy to see the reports on it die down.

I would imagine if you told your therapist about Era they’d tell you to leave the depression factory as soon as possible and then shortly after everything about you would all make sense and they’d tell you to to immediately leave

"But enough about Resetera. Tell me more about the difference between sexually assaulting a hostage and sex slavery"

[Potato]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-385?post=122353647#post-122353647

They hate Jeff Gerstmann now for not being sufficiently outraged about Stellar Blade and having the audacity of acknowledging that some women like the game. The burka brigade really needs to figure out this "listen to women" thing they love to echo.

It honestly gets my blood boiling. I'm going to vent. More so because it made me remember of a YouTuber couple that I'm a fan that covered the game recently. They are left leaning, very progressive, and normally jump on topics defending feminist points. That said, they decided to show a Stellar Blade gameplay and started it by saying something like "We are going to ignore the controversy that is running around. We will just focus on the gameplay. It could be the case like Bayonetta were people had issues with it, and now it is a figure of female empowerment.". They them praise the gameplay, and joke on Instagram about the bear outfit making it look like there is no issue. That people are just overblowing it.

It is infuriating. I hate, HATE this "the issue doesn't exist" approach. These people don't get that this isn't about being against sexy or sensual people. It is about people being against being treated and/or displayed as objects, and against ONLY wanting that. And that yes, being against does things actually made things better.

Also, as much as I still have caveats with Bayonetta (because she is character created by a person), she has tons of character and is aware of her sensuality. Y'all have said it many times before with several great examples.

And last but not least, I'm obviously not saying you can't think Stellar Blade gameplay is nice, or that you can't enjoy it. But also saying there is no issue, or just praising while choosing ignoring the issue is too much. Even more when you are an influencer, as you said in your last paragraph.

"People I like and respect not taking issue with this game MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL!"

How are they so fucking pathetic? Really? How?

Also they're mad Gerstman for having the most normal ass take. No one with a brain believes that this game actually hurts women

FFS Kyuuji and PB are out there enjoying the game and even think Eve is attractive.

It's almost as if the issue doesn't exist and was all an outrage farm generated by the staff and prominent members on a website owned by Swedish crypto bros that exists solely to sell you shitty advertising ...

[benji]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/nyt-opinion-a-huge-gender-gap-is-emerging-among-young-voters.859404/?post=122372787#post-122372787

Men proven to be nothing but whiny little bitches.

This is exactly the kind of shitty attitude pushing young men into the arms of assholes like Andrew Tate.

Like, we're supposed to be the side of inclusivity and understanding the harmful effects that language can have on people, but then go full blown "Yeah all men are shit".

No shit it's pushing young men, most of whom haven't even had the chance to be the oppressor, into the embrace of people telling them that they aren't actually the problem.

edit: Like, imagine being a 13 year old boy on social media during Me Too. One side is literally saying that all men are guilty of sexual assault. What the fuck is that going to do to a kid and how they feel they're perceived?

Oh, I can think of one thing it might do to them.  

Spoiler:  (click to show)(click to hide)

Cool Guy doesn’t knit, but he definitely owns a pink pussy hat (ordered from a female artist on Etsy, as he’ll conspicuously let you know). When he’s not tweeting about toxic masculinity, he’s hanging out in the replies on feminist threads, apologizing on behalf of all men everywhere for being such trash. Cool Guy writes a several-thousand-word New York Times op-ed flagellating himself for having ogled the butts of his teenage classmates once upon a time, in a quest to ignite a public movement of male confession with himself at its center (suggested hashtag: #IAmSexist)—or just fantasizes about a world where women have all the power and men simply cease to exist. And of course, Cool Guy believes women, so when he’s outed for sexual misconduct himself, he makes sure to let everyone know how happy he is to be the bigger person and throw himself under the bus for the movement. James Franco, in the wake of his #MeToo moment, said, “There are people that need to be heard. I have my own side of this story, but I believe in these people that have been underrepresented getting their stories out enough that I will hold back things that I could say just because I believe in it that much.”

I could say these women are liars, says the Cool Guy. But I won’t. (Subtext: But they are!) He’s bigger than that: a martyr taking one for the team, because feminism is that important to him. Maintaining his innocence, or trying to clear his name? He would never. That’s for MRA types!

Go ahead, shit on me; I’m the Cool Guy.

This breed of performative male feminism can take many forms, but implicit in it is the same sensibility that animated the conspicuously low-maintenance Cool Girl. When one of these guys says men are trash, he doesn’t mean himself. Even if he nominally claims to still be “unlearning” his own bad ideological habits, he’s not like those other guys, not one of the bad men. He’s “half woke,” a step above the rest, one of the good ones, or—on certain curious occasions—not actually a man at all. Last year, Peter Coffin, a bearded, male-presenting feminist, came out publicly as nonbinary because “I am physically happy with myself but severely dislike my place in the gender dynamic.” In fact, Coffin wrote, “it just felt like the dynamic didn’t apply to me.” Ignoring the fact that Coffin still reads as male to the world at large (and will continue to reap the accompanying benefits of such, whatever they might be), it’s not hard to see the reasoning: Men are Bad. I am Not Bad. Hence, I am Not a Man.

[malfoyking]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/the-fairly-oddparents-a-new-wish-trailer-nicktoons.859062/?post=122367519#post-122367519

This show looks so pretyt and I or one of my littles will be watching this for sure with my girlfriend. Going to be a great time

All these grown ass adult men(Lets be honest, they're all men) watching kids cartoons without kids... i mean... It's one thing to watch Rick and Morty, Simpsons, Bobs Burgers... but this shit?

[benji]

Their posts about men are the same as their posts about whites. They think it's systemic critique to insult and attack groups of people for biological characteristics when it's just plain old boring (since this is our new goto) bigotry.

Look at me, look at me, I hate the "right" people! Praise me for it! Aren't I progressive and transgressive!

[benji]

Isn't it funny how gender and sex are supposed to be these complex unknowable things that science and society are totally baffled by, until it comes to which sex/gender we're supposed to hate and which to always* believe.

*Unless they're liking the wrong things.

[Nintex]

ACAB!!!

ALL MEN ARE EVIL!!!


"Hello Police? There is a jaywalking transphobic MAGA thug who looked at me funny while I was listening to Taylor Swift. I think he wants to steal my Nissan Versa, he has no reason to be here, he might be illegal. Please hurry up and send some big muscular guys in uniform. Yes of course he was black, what kind of question is that. Yes I own a gun to defend myself but I'm so depressed over the sales of FF7 Rebirth that I'll probably kill myself if I pull it out. That noise? No that's not him, I'm watching Bluey to calm my nerves." 

[Steven Snell]

I don't wanna mock people with dyslexia here. But what's with twohearts never being able to form a post on Resetera without weird typos? Is one of the headmates to blame?

[Taco Bell Tower]

I don't wanna mock like dyslexic people here. But what's with twohearts never being able to form a post on Resetera without weird typos? Is one of the headmates to blame?

A few are little girls.

[Steven Snell]

A few are little girls.

Oh god you're probably right.

[HaughtyFrank]

I don't wanna mock people with dyslexia here. But what's with twohearts never being able to form a post on Resetera without weird typos? Is one of the headmates to blame?

I'm fairly sure that's when they're pretending to be "little" 
They're just a little girl so they don't quite spell properly, how adorable teehee

[Nintex]

I feel that Resetera has run its course which usually means a big plot twist is right around the corner.

[benji]

 Where are the "allies" on ResetERA.com advocating for this?!?

[Rendle]

I feel that Resetera has run its course which usually means a big plot twist is right around the corner.

Nepenthe being a racist was a plot twist alright, who could have seen that one coming

[benji]

They're still going on about how they didn't understand what Joanne said regarding forgiveness.

Spoiler:  (click to show)(click to hide)

[RetiredSkunk]

[remy]

🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱

[Potato]

Sounds like "Bad Writing Takes" should focus its lens on its own bad writing takes...

[Propagandhim]

Isn't it funny how gender and sex are supposed to be these complex unknowable things that science and society are totally baffled by, until it comes to which sex/gender we're supposed to hate and which to always* believe.

*Unless they're liking the wrong things.

They do the same thing with race, too.  When they say 'whiteness' is a concept they're actually correct - race is not a strict biological category but a concept people made up to categorize a group of people in a certain region - and the concept of who's 'white' and who isn't has evolved over time, like they say.  Fine, but then they have strict, biological essentialist arguments for their ideology, and group whites by behavioural qualities as if it's a function of something innate like genetics, or they make definitional arguments like 'racism against whites doesn't exist because...' , which makes no sense -- Nobody can eyeball someone like Hassan Piker and tell he isn't a "white" Spaniard instead of a Turk, but it doesn't matter what he *looks* like, it's a strict concept of race that he inherits from his genes that all the power derives from.  So, yes, people can be racist against Hassan because of some configuration of nucleotides in his body, but not some other white guy that looks like him.  Nepenthe can say race is a man-made concept, and then say whites can never not be racist and all white majority countries are prejudicial and systemically biased, as if all the Whites conspired together to behave the same or it's just in the DNA.  Or there are certain nations of Europe that haven't colonized any people of color, but it doesn't matter - nobody cares to make a distinction between the colonizers and the non-colonizers because they inherit the advantages of those colonizations by dint of them being 'white'.  Race as a concrete concept seems acceptable when affirmative action, scholarships, representation in media, or non-"white" job quotas come into play - but when a black cop beats up on a black dude, it's not the individual cop that's at fault, no - it's that he is inculcated into this vague, everchanging, non-concrete system of 'whiteness' that he, along with the American Irish and American Italians didn't initially belong in, but were eventually adopted into.  Or if a far-right racial nationalist calls for a 'white' ethnostate, they'll say something like, "how are you going to tell who's white?  are you gonna give people a DNA test?  What DNA is white?" even though they already seem to know what a white person is in every other context that benefits their ideology, like having an encyclopaedic knowledge of who's white and who isn't in Marvel movies.     It's all bullshit.  It's all hypocrisy.

[ComeAgain]

It is about people being against being treated and/or displayed as objects, and against ONLY wanting that. And that yes, being against does things actually made things better.

Thought I was having a stroke trying to read that

[ComeAgain]

I feel that Resetera has run its course which usually means a big plot twist is right around the corner.

Time to be sold to a company that supports Republicans. Script writers cooking up a hell of a season finale going into the summer 

[Boredfrom]

Part of the initial question asks if these types of games hamper public perception of gaming compared to, say, movies and other media. Jeff brings "sexploitation" movies up a bit into his answer and, again, falls on the, "they existed then, they still exist now, and nobody seems to care so...whatever."
I feel like an important point of comparison there is that movies may use fictional characters like games, but the on-screen actors are very real people and the "behind the scenes" environment on B- and C-movies has drastically changed so the films are—most of the time—less gross when taken as a whole.

Wouldn’t this make Horny video games inherently better than sexploitation films? Outside the model, there is no women forced to strip by a pervert b director.

[benji]

It's stupid to give a shit about the "public perception of gaming" in the first place. Especially now.

We no longer live in the world where TV shows have people awkwardly manipulating PlayStation controllers as Atari 2600 sound effects come out of the TV. Video game franchises are now multi-billion dollar franchises that go across multiple forms of media. Grand Theft Auto doesn't even remotely scare the normies anymore. Two of the world's most dominant corporations sit in control of the industry and have for over two decades. Something like Stellar Blade is hardly the most risque thing available compared to things on the Google Play Store, Steam or probably the eShop and literally nobody is refusing to play video games because of any of this.

Nobody should care about this "issue" because there is no "issue" as even the people upset insist that they don't have a problem with these games existing even though they obviously do.

[Polident]

Relics of a bygone era

[TylenolJones]

My Andor pre-order just shipped a week early and arrives on May 1st. On International Workers Day.

Whether a PR stunt or happy coincidence, I appreciate the symbolism.

 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/disney-announce-4k-releases-for-andor-obi-wan-and-falcon-winter-soldier.824031/page-5?post=122153478#post-122153478

[TylenolJones]

Uh oh, Jawmaker’s employer scammed some gamers. 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/limited-run-is-charging-for-3do-games-printed-on-cd-r-backups-that-have-issues-working-on-real-hardware.859608

Nowhere to be found even though he promoted it on Resetera. 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/plumbers-don’t-wear-ties-definitive-edition-now-available-ps-xbox-switch-pc-at-a-later-date.824160/

They really have no standards for the staff, do they?

[BIONIC]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-386?post=122377578#post-122377578

"Well X people like it" is always a featherweight comment. There will always be a subsect of people who like something, it doesn't invalidate criticism of it.

Cunt

I hate being tokenized this way so much. Equally as much as I do when receiving accusations of "double standards" whenever I criticize oversexualization, because I happen to like NSFW stuff.

They're stupid mindsets that are only ever applied against women and minorities.

Is being a zoophile a minority?