This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Really, Internet? Can we just go one month, hell, one week without threatening someone with bodily harm?

In case you haven’t heard, apparently some people are upset that the upcoming game No Man’s Sky has been delayed. So, how did some people react to this news? By tweeting death threats to the game’s creator, Sean Murray, as well as to Kotaku writer Jason Schreier. The latter is especially baffling to me, since all Schreier did was report the delay (since it’s his job and all).

What it’s like to write about video games on the internet: pic.twitter.com/a4yRcGMbsA

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) May 27, 2016

I have received loads of death threats this week, but don’t worry, Hello Games now looks like the house from Home Alone #pillowfort

— Sean Murray (@NoMansSky) May 28, 2016

I really don’t understand this mentality. Video games (like a lot of other forms of media) get delayed all the time. And this delay (which is about seven weeks) isn’t even that long. I mean, I understand that it’s disappointing to those who have been looking forward to the game, but I just don’t get the anger. A developer feeling that they need some more time to work on the game, I think, should be considered a good thing. It means that they care enough about the game they’re making to make sure that it’s polished before releasing it to the public.

Sadly, this seems to be the new modus operandi for a certain segment of video game fans. A game you want is delayed? Death threats! A website gives a game a score lower/higher than you think it deserves? Death threats! Someone makes a web series critiquing games through a feminist lens? Death and rape threats!

Seriously, just don’t. Don’t do this. Not just because it makes gamers look bad, but simply because it’s an inherently shitty thing to do. If the news makes you that angry, then just step away from the computer, and do something else for a while.

I recommend knitting.