Why gaming needs some serious CSR

Hello world,

I find it difficult to begin this particular blog post due to the negative reaction it will surely create. I've never let the opinions of others stop me from expressing my own, but the current state of gaming is anything from friendly right now. Regardless, I've felt the need to speak up for some time but wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to approach this topic. If you hadn't guessed already, I'm talking about GamerGate. Please keep in mind, I'm not looking to dissect the controversy. Instead, I'd like to offer a call to action to some major industry stakeholders that have remained shamefully silent in the last few weeks.

Brianna Wu was one of the developers
most recently driven out of her home 

If you're unfamiliar with GamerGate, I suggest taking a look at the extensive write-ups all over the Internet right now. I'd personally suggest this piece from Caitlin Dewey, who writes for the Intersect blog at the Washington Post. While I wouldn't call this article neutral by any means, it gives you a general overview recent of events with implications for not just the game industry but society at large. Essentially, GamerGate started out as a movement to correct ethics in game journalism. It has since morphed into a toxic campaign set on harassing and disenfranchising critics of an increasingly outdated and male-dominated gaming culture. These attacks have been aimed primarily at women in often frightening ways. Each time I log onto Twitter, my stomach drops at the news of yet another female game developer driven out of her home due to death threats. I've considered myself a part of the video game community for a long time, but I did not sign up for any of this. The current environment is not reflective of the world that I've come to know and love. Something needs to change. 

With the situation escalating and GamerGate clearly not going away, I can't help but wonder - where have the major players been all this time? I'm talking about game developers, publishers and studios. You know, the big names like EA, Activision, Ubisoft etc. The radio silence has been disappointing to say the least; most notably because these companies have the highest stake in whether gamers tear each other apart. In light of this, the Entertainment Software Association, a trade organization that represents many of the previously mentioned companies, released a statement this week addressing GamerGate: 

"Threats of violence and harassment are wrong. They have to stop. There is no place in the video game community - or our society - for personal attacks and threats." 

While it's certainly a nice sentiment, I just don't think it's enough. The problem here is that it's very hard to motivate game companies to enter such a controversial debate unless it offers some return on investment. That's where corporate social responsibility (CSR) comes in. CSR involves the integration of social and environmental concerns into a business operation. To save you from any more fancy jargon, it basically means that an organization makes a conscious effort to "do good" in the context of the community it serves. Let me give you a couple of examples. One of my favorites would have to be the It Can Wait movement from AT&T, which encourages individuals to use cellular products in a "safe and responsible manner." While it might seem strange that a phone carrier would ask customers not to use its cellular services, it actually makes a lot of sense. Through this campaign, AT&T ensures that the community understands the dangers associated with texting and driving. As a result, the company enhances its brand image and hopefully spots a nice little increase in profit margins (remember how I mentfioned return on investment?). 

Image via EdTechTimes

Next, let's look at a case more relevant to the topic at hand. South Korea is known for a strong mobile and online culture (particularly in gaming). Unfortunately, this culture has led to unhealthy behavior in the digital sphere, including smartphone addiction, personal anxiety and online bullying. When mobile carrier SK Telecom reached an audience of one million on social media, it teamed up with global PR firm Edelman to create the Social Relay for Clean Online Communications. For the campaign, five "social media mentors" participated in "missions" that encouraged individuals to make positive contributions online. The relay fostered an important dialogue on taking responsibility for words and actions online in addition to shifting perceptions regarding healthy Internet use.

So what does all of this mean? Well, I believe that the concepts behind CSR reign true for any industry and gaming could certainly use some help. Last month, game developer Andreas Zecher wrote an "Open letter to the gaming community"  calling for an end to the destructive behavior stemming from GamerGate. It has since been signed by more than 2,000 developers. So here's my proposition: why can't a major game company follow suit with a similar initiative? Names like Sony and Rockstar carry such weight with gamers and employ teams who could easily come up with creative ways to get loyal fans on board. It's time to end the hate and vitriol behind GamerGate, but there needs to be an organized and sincere effort to get us there. 

Until next time,
-Sarah