Developers Attacking
Their Customers.
Criticism and harassment are two different things, but in the gaming industry, they can get confused, especially when tensions are high. Game developers should expect criticism—it’s a normal part of making a product. However, some criticism goes too far, turning into personal attacks, threats, or hate speech, which is harassment.
The problem occurs when people on both sides provide feedback in harmful ways, like doxxing, spamming, or making abusive comments. In these cases, developers reasonably see it as harassment, not just criticism. The key difference is in how the feedback is given: constructive criticism focuses on improving the game, while harassment targets individuals with harmful intentions.
Some developers label all negative feedback as harassment, possibly to avoid taking responsibility or addressing valid criticism. When they do this without offering proof of harassment, it can come across as dishonest or unwilling to engage with feedback.
This behavior can alienate the community, as gamers may feel their legitimate concerns are being ignored or unfairly dismissed. While harassment does exist in toxic parts of the gaming community, calling all criticism harassment without clear evidence can erode trust between developers and players. It’s crucial for developers to distinguish between real harassment and criticism, even harsh criticism, and to address both properly.
The problem occurs when people on both sides provide feedback in harmful ways, like doxxing, spamming, or making abusive comments. In these cases, developers reasonably see it as harassment, not just criticism. The key difference is in how the feedback is given: constructive criticism focuses on improving the game, while harassment targets individuals with harmful intentions.
Some developers label all negative feedback as harassment, possibly to avoid taking responsibility or addressing valid criticism. When they do this without offering proof of harassment, it can come across as dishonest or unwilling to engage with feedback.
This behavior can alienate the community, as gamers may feel their legitimate concerns are being ignored or unfairly dismissed. While harassment does exist in toxic parts of the gaming community, calling all criticism harassment without clear evidence can erode trust between developers and players. It’s crucial for developers to distinguish between real harassment and criticism, even harsh criticism, and to address both properly.
