My Journalistic Ethics Were Found Wanting – And It’s Gamers’ Fault
Fight the real enemy (tears picture of gamers)
Hollie (pictured during one of our trysts) was right to call me out
Friends, colleagues, and random strangers on the internet:
I regret to inform you that my ethics as a games journalist were found wanting, and it’s all gamers’ fault.
As you probably know if you’re reading this, I recently wrote an article, and an interview, about an indie video game called Period Quest. Hollie Flansburger, the game’s developer, came forward to reveal that we were sleeping together at the time. She disclosed this to punish me for breaking up with her, which is a regrettable decision by her that I understand and fully support, as an ally.
I admit that was a lapse in my journalistic ethics to not disclose our relationship, and I apologize for not disclosing this information earlier. I gave her a good review because she was my friend who was a girl. However, I would like to blame gamers for this unfortunate situation.
You see, if gamers weren’t toxic and sexist and misogynistic, Hollie Flansburger and I wouldn’t have even met each other, and wouldn’t have fallen in love. If they were interested in the womb carrier experience in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to write a glowing puff piece about that terrible boring combat-less RPG with bad pixel art and worse writing. Unprogressive gamers ruined my journalistic integrity, and for that I will never forgive them. The sex wasn’t even that great.
So gamers, you should be ashamed of yourselves. You deserve to feel guilty and ashamed. I hope you feel awful now that Period Quest has appropriately bombed on Steam despite my best ethically lapsed efforts.
I will finish this by pleading for privacy and respect for both Hollie and I during this difficult time. She doesn’t deserve those death threats over this, and neither do I. It’s sad that gamers’ go-to move is always unhinged harassment of people they find inconvenient. Y’all should be harassing yourselves, tbh.
In conclusion, I apologize on to Hollie an behalf of toxic gamers for my actions.
Sincerely, Flavian Braggadoccio, Games Journalist (and ally)
