🔒 | About *that* GAF Drama | Goodnight

By Cheebo Go To PostOf course the #GG crowd is crowing about winning and this happened because GAF was liberal.

Gaf stopped being liberal and became far left with groupthink and shaming. The echo chamber of bans surrounding the election was the frog in the boiling water moment.

I’m left leaning

Having threads about black representation on Mario Kart and “should geralt be bi” were a bit too much

By mernst23 Go To PostThere are so many subcategories of people regarding this situation.

Gamer gaters celebrating an unearned victory
Salty banned people
Salty industry people
People who liked the community but hated some of the leadership

What I haven't seen has been the loyalists. I really wonder how many of them exist and how they are going to justify continuing to go to the site after it comes back up.

I'm definitely in this camp.

By ShimshonNaharai Go To PostGAF was unparalleled as a gaming news site. Are there any alternatives?

It didn't get that status because of EL or any of the mods. Something will take its place.

By Deadbeat Go To PostHopefully the gaf crowd coming here isnt the dog piling "I dont like thing therefore you should campaign against it too" people.

Female videogame characters in skimpy clothes? Dont give a shit. Pokemon only having male or female as character choices? Dont see the outrage to go boycott nintendo. Link being male only in zelda games? Again dont see the outrage. People complaining about white male protagonists in Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer? shutup already.

That was the problem on gaf. Complaining about things that if you so much as said you didnt care about it you got dogpiled because "it's 2017 get with the program". I dont want that cesspool of thought police coming here.

Main reason why game developers left that place in first place. Also complaining about minor things.

By Recon_zero Go To PostI’m left leaning

Having threads about black representation on Mario Kart and “should geralt be bi” were a bit too much

What infuriated me was the huge amount of time people banged on about Emma Stone and ScarJo and WhiteWashing yet noone was giving a shit about real shit like systemic racism in school funding etc.

Mods that have stepped down after this was made public:

https://twitter.com/DasHektor/status/921886216672464896

No Y2Kev, he always liked his position of power.

By 30yearsofhurt Go To PostI'm definitely in this camp.

Same. The gaming community was actually quite “democratic” when it came down to discussions.

It was the off topic segment and the closed threads by mods where there were healthy debates going on, that actually killed my enthousiasm more and more when time went by.

So GAF is still down. Yup, this is the end of it.

It is surreal to write that after being on GAF for over 16 years.

By Rivyn Go To PostSame. The gaming community was actually quite “democratic” when it came down to discussions.

It was the off topic segment and the closed threads by mods where there were healthy debates going on, that actually killed my enthousiasm more and more when time went by.

Yeah. Can’t say I disagree...

apparently someone is redirecting people to 4chan from the site

By Epsilon-delta Go To PostSo GAF is still down. Yup, this is the end of it.

It is surreal to write that after being on GAF for over 16 years.

Something will rise up and replace it. Could be this place or somewhere else but there is now a massive void in gaming news which needs to be filled. Gaf drove traffic to a lot of sites and was a great champion for Indie devs. Something has to replace that. This place seems like the most likely candidate, much nicer and cleaner than the likes of n4g.

By Recon_zero Go To PostI’m left leaning

Having threads about black representation on Mario Kart and “should geralt be bi” were a bit too much

Granted it's batshit that Geralt isn't bi.

He was giving everyone "Imma fuck yah!" eyes throughout all of number 2.

By Deadbeat Go To PostGaf stopped being liberal and became far left with groupthink and shaming. The echo chamber of bans surrounding the election was the frog in the boiling water moment.

This is why groups of people are claiming a “win”. You cannot deny that actively shutting down opposing views will eventually lead to abuse by those in power no matter how much you “trust” them” this is why America has its free speech principle because even original good intentioned censorship of adhorrent ideas will give license to those in power to use it to protect their own self interests. It’s unfortunate that the far right is also claiming this as a “win” however I do think it was a valuable and important lesson on how censorship, even by the “good guys” always leads to eventually abuse and facism. I’m just glad this lesson was learned on a video game forum as opposed to the far right also having to learn what happens when you put a fascist in the White House. Ultimately I think both this experience and Trumps eventually impeachment should hopefully open peoples eyes to how dangerous extreme partisanship is when coupled with individuals of any variety who want to shutdown opposing views. I always feel like I have to end this with I’m not advocating the bigotry bullshit so this doesn’t get misinterpreted.

By 30yearsofhurt Go To PostWhat infuriated me was the huge amount of time people banged on about Emma Stone and ScarJo and WhiteWashing yet noone was giving a shit about real shit like systemic racism in school funding etc.

My people have been whitewashed for millennia. Nobody talks about that.

Feh.

I hope some quality memes are coming.

I hope there are some more Asian based SLAENTers, this place is always so dead when I am at work and everyone else is asleep.

I miss that place and not miss that place at the same time for very different reasons.

By Shanks D Zoro Go To PostI hope there are some more Asian based SLAENTers, this place is always so dead when I am at work and everyone else is asleep.

You are looking at one!

By 30yearsofhurt Go To PostWhat infuriated me was the huge amount of time people banged on about Emma Stone and ScarJo and WhiteWashing yet noone was giving a shit about real shit like systemic racism in school funding etc.

This 10000000%! I’m black and in education so this would irritate me to no end how instead of using th platform to advocate real change like public school reform, probably the basis for almost all race problems in America the would rather post “milkshake duck” memes and bitch and claim self righteous behind a computer screen with like minded people. GAF would be a great play to spread actually movements of people wanted to do more than feel good about being part of s community that holds a certain opinion. My dream is a community like GAF were ass holes can wander, get legitimately schooled and educated on the issues of the world and walk out with a better opinion while obviously banning the asshats who just want to start trouble.

By Shanks D Zoro Go To PostI hope there are some more Asian based SLAENTers, this place is always so dead when I am at work and everyone else is asleep.

Same for europe. There are many but they only post in the footy thread.

By Deadbeat Go To PostGaf stopped being liberal and became far left with groupthink and shaming. The echo chamber of bans surrounding the election was the frog in the boiling water moment.

Overall GAF was definitely left wing, but you and I must have different definitions of "far-left" because it definitely wasn't. I know that Republicans have been moving more and more to the right in recent decades, but let's not lose perspective.

I also found that the replies to some topics (e.g. about the death penalty) showed that a significant portion of the website was not as progressive as you'd think.

By reilo Go To PostIt is.

Google kicked us off claiming we were intentionally clicking ads to make money 🙄. We weren't, but their process of fighting the charge is total horseshit and we are too small for them to give a damn, so here we are. In the future if we keep growing, I can probably get us sponsored and have a more tasteful integration anyway.

Damn that sucks. Y'all deserve some monetization because this site is pretty nice.

I can't quite believe how many people had an axe to grind with gaf. I was there all the time for nearly 12 years but the site was so massive I guess I just never saw 99.9% of it. People really got invested with the politics of it all and I don't think I could even tell you who half the mods were that quit let alone the regular members.

anyway, fuck this. Can't believe the selfish cunt took it all down. All those little communities lost.

By reilo Go To PostIt is.

Google kicked us off claiming we were intentionally clicking ads to make money 🙄. We weren't, but their process of fighting the charge is total horseshit and we are too small for them to give a damn, so here we are. In the future if we keep growing, I can probably get us sponsored and have a more tasteful integration anyway.

I clicked the ads on purpose 🤣

Gaf is not far left at all

Smh that so fucking hyperbolic

By null Go To PostI can't quite believe how many people had an axe to grind with gaf. I was there all the time for nearly 12 years but the site was so massive I guess I just never saw 99.9% of it. People really got invested with the politics of it all and I don't think I could even tell you who half the mods were that quit let alone the regular members

https://www.reddit.com/r/shitneogafsays/

Never been to reddit?

By Hypron Go To PostOverall GAF was definitely left wing, but you and I must have different definitions of "far-left" because it definitely wasn't. I know that Republicans have been moving more and more to the right in recent decades, but let's not lose perspective.

I also found that the replies to some topics (e.g. about the death penalty) showed that a significant portion of the website was not as progressive as you'd think.

I always felt a good portion of OT was socially progressive, fiscally conservative.

It seemed obvious everytime the topic 'college tuition should be free' or 'minimum wage should not be higher than what I make with my X degree.'

By null Go To PostI can't quite believe how many people had an axe to grind with gaf.

I would assume the reasoning is (at least on my end) a lot of us saw the shit for what it was. You couldn't even discuss the moderation without risking a ban (if you weren't a protected user...but none of them ever questioned it).

So now that it's over and all out in the open, it's cathartic to be able to open up and actually talk about what a shithole the site turned into.

By fertygo Go To PostGaf is not far left at all

Smh that so fucking hyperbolic

you're on goofballs, mister

edit: ok lemme rephrase: the views of the average person on there weren't that extreme, but the obsession with bringing up race/gender/sexuality at every turn is definitely not normal

Wasn't on GAF long, but it was fantastic for being an incredibly active community and news aggregate for almost every topic I took interest in without all the usual bigotry bullshit that tends to infect nerd culture. The moderation gave me pause several times, but I didn't know Evilore was a sexual predator. Fuck him and his platform tbh. Gonna miss quite a few quality posters from that place though. Maybe they'll find their way here too.

Edit: Guess I should say hi. First post here, doing some new house shopping. Ya'll seem cool.

By potam Go To PostI would assume the reasoning is (at least on my end) a lot of us saw the shit for what it was. You couldn't even discuss the moderation without risking a ban (if you weren't a protected user…but none of them ever questioned it).

So now that it's over and all out in the open, it's cathartic to be able to open up and actually talk about what a shithole the site turned into.

I don't think it's fair to call it a shithole... The management was though, but I don't think there's anything like NeoGAF. Maybe this place? I don't know.

Guess I'm glad I signed up when y'all invited me way back lol. Gonna be sad to see GAF go, if this is the end, even if the moderation was absolute bullshit at times. That wide-reaching and diverse community, that wasn't completely horribly racist/bigoted/sexist/toxic isn't something that's easy to cultivate online these days and most of the people were okay. Especially when Gaming is involved, that's what I'll miss most of all.

Seeing the GGers and other horrible people getting their rocks off on twitter and other places to this is pretty disgusting too. Hope something useful pops out of the refuse (at the very least glad this forum exists), like when SOHH went down and The Coli took over. Anyway, I guess we'll see what happens now.

So I guess we moved here now eh? Another GAF refugee here; 10 years on GAF although I wasn't posting a lot for the past few years. Good to have a place where I can waste needless hours while bored working :).

By Epsilon-delta Go To PostI always felt a good portion of OT was socially progressive, fiscally conservative.

It seemed obvious everytime the topic 'college tuition should be free' or 'minimum wage should not be higher than what I make with my X degree.'

Yeah I think that's a fair assessment.

The problem ended up being it was hard as hell to tell who was just a good natured moron, when the discourse on the right had become so toxic, so mainstream that it was finding itself in some of our longstanding conservative members. Maybe the moderation overreacted, but when the eventual nominee and the president was spouting shit that would have gotten you banned on GAF in 2006, normalizing it, it seeped into the discourse of the conservatives there.

I was actually pretty active through those changes. When the conservative movement just went balls to the wall batshit. Some of us, not just the moderation went hardline in the opposite direction to show just how abhorrent we found those changes. Unfortunately, someone we thought better of, was in reality just another skeeve. I mean, the rhetoric coming out of that group makes me fear for a lot of my family. I'm a pasty, blonde-haired blue-eyed Kansan. I have Latino and Black family living in Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City. Trump is feeding people who, blatantly, openly, want them dead. And pretty much all of the badass people I've met over the years at GAF. Just because of the level of melanin in their skin.

My answer only could have been "Trump is a monster in the making, rethink your vote or know you are complicit in all of the death and destruction done in his name."

By fierrotlepou Go To PostI don't think it's fair to call it a shithole… The management was though, but I don't think there's anything like NeoGAF. Maybe this place? I don't know.

When I started reading the site it was superb. When the moral crusades and witch hunts began (especially on the gaming side) it all went downhill. You would not see this coming until it gutted the threads you might frequent.

Woah. I don't think gaf will come back. Hopefully they open it back up for a week so that communities can organise and find replacement homes with users.

Been on gaf since '08. Multiple accounts but mostly been lurking the last few years. Some of it will be missed.

Seems crazy to say that Gaf was a far-left forum considering how pro-Hilary they were. You would pretty much never find anyone shilling for Venezuela or North Korea over there, and there were pretty much no genuine communists or socialists beyond the Bernie or Corbyn style. Compare that to some of the lunatic enclaves over at Reddit and Gaf looks way more moderate. I wouldn't say it was a centre left forum but it was pretty close

By potam Go To Postedit: ok lemme rephrase: the views of the average person on there weren't that extreme, but the obsession with bringing up race/gender/sexuality at every turn is definitely not normal

Do you expect that to not be a thing considering the climate today? Especially here?

These discussions are important. Sure there are people who take these issues and grossly exaggerate them but let's not act as if they're some overwhelming majority.

By Shanks D Zoro Go To PostI hope there are some more Asian based SLAENTers, this place is always so dead when I am at work and everyone else is asleep.

Here! Just joined here since gaf died

I only signed up to NeoGaf late last year (long time lurker though). I adored some of the communities and looked at the forum every single day. But I had a love/hate relationship with the place (specifically off-topic). The amount of people banned over different opinions was frustrating. Granted, there were a lot of shitty people who rightfully deserved to be banned, but the some of the hyperbole from some gaffers was extreme.

Yeah, NeoGAF is more centre left.

It's always the same users posting the same 'everything is sexualised', 'why is there no female Cristiano Ronaldo' etc

By Random Ass Username Go To Post

I was wondering why BronsonLee was banned.

How many GAF refugees have there been in the past 24 hours?

Kinda surreal seeing an article about Neogaf on Le Monde (big French language news website).

Another GAF migrant here. Don't know if Slaent will be for me but I'm willing to give it a try.

Man, this site has grown in 2 years. Black folks still running it?

By Silky Go To PostDo you expect that to not be a thing considering the climate today? Especially here?

These discussions are important. Sure there are people who take these issues and grossly exaggerate them but let's not act as if they're some overwhelming majority.

There's a difference between discussing things that come up, and then having it dominate the discussion over there.

I'm seeing some familiar avatars here! I too come from GAF seeking another source of gaming news and discussion without the gross GamerGate crowd and the bullshit surrounding the moderation. I never posted very much but I browsed GAF daily for almost three years and it's sad to see it go, but if that's what it takes to stop supporting a serial sexual harasser then so be it. I can't believe I never knew about any of this, but I guess that's the whole point of them deleting posts and threads about it. :/

By FlutterPuffs Go To PostYeah, NeoGAF is more centre left.

It's always the same users posting the same 'everything is sexualised', 'why is there no female Cristiano Ronaldo' etc

Hopefully those users drop their rhetoric if they come here.

By Hypron Go To PostYeah I think that's a fair assessment.

I’m not so sure about that. The minimum wage threads were awful. They keep devolving into claiming of being against vulnerable groups by not supporting it. I really didn’t see the financially conservative side at all considering how libertarians like me were constantly crapped on as being evil horrid human beings despite being socially liberal and ACTUALLY fiscally conservative. Trust me if this were true libertarians would have been welcomes rather than ostracized.