Bioware faces fierce backlash after a developer (now fired) mocks TotalBiscuit's death

[ItsMitch]

S: OneAngryGamer.net

Bioware isn't having a good few months, it kind of got worse today after a developer David Crooks (now fired) goes on a twitter rampage mocking the death of TotalBiscuit and Twitter kind of exploded with outrage. 

So the tweets started off:

Quote

David Crooks @CypherSignal

Weird, the world just felt a little better sometime around an hour ago. Maybe it was the new running shoes I got for my run at home. 

Oh wait, I know! It's because TotalBiscuit died! Hey everyone, watch this! I know it's rude to piss on someone's grave but these axes aren't going to grind themselves!

He furthered his rant by going onto the #GamerGate scandal and TotalBiscuit's part in it.

Quote

 

“[…] Who could forget his endorsement of gamergate? And feeble attempts to spin it as just about “Ethics in gaming journalism”, while blissfully hopping onto other malicious podcasts, etc working overtime to slam women and minorities?

 

“Or, was it really a lack of self-awareness? Downplaying threats against Anita S saying “guess they weren’t credible because she’s still breathing” and the like? Maybe suggesting white privilege isn’t REALLY a thing because where he grew there were impoverished white folk?

 

“His voice and the irresponsibility with which he wielded it without apparently much care from him – or if he did, it was too little too late – has hurt a multitude of people along the way. He’s pissed me off in a dozen ways, but at least I’ve never been threatened by his force.”

 

“I’m saying this for myself but I might as well be saying this for those who were (and still could be).

 

“Fuck that guy nine ways to sunday, and good riddance to bad rubbish.”

 

Yeah, he doesn't seem like a happy guy, he went on earlier to criticize TotalBiscuit's WTF is... series claiming it was "shitty criticism" (even though that's what the WTF is... series is about, being critical. 

 

David Crooks since locked his Twitter account down after all hell broke loose after esports news reporter Slasher retweeted what Crooks said.

 The GM of Bioware, Casey Hudson issued a statement apologizing for the matter and confirmed he was no longer working for Bioware.

 

[Master Disaster]

How is this anything to do with Bioware at all? He's a ex employee, doesn't work for them.

 

It's not exactly clear but did he get fired for the tweets or had he left before them?

[ItsMitch]

1 minute ago, Master Disaster said:

It's not exactly clear but did he get fired for the tweets or had he left before them?

From what's been said, it was from the tweets, his profile doesn't contain the "Working for Bioware" anymore. 

 

And it was related to Bioware as many threatened to boycott Bioware for it. 

[JediFragger]

That is one classless individual. You have to feel sorry for him tbh.

[Rune]

Don't forget the second bioware dev (actively working on anthem) trying to defend him, also now deleted: https://archive.fo/XCqUR

 

Quote

If we don't speak the entire truth of a person after they pass and allow their toxic behavior go silent while only applauding their successes, we reward people for their accomplishments no matter how they achieved them. And that is a terrible precedent to set and allow.

[ItsMitch]

1 minute ago, Rune said:

Don't forget the second bioware dev (actively working on anthem) trying to defend him, also now deleted

What the fuck

[TheSLSAMG]

What a disgrace. John certainly had his failings but to mock his death is a move that lacks any semblance of dignity.

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

Reading that made me physically uncomfortable, and that doesn't happen very often

 

man, fuck humans

[ravenshrike]

30 minutes ago, Rune said:

Don't forget the second bioware dev (actively working on anthem) trying to defend him, also now deleted: https://archive.fo/XCqUR

 

Why it's almost as if a certain culture is cultivated at Bioware studios or something.

[suicidalfranco]

1 minute ago, ravenshrike said:

Why it's almost as if a certain culture is cultivated at Bioware studios or something.

ssshhhh

dont. wake. them.

 

OT: And yet TB was one of the few who said something good about Andromeda. ungrateful twats. Hope he stays jobless for the rest of his life.

[Cyanara]

Edit: It has been made clear to me that these allegations don't appear to well-founded, just in case you miss that in following comments. On the contrary, from the couple of blog entries I've read, he sounds like he was actually quite a well-reasoned and decent person.

I know nothing about this TotalBiscuit guy, and I get that there's a lot of outrage here at a substantial social faux pas, but just to be clear, no one is disputing these allegations? He was genuinely horrible to people for not being of the same ethnicity or gender as himself?

3 hours ago, Rune said:

If we don't speak the entire truth of a person after they pass and allow their toxic behavior go silent while only applauding their successes, we reward people for their accomplishments no matter how they achieved them. And that is a terrible precedent to set and allow.

Where is the flaw in this logic?

 

3 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

How is this anything to do with Bioware at all? He's a ex employee, doesn't work for them.

3 hours ago, SC2Mitch said:

And it was related to Bioware as many threatened to boycott Bioware for it.

So your usual highly informed and rational mob then?

[TheSLSAMG]

14 minutes ago, Cyanara said:

He was genuinely horrible to people for not being of the same ethnicity or gender as himself?

There's no base to that argument though. The argument is a more general one about the GamerGate movement. It's about how the movement was just meant to "put women and PoC back in their place" as opposed to people genuinely caring about the ethics of the game review industry. In reality, both groups existed, but TB was not in that first group by any means (and that second group never seemed particularly large.)

 

What I haven't seen is any evidence that he was part of that first group, just Twitter ranting as usual. I mean the guy gave an anti-Trump speech on stream after the 2016 elections (which I disagree vehemently with, but the forums aren't the place to talk politics.)

 

Spoiler

Quote

As unwise as it might be to express any political opinion via the internet, it can't be any more unwise than the decision America made tonight. When I came to this country a few years ago I saw a country of hope and opportunity. It was a country that was ethnically diverse, full of people with different backgrounds and different views. While there was always friction and disagreement, I never truly felt like that was something untenable, something that couldn't be overcome. I never truly felt that, when all was said and done, people wouldn't be able to put aside their differences and say "We are one country, we are Americans and we will set an example for the rest of the world". I come from a country that tends to just go with the flow. It's a country of apathy. I grew up surrounded by many people that were just content with where they were. They didn't really aspire to anything, they didn't have the motivation or desire to change things for the better, they simply put up with it. Britain is a place of clouds and rain and the people there often reflect that fact. America was a shining land of sunshine and hope. I admired it in many ways, particularly that it's people often aspired to be more than what they were. The land of opportunity isn't just a cliche, America is full of people who want to be better.

Or so I thought. Today America gave into fear. It gave in to the darkest parts of its national character. When confronted with adversity it finally broke, unable to stand up for its core values as it once did. It gave into cowardice and allowed itself to be conned by a disgusting example of a human being. America proved that it's ok being lied to as long as they're the right kind of lies. America proved that when given the chance, it will reward dishonesty and bigotry with the highest office in the land. America proved that it cares so little for the stability of the world and itself, that it will give the most important and powerful position in the world to a man that utterly lacks any of the qualifications, experience or character to deserve it. America has left the world in a state of uncertainty and fear.

I'd like to tell you that it's going to be ok. I'd like to tell you that we'll get through this and come together, begin to heal the wounds opened in the last few months. If I did though, I'd be a liar. I don't believe that, not for a second. The wounds opened in the fabric of this country may never fully heal. If we don't bleed to death from them they will leave giant, ugly scars that will endure for the rest of its days. I don't have the right to vote in this country, despite having had to earn my place here, fight for my right to live with my family in this state. I wasn't lucky enough to simply be born a citizen, so I don't get to have my say. Others have decided for me. They have decided to elect a man who will repeal the one piece of legislation that is keeping my health insurance company from dropping my coverage. America has chosen to put my life at risk, more-so than it already is. America, may have condemned me to death.

I'd like to say that I understand. I'd like to tell you that regardless of your politics, I can respect and be tolerant of you. That would also, be a lie. One of the greatest flaws of a moderate is tolerance of the intolerant. It has become very clear that extremism wins. It won tonight and as a result, it will likely rack up victory after victory from here on in. I'm fortunate to be a fairly wealthy, white male. Outside of the online hate I'll get for posting this, I'll probably be ok, assuming my health insurance company decides to keep covering my medical bills. I had faith in the people of this country. Despite the brand, I'm a pretty idealistic person, I do like to see the good in people when I can.

32 years old and I'm still learning how naive I can be. I no longer feel as if I'm surrounded by people I can trust, brothers and sisters in a country I was on the path to becoming a citizen of. I feel as if I'm surrounded now, by enemies. Whatever I thought this country was, whatever I believed it represented, was simply nothing more than my own foolish and unrealistic desire to believe that the majority of people are at their core, good.

Everything is not going to be ok. I can't reassure you that it will be, because I'd be lying to you. I don't believe that. I can't offer you comfort if you're scared. So am I and what I see in our future is darkness.

It's done. Congratulations to the winner. Truly, you made America Hate Again.

 

 

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

45 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

sound like a guy who would picket at a funeral if he had the spine for it

I mean that's basically what he's doing. He's interrupting the community's mourning of one of its prominent members. Man, TB's poor family.

[LAwLz]

1 minute ago, Cyanara said:

He was genuinely horrible to people for not being of the same ethnicity or gender as himself?

Nope

He supported GamerGate, which a lot of people has labeled as misogynistic as a poor attempt to dismiss any criticism.

Basically, a bunch of terrible people did a bunch of terrible things, and once they got called out for it they went "you just hate us because we're women! You're sexist".

It's a very long story though, including things like people have relationships with journalists promoting their games without disclosing it.

It's kind of hard to even say he supported that part. He didn't make many comments about it really. One of the few things he did say was that when one of the accused people Zoe Quinn, started to copyright strike videos talking about her he said that it would only make things worse because of the Streisand effect. You can read his take on it here.

[Cyanara]

5 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Nope

He supported GamerGate, which a lot of people has labeled as misogynistic as a poor attempt to dismiss any criticism.

Basically, a bunch of terrible people did a bunch of terrible things, and once they got called out for it they went "you just hate us because we're women! You're sexist".

It's a very long story though, including things like people have relationships with journalists promoting their games without disclosing it.

It's kind of hard to even say he supported that part. He didn't make many comments about it really. One of the few things he did say was that when one of the accused people Zoe Quinn, started to copyright strike videos talking about her he said that it would only make things worse because of the Streisand effect. You can read his take on it here.

Thanks for the link. In its own context he definitely comes off as having a cooler head than many.

That said, between what I do know of certain people involved in GamerGate, and the wide range of Internet crazies even your link addresses, I don't agree that GamerGate can be completely defended as just misunderstood. But that's off-topic, and I have no interest in getting stuck into that.

[Magnetorheological]

It looks like his last name fits him perfectly then.

[TimeOmnivore]

24 minutes ago, Cyanara said:

I know nothing about this TotalBiscuit guy, and I get that there's a lot of outrage here at a substantial social faux pas, but just to be clear, no one is disputing these allegations? He was genuinely horrible to people for not being of the same ethnicity or gender as himself?

He was supportive of the initial idea behind GamerGate, that being more/better ethics in games journalism, but was adamantly against the shit show the movement turned into. His argument on the topic being that people should separate the bad apples (the sexists/racists) of a movement from what that movement was actually about. Unfortunately, GamerGate ended up becoming known more for the bad apples than the good people who actually wanted to improve games journalism, so TB got a lot of shit for supporting a movement that most people ended up seeing as sexist and racist.

 

TB was overall a pretty stand up dude. Though when it came to something like politics (namely the 2016 election) he could be a little bit of an asshole regarding people who supported Trump (TB was not a fan) or voted 3rd-party, though that time period passed by pretty quickly.

[Yoinkerman]

That's how I understood things too.  Early in the gamergate garbage he wasn't against it, then when it turned he abandoned ship pretty quickly.

 

 

[ItsMitch]

1 minute ago, TimeOmnivore said:

TB was overall a pretty stand up dude. Though when it came to something like politics (namely the 2016 election) he could be a little bit of an asshole regarding people who supported Trump (TB was not a fan) or voted 3rd-party, though that time period passed by pretty quickly.

Yeah, the whole 2016 politics thing kinda went tits up and his wife took a lot of heat from it, he was not a fan of Trump at all and he was very vocal about it. 

[Bcat00]

Hmmm, i can understand the guy hating a critic, but to openly bash on the guy's death in the open net is such bad taste.

 

[MrRavens]

Did that guy have something personal against TB? Cause what's the point of going out of your way to bring this up and post it on Twitter? He should've just moved on. But now he doesn't have a job, so that's always fun lol.

[ItsMitch]

17 minutes ago, LtRavens said:

Did that guy have something personal against TB? Cause what's the point of going out of your way to bring this up and post it on Twitter

TB slammed his games on his YT Channel. And I think he still holds a intense grudge. 

 

[Andreas Lilja]

Isn't he also a EA employee? He removed his employment information and made his Twitter private.

[ItsMitch]

Just now, Raskolnikov said:

Isn't he also a EA employee? He removed his employment information and made his Twitter private.

Bioware a EA company iirc. 

[shermantanker]

1 hour ago, SC2Mitch said:

Yeah, the whole 2016 politics thing kinda went tits up and his wife took a lot of heat from it, he was not a fan of Trump at all and he was very vocal about it. 

I personally think a big reason for his blowup was the whole repeal of Obamacare thing. And will him fighting cancer he was rather scared what that could/would mean for him with the whole insurance market being uprooted.