Failed Trump Assassination Exposes Video Game Industry Rot

Someone actually tweeted this.

In the wake of the failed assassination attempt on former President Trump, a troubling undercurrent has been exposed within the video game industry. It's revealed certain individuals working in the field harbor some deeply unsettling and even dangerous viewpoints. If you've been paying attention for any time, this shouldn't really come as a surprise, but even when trying to mentally prepare - sometimes... even these takes will knock you over.

While freedom of speech is THE cornerstone of our society, accountability for one's statements is equally as important - something many folks often forget. Do as you wish, but personally, I'd never purchase a game from a developer who employs individuals with demented perspectives on killing people... But hey, maybe that's just me.

These individuals are mentally deranged and unhinged, often communicating within the same circles. Some even seem aware of the toxicity of their thoughts. Take, for instance, John Phipps, known as MagitekDad, (this guy) who tweeted a warning to his circle of friends:

I'm impressed John has enough situational awareness to realize who he associates with are horrible human beings.

"I'm going to advise my friends on social media to be very, very, very careful about what you post. Trust me."

This tweet acknowledges the known moral corruption of those he associates with and tries to aim in shielding them from exposure, but... it failed, as this article will go on to show...

Before delving into those who work directly in the game industry, it’s worth mentioning a couple of individuals on the outskirts.

Alyssa Mercante, for example, a senior editor at Kotaku, made an unhinged joke (above) about wanting Trump dead, using a stormtrooper meme to imply they missed and a follow-up tweet suggesting they should have used VATS for more accuracy.

Then we have SquarePainter, a bassist for Cinemassacre's video game band RexViper, posted perhaps the most appalling tweet, which he later deleted:

Career ending tweet

"I'm voting for the bullet."

While he might have thought it was humorous at the moment, this mindset is beyond terrifying... But these people don't work on games. They work on stuff surrounding the game industry. The real issue comes from those within The developers and community managers that continue to stain the entire industry...

Halo Producer - Nick (ThePJSkittles)

Nick, known as thepjskittles on Twitter, is a producer for Halo.

I previously covered him in a video (above) where he expressed concerns about creating guns for the game due to his worries about violence. Following that coverage, Nick blocked me—no surprise there.

After the failed assassination attempt, Nick tweeted:

We see what you did there, Nick.

"I can empathize for the folks in the crowd. No one deserves to go to an event or their job and fear getting shot or killed."

This statement subtly implies that Trump deserved the attempt on his life. Zed called him out, replying:

"Just the folks in the crowd but not the guy they tried to kill?"

Nick never responded and instead... took his account private, revealing that people like him seem to wish death upon those they disagree with.

This is absolutely disgusting behavior.

SMITE Brand Ambassador - Tempest Teacup (TempesttheHag)

Then... we have Tempestteacup, a brand ambassador for SMITE, known on Twitter as Tempest the Hag. Thx to @Grummz for the heads up on this one:

She encouraged the Trump shooter to try again (a now-deleted tweet) and has since set her Twitter account to protected mode. She claimed the assassination attempt was staged, tweeting:

"This is so staged tho. And going to be very effective."

While people are entitled to their opinions, her continued tweets crossed the line. She posted:

"to be 100% clear: I would absolutely believe the target of today's shooting WOULD sacrifice his own supporters to further his candidacy. I think that is the ultimate tragedy behind the Trump grift. He does not care about the people who have made him who he is."

This insinuates an intimate knowledge of Trump’s intentions and reveals deep-seated hatred. Later, she attempted to backtrack, stating:

"at the time I made this initial tweet I had seen that no one was seriously injured in the shooting today. Knowing now that two died, I regret using flippant language, but I do not believe it is wrong to speculate about the political implications of an ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT."

...Which is strange and still incorrect - A man fired multiple shots toward the stage during former President Donald J. Trump's rally in Butler, PA, on Saturday evening, killing one spectator and critically injuring two others, according to the Secret Service. Trump was quickly rushed off the stage, with blood visible around his right ear, but was later pronounced fine. She didn't even care to get the facts straight before angrily tweeting that the guy she doesn't like wasn't killed.

...What the actual fuck?

She also tweeted:

"If at first you don't succeed...."

...implying another attempt should be made. This behavior is utterly insane and indefensible, and we need to call it out EVERY time.

It Goes On... and on... and on...

There are plenty of other horrific takes out there, but it would be impossible to cover them all in one article—it would turn into a book. OldeManGrim on Twitter compiled a bunch here for those interested. This is just a sample of the mindset some of those working in the video game industry have.

Chris is a senor editor at Rolling Stone.

I could cover more in a follow-up video, article, or livestream if you guys want. The industry must hold individuals accountable for their statements, and as consumers, we must be vigilant about the ideologies we support through our purchases... That's one surefire way to make change happen.

~Smash