Game Journo ATTACKS YellowFlash, Runs Defense for LEAKED Unhinged Blizzard Employee Slack Messages!

Gaming Journalism Exposed: Defending Activision-Blizzard’s DEI Crusade at All Costs

The world of gaming journalism somehow continues its incredibly rapid descent into the abyss of ideological protectionism, and the latest example here comes from Bryant Francis, senior editor at Game Developer. His recent article (archive link), titled "It looks like someone at Activision is leaking Slack screenshots to right-wing X users" is nothing more than a desperate attempt to try and spin the very justified scrutiny occurring right now into victimhood, all while shielding the ridiculous actions of Activision Blizzard’s DEI-driven agenda from any form of criticism whatsoever.

Leaking the Truth or Whistleblowing?

Francis’ piece tries (and fails miserably, I might add) to frame internal leaks from Activision’s Slack channels as some sort of nefarious right-wing harassment campaign. Where have we heard those accusations before? What’s actually happening here is far more basic: These deranged employees are being exposed for their own horrific words and actions, out there for all to see. The leaked messages—first highlighted by friend of the channel, YouTuber YellowFlash—revealed that certain Activision Blizzard employees aren't merely discussing DEI initiatives but instead... actively working diligently to silence opposition, push their own divisive ideology, and leverage internal systems to benefit certain groups over others.

Rather than acknowledging the problematic nature of these discussions, Francis and his journo mafia 'ilk' immediately pivots the conversation to portraying these leaks as an "attack" on marginalized employees. Not gonna lie... That line of thinking is an impressive reach. Even for a 'game journo'.

What he conveniently ignores though is that all these discussions were happening on a corporate communication platform—where ALL employees should have expected a level of oversight and accountability. If their views were so noble and righteous, why are they so terrified of transparency? Weird.

The "Safety" Narrative: A Convenient Shield Against Accountability

Francis echoes some hysterical concerns from an Activision QA tester, Sam Hudson, that the leaks have now somehow made it "dangerous to be trans or an immigrant at Activision." Hudson claims these leaks have "doxxed" employees, but of course, conveniently fails to acknowledge that the leaked messages show employees actively trying to weaponize company policies and HR systems to push their ideology. Rules for me, not for thee isn't just a saying, it's a mantra for these types of people. The fact that Activision is being scrutinized for DEI efforts isn’t harassment in the slightest; it’s accountability. They can try and bend what words mean all they want, but in doing so, they continue to lose the trust from the public, and the gamers in general.

The entire framing of his ridiculous article tries really hard to say the employees in question are the real victims, despite them being the ones pushing their own broken rhetoric and excluding anyone who doesn’t align with their worldview. This is how they've succeeded in claiming the game industry for the better part of the past decade, but people are waking up to it and aren't having any of it anymore. Hudson's claim that "someone who works with us has no problems doxxing people" is a transparent attempt to create outrage and an immediate move to distract from the actual content of the leaks themselves.

Of course it goes without saying I do not condone doxing or harassing of any employees whatsoever, but it is important to shine a light on the actions of a few workers, to ensure accountability, and that gaming gets back to the basics. Something I'd argue, most gamers want to see.

The Real Issue: DEI Gone Wild

At the heart of this situation is the undeniable truth that DEI has become an unchecked force in the gaming industry, pushing an agenda that prioritizes ideologies and cult-like echo chambers over a merit-based industry. The leaked messages perfectly illustrate that Activision Blizzard’s employees are far less concerned with making great games and way more focused on trying to ensure their political beliefs become part of, if not all of the corporate policy. This is exactly the kind of unchecked behavior that whistleblowers and leakers exist to expose. There are many great employees at these companies that I've personally spoken with. They don't want their company to faulter, but at the same time, are sick and tired of seeing the industry be overrun by activists posing as people who love video games.

The most damning part of these leaks? Activision leadership, including company president Rob Kostich, is fully onboard with this ideological takeover. According to the leaks, Kostich reassured employees that DEI programs will continue under the "Inclusive Growth" team, despite the controversy and backlash from the gamers buying their games. This tells everyone that Activision Blizzard is far more committed to ideological conformity than fostering an environment that welcomes all gamers, regardless of their political beliefs.

Gaming Journalists Will Do Anything to Avoid Holding the Industry Accountable

Francis’ article is a textbook example of modern gaming journalism: He selectively frames events to fit an ideological agenda, while at the very same time, avoids any real discussion about the harm being done. Instead of asking why Activision Blizzard employees feel emboldened to enforce their worldview within the company, Francis instead focuses on blaming "far-right X users" for daring to bring these conversations to light. GTFO with that garbage.

This is the same style of 'games journalism' that ran defense for Sweet Baby Inc., the narrative studio that has been pushing woke propaganda into major game releases, destroying nearly ever game in their wake. Now, the same script is being applied here: anyone who criticizes these initiatives is labeled "far-right" - a label that has now, like most everything these activists do with words, has lost all meaning... while the actual offenders hide behind claims of "harassment" and "safety concerns."

Francis’ article is nothing more than a biased attempt to try and defend the indefensible. The employees exposed in these leaks weren’t targeted for who they are—they were just exposed for what they were saying. Leaks and whistleblowing have and will always be a necessary check against corporate corruption, and this case is no different. The only difference here is that the journalists (READ: Activists) covering it have chosen to instead, prioritize ideological protection over honest reporting... Because it aligns with their own worldview.

Gamers are waking up to the reality that the industry isn’t being run by people who care about making great games; it’s been controlled by activists who see gaming as just another tool for their ideological agenda.

...And as long as journalists like Bryant Francis continue to run cover for them, it will only get worse. That's why they REALLY hate people like me.

~Smash