The Unhinged Left: Games Journalist Ryan Easby's Outrageous Declaration Against Grummz
You'd think with all these stories coming through at what feels like a record rate, that this type of stuff would naturally just be slowing down, but no, if anything, it's picking up speed.
The gaming industry, already a hotbed of controversies, has reached yet another new low with the inflammatory remarks from games journalist Ryan Easby. Welcome the newest member of Kotaku Detected!
Known for his work with outlets like NME, PCGamesN, and The Escapist, Easby declared that Mark Kern, also known as Grummz, should:
"never know a moment of safety or peace in his entire life."
This statement is yet another example of how unhinged and extreme some individuals on the left have become. Who tf talks like this??
The incident unfolded when Kotaku Senior Editor Alyssa Mercante accused Kern of lying about Call of Duty's inclusion of transgender-themed bullets in its "Pride" month gift pack.
Despite Mercante's evidence that the bullets were available for the M4 weapon, she attempted to minimize the controversy by claiming the bullets were isolated to a specific skin. Though she was proven to be lying about this situation, it hasn't stopped her from pushing forward with a narrative of 'her truth' anyways... But that's another story altogether...
Easby, in response, escalated the situation dramatically by suggesting Kern should live in constant fear and unrest.
Mark Kern, better known as @Grummz on Twitter/X these days, a former World of Warcraft team lead, responded to Easby's disturbing comment with disbelief. "Dude, I tweet about video games. Why does this bother you so much?" Kern's reaction highlights the absurdity and extremity of Easby's attack.
The gaming community's response to Easby's outburst was telling. Comments from fans and industry insiders alike echoed the sentiment that Easby's behavior was not only unprofessional but also dangerous. One user aptly suggested that Easby should be challenged to a fight, predicting he would cowardly back out, much like Mercante often does when confronted with her own contradictions. Another sarcastically noted, "But they’re the good guys, everyone!!" which underscores the hypocrisy often displayed by those who claim moral superiority while advocating violence.
Easby’s history of unhinged comments adds to the troubling pattern. I proactively blocked him a few weeks ago after growing tired of his constant attacks against me, but that hasn't deterred him from being a real POS in the community anyways.
Back in April, he called for physical violence against Kern, proposing a campaign to:
"Soft launching my campaign to kick Mark Kern in the balls."
Totally logical line of thinking, right? But in all seriousness, this call to action was shockingly supported by several industry figures, revealing a concerning acceptance of violence within certain circles.
John Phipps, someone who acts so constantly unhinged on social media that one would have to assume he suffers from severe mental illness, is host of Super Deluxe GamesCast. He even offered to donate to such a cause.
While Michael Maurino, a former Riot Games artist, also voiced his approval. Not that this is surprising, he's the same guy who contacted a place of employment on Twitter in an attempt to get me fired...
All these folks seem to have something in common going on upstairs that isn't what most would consider 'normal'. It's clear that Easby's declaration that Kern should never know safety or peace is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, more disturbing trend.
I wish I screenshot the things he said against me from months ago before he protected his account, but trust me, this is nothing new for his type of 'behavior'.
His repeated claims that racism against white people doesn't exist and his dismissal of gamers as undeserving of their hobby further illustrate his radical and divisive mindset.
Easby’s assertion:
“If there’s one thing to take away from this last week, it’s that gamers don’t deserve video games”
...Yet another example of his contempt for the very community he covers.
Easby's behavior is severely evil. The left's increasing tolerance for and even encouragement of violence against those with differing opinions is a worrying trend. Why do they not stand up against this kind of rhetoric. Is it because deep down, they agree with the sentiment? Just based off my limited interations with Ryan on Twitter, I can clearly see he is a mentally unstable person who threatens violence against people with different opinions - and that is anything but ok.
This is the crux of the issue—those who claim to champion inclusivity and tolerance are often the first to resort to threats and intimidation when their views are challenged.
Ryan Easby's declaration against Mark Kern is just the latest proof that the left is becoming more unhinged by the day. This kind of rhetoric has no place in civil discourse and only serves to further polarize an already divided community. It's high time we call out and condemn such behavior, regardless of where it comes from, to foster a more respectful and inclusive environment in the gaming industry and beyond.
Shoutout to ThatParkPlace for the initial scoop on this story and some of the screenshots as the account was locked down. Follow them on Twitter!
~Smash
Yet,. It. Is somehow on the right side of history?
Truth is stranger than fiction.
You know this dude locked his Twitter down, and there was a lot of punching at the air afterwards. I'm sure he also screamed into his pillow.
Wow,so many brainwashed Lil' Shits are coming out the woodwork,cause they want their fifteen minutes of fame because they want that notiriaty of becoming some kinda Big shot journalist,but I hate to tell Ryan this and that is the only thing he'll accomplish is everyone hating his guts and wanting to destroy him
They cry bigot yet they themselves are bigots words mean nothing unless it benefits them but since they water it down so much the words have no power and now have become a positive because having a disagreement is bigoted in their eyes and making public information more accessible is harassment it's like they don't want us to know what they be doing keep up the good work