<\/a><\/figure>UPDATE:<\/b> Bakhtanians has issued a statement in the wake of today's coverage. Read it here.<\/a><\/p>--<\/p>\u201cThis is a community that\u2019s, you know, 15 or 20-years-old and the sexual harassment is part of a culture,\u201d said competitive fighting game player Aris \"Aris\" Bakhtanians on a recent live stream for Capcom<\/a>'s Cross Assault show, \u201cand if you remove that from the fighting game community, it\u2019s not the fighting game community.\u201d<\/p>Capcom has since apologized for comments made during a conversation on sexual harassment in the fighting game community, which that quote was pulled from. It was a discussion focused on Bakhtanians, and took place during a recent episode of the company\u2019s Cross Assault reality show<\/a>. It\u2019s part of a promotion for Street Fighter X Tekken<\/a>.<\/p>Cross Assault started with 10 contestants divided into two teams, Team Tekken<\/a> and Team Street Fighter<\/a>. The final four contestants will be determined today, and the last matches begin March 3.<\/p>A reader initially pointed out the inflammatory commentary, which took place during day five.<\/p>Bakhtanians is the head of Team Tekken, and was engaged in a conversation that chiefly involved Twitch.tv community manager Jared Rea<\/a>. Twitch.tv is hosting the daily streaming of the day-long Cross Assault episodes.<\/p>\u201cThe views and opinions expressed by cast members in the live internet program 'Cross Assault' do not reflect those of Capcom,\u201d said a Capcom spokesperson in a statement issued to me last night. \u201cAs a company, Capcom believes that everyone should be treated with respect. This particular issue was brought to our attention and has been addressed. We sincerely apologize to anyone that was offended by any comments expressed during the show.\u201d<\/p>You can listen to the conversation by fast forwarding to one hour and 45 minutes into the following video.<\/a> A user on YouTube also collected a series of comments made by Bakhtanians on day one.<\/p>For example: \"Miranda, I wanna know your bra size.\"<\/p><\/iframe><\/div>Tensions were immediately raised over Rea's suggestion the fighting game community, once insular and limited but now steadily growing year-over-year, was potentially alienating outsiders from becoming fans of fighting games or the competitive scene because of inappropriate sexual language. Bakhtanians took issue with Rea's criticism.<\/p>Here\u2019s a lengthy transcript of their exchange:<\/p>Rea: You know what it is, to be honest with you? We\u2019re getting older. Do you really want to keep hanging around with a bunch of [guys in their] early 20s who don\u2019t know how to treat one another with respect? That\u2019s what it is.Bakhtanians: Alright, man. The thing is...if you don\u2019t like the scene, how it is right now, it just seems like you\u2019re trying to create...turn it into something that it\u2019s not, and it\u2019s never going to be. You know what I mean?Rea: That\u2019s really unfortunate [inaudible]...the way it is right now, they want to enjoy fighting games, but they\u2019re so incredibly turned off by [the language].Bakhtanians: This doesn\u2019t involve me, Jared, I don\u2019t know if you can hear me--this is Aris. This doesn\u2019t really involve me, but if you don\u2019t like onions, you get your sandwich without onions, man. I mean, this is the fighting game community.Rea: Can I get my Street Fighter without sexual harassment?Bakhtanians: You can\u2019t. You can\u2019t because they\u2019re one and the same thing. This is a community that\u2019s, you know, 15 or 20 years old, and the sexual harassment is part of a culture, and if you remove that from the fighting game community, it\u2019s not the fighting game community--it\u2019s StarCraft<\/a>. There\u2019s nothing wrong with StarCraft if you enjoy it, and there\u2019s nothing wrong with anything about eSports, but why would you want just one flavor of ice cream, you know? There\u2019s eSports<\/a> for people who like eSports, and there\u2019s fighting games for people who like spicy food and like to have fun. There\u2019s no reason to turn them into the same thing, you know?You can\u2019t go to the NBA and say \u201chey, I like basketball, but I don\u2019t want them to play with a basketball, I want them to play with a football.\u201d It just doesn\u2019t...it doesn\u2019t make sense to have that attitude, you know? These things are established for years. That would be like someone from the fighting game community going over to StarCraft and trying to say \u201chey, StarCraft, you guys are too soft, let\u2019s start making sexual harassment jokes to each other on StarCraft.\u201d That\u2019s not cool, people wouldn\u2019t like that. StarCraft isn\u2019t like that. People would get defensive, and that\u2019s what you\u2019re trying to do the fighting game community, and it\u2019s not right. It\u2019s ethically wrong.I know that you\u2019re thinking \u201cwhat do you know about ethics? You say racial stuff and sexist stuff.\u201d But those are jokes and if you were really a member of the fighting game community, you would know that. You would know that these are jokes.Rea: So, ensuring that we alienate any and all female viewers...that\u2019s the ethical thing to do?Bakhtanians: Well, you know, there are layers here, if you think about this. There are layers of ethics. There are people who are racist and commit hate crimes, right? And then there are people who are racist but they have tons of friends of all colors and they have deep love for those friends. Do you think those people are one and the same? Absolutely not.<\/blockquote>StarCraft was brought up several times during the discussion of fighting games role in the larger eSports movement, specifically in regards to what lessons the community should and should not learn from its popularity.<\/p>I reached out to Bakhtanians to discuss his comments on Cross Assault, but he didn't respond.<\/p>When I contacted Capcom, I included a transcript of the relevant conversation. The company told me the cast and crew had been informed that \u201cany inappropriate or disrespectful comments will not be tolerated during filming.\u201d<\/p>Upon receiving the statement from Capcom, I forwarded it in full to Bakhtanians. No response.<\/p>And there is one very important fact about this whole story: Cross Assault is not a male-only event. There are two females: Team Street Fighter\u2019s Sherry \u201cSherryjenix\u201d Nhan and Team Tekken\u2019s Miranda \u201cSuper_Yan\u201d Pakozdi.<\/p>During the exchange, as matches raged in the background, Pakozdi chimed in about Bakhtanians\u2019 explanation for the pervasiveness of inappropriate sexual language within fighting game culture.<\/p>\u201cIt hurts the community,\u201d she said.<\/p>Everyone in the stream made reference to Keystone events at the San Jose Bar & Grill in San Jose, California, a spot that\u2019s reportedly known for its more crass comments about during play. Pakozdi acknowledged it was an issue during Keystone events, but that it never went, from her perspective, over the line.<\/p>\u201cYou don\u2019t know where the line is,\u201d she declared.<\/p><\/iframe><\/div>\u201cMy point is is where I\u2019m from, in our arcade, our line may be different than yours,\u201d responded Bakhtanians, \u201cbut the point is that fighting games are never gonna be the same as StarCraft, it\u2019s never gonna be the same. You can\u2019t turn basketball into baseball, no matter what you do.\u201d<\/p>Rea said sexual harassment was less of an issue in the StarCraft community, a point that others, including Bakhtanians, pushed back on. He conceded. Regardless, he argued, private matches can\u2019t be controlled, but the actions of the participants and audience members raised the real concern.<\/p>Again, here\u2019s a snippet:<\/p>Rea: When I go to MSL or MLG and someone blows up a ghost [Starcraft], does someone go \u201cYeah, rape that bitch!\u201d?[group laughter]Bakhtanians: But, you know, Jared, you\u2019re right. But if there was that much money being spent on Street Fighter, it wouldn\u2019t be happening here, either, you know. There would be more rules, there would be security here, it\u2019s not the same thing. It\u2019s not the same thing.Rea: When I go to SoCal regionals and I see a Phoenix [from Marvel vs. Capcom 3] on main stage getting blown up and there\u2019s some dude in the audience just yelling \u201cBitch! Bitch!\u201d every time she gets hit and then she killed and goes \u201cYeah, rape that bitch!\u201d Yeah, that\u2019s totally acceptable! Really? Really? You\u2019re going to tell me that\u2019s acceptable?Bakhtanians: Look, man. What is unacceptable about that? There\u2019s nothing unacceptable about that. These are people, we\u2019re in America, man, this isn\u2019t North Korea. We can say what we want. People get emotional.<\/blockquote>There was some light discussion after this, but it mostly trailed off.<\/p>Pakozdi, who was assigned to work with Bakhtanians as part of Team Tekken, did not simply blow things off. Like many people, she signed onto Twitter<\/a> and expressed disappointment over the day\u2019s events. She eventually deleted much of her commentary, but it was captured by the same reader<\/a> who tipped me off to this in the first place.<\/p>\u201cI hope my mom isn\u2019t disappointed with all of this shit,\u201d reads one tweet.<\/p>\u201cCapcom and the stream teams know and they don\u2019t care. I just gotta wait 2 more days,\u201d reads another.<\/p>\u201cI\u2019m not leaving because by contract I have to stay here 2 more days. If it were up to me I would have left long ago,\" she said.<\/p><\/a>Bakhtanians is a well known in the community, explaining his Cross Assault involvement.<\/figcaption><\/figure>I reached out to Pakozdi, but she did not respond.<\/p>Day six of Cross Assault took place yesterday. Pakozdi played, but if you start watching around eight hours and 32 minutes into the stream<\/a>, where she's playing as Balrog<\/a>, she doesn't even attack. She just pushes forward on the stick. This continues in the next matches, where she plays as Ken<\/a> using the same \"strategy.\"<\/p>Essentially, she's given up.<\/p>Per the rules of the show, she would then have to face off against John \"Dr. Sub-Zero\" Rockafeller, who was already eliminated. If he beat her in three out of five matches, he would be \"revived.\"<\/p>Instead, she forfeited. Moments after she bowed out, Rockafeller looked over and handed his prizes over to her.<\/p>\u201cI would like to donate everything to Super_Yan for being an angel,\u201d he said.<\/p>Bakhtanians also contributes the website Avoiding the Puddle<\/a> and the site\u2019s associated Twitter account.<\/p>\u201cesports,\u201d he wrote last night<\/a>.<\/p>Previously, however, he did have his own personal Twitter account<\/a>. What\u2019s listed in his bio?<\/p>\u201cFuck you.\u201d<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>BrianP<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>807<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 0<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By BrianP<\/a><\/div><\/div>Edit: It's crazy to me that someone would believe sexism and sexual harassment is so integral to the way they interact with other human beings, that if you took it away it would fundamentally change the nature of the community (and even more crazy to think that it would make it WORSE as that dude seems to imply)<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>Noxville<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>32<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 1<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By Noxville<\/a><\/div><\/div>Am I reading wrong or did Capcom actually not do shit about this?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>deathbyyeti<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>790<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>56<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 4<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By deathbyyeti<\/a><\/div><\/div>Journalism. Also speaking of sexual harassment, I loved the way Super Yan didnt want to talk about but then some \"game journalist\" jump all over her to get a quick story. Keep it classy<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>299<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>4436<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 0<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/div><\/div>This Aris guy sounds like a gigantic idiot that needs to be slapped in the face repeatedly.<\/p>I may not like Jared's hair, but good for him for calling out this douche. Comparing misogyny to sports is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>2503<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>330<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 22<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/div><\/div>I thought Reality Shows were supposed<\/i> to be all about drama?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>dragonzord<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>
Edit: It's crazy to me that someone would believe sexism and sexual harassment is so integral to the way they interact with other human beings, that if you took it away it would fundamentally change the nature of the community (and even more crazy to think that it would make it WORSE as that dude seems to imply)<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>Noxville<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>32<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 1<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By Noxville<\/a><\/div><\/div>Am I reading wrong or did Capcom actually not do shit about this?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>deathbyyeti<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>790<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>56<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 4<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By deathbyyeti<\/a><\/div><\/div>Journalism. Also speaking of sexual harassment, I loved the way Super Yan didnt want to talk about but then some \"game journalist\" jump all over her to get a quick story. Keep it classy<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>299<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>4436<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 0<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/div><\/div>This Aris guy sounds like a gigantic idiot that needs to be slapped in the face repeatedly.<\/p>I may not like Jared's hair, but good for him for calling out this douche. Comparing misogyny to sports is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>2503<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>330<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 22<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/div><\/div>I thought Reality Shows were supposed<\/i> to be all about drama?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>dragonzord<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>
Am I reading wrong or did Capcom actually not do shit about this?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>deathbyyeti<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>790<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>56<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 4<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By deathbyyeti<\/a><\/div><\/div>Journalism. Also speaking of sexual harassment, I loved the way Super Yan didnt want to talk about but then some \"game journalist\" jump all over her to get a quick story. Keep it classy<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>299<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>4436<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 0<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/div><\/div>This Aris guy sounds like a gigantic idiot that needs to be slapped in the face repeatedly.<\/p>I may not like Jared's hair, but good for him for calling out this douche. Comparing misogyny to sports is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>2503<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>330<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 22<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/div><\/div>I thought Reality Shows were supposed<\/i> to be all about drama?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>dragonzord<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>
Journalism. Also speaking of sexual harassment, I loved the way Super Yan didnt want to talk about but then some \"game journalist\" jump all over her to get a quick story. Keep it classy<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>299<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>4436<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 0<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 0<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By AnEternalEnigma<\/a><\/div><\/div>This Aris guy sounds like a gigantic idiot that needs to be slapped in the face repeatedly.<\/p>I may not like Jared's hair, but good for him for calling out this douche. Comparing misogyny to sports is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>2503<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>330<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 22<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/div><\/div>I thought Reality Shows were supposed<\/i> to be all about drama?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>dragonzord<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>
This Aris guy sounds like a gigantic idiot that needs to be slapped in the face repeatedly.<\/p>I may not like Jared's hair, but good for him for calling out this douche. Comparing misogyny to sports is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>2503<\/p>Forum Posts<\/p><\/div>330<\/p>Wiki Points<\/p><\/div>0<\/p>Followers<\/p><\/div><\/section>Reviews:<\/span> 1<\/p>User Lists:<\/span> 22<\/p><\/section><\/div><\/div>\n Edited By DarkbeatDK<\/a><\/div><\/div>I thought Reality Shows were supposed<\/i> to be all about drama?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>dragonzord<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>
I thought Reality Shows were supposed<\/i> to be all about drama?<\/p><\/article>12 years ago<\/time><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a>dragonzord<\/a><\/svg><\/i> Follow\n <\/a><\/div><\/header>
1225 Comments<\/h4>