runwithmonkeys24

I have to leave one more comment saying how funny it is that several people are saying something along the lines of, "I don't care at all whether a cast in a video game is all white! For that matter, I don't care if the Giant Bomb staff is all black, white, male, female, Asian, Hispanic, etc. all I care is that they're funny! So stop whining about a video game having an all white cast, or Giant Bomb having an all male, all white staff! You are all racists/sexists for seeing color/gender in the first place and caring!"

Which all sounds mildly logical up to a point, until you actually take a step back and think, "Hm... about 50% of the population in the United States, where this website (that I love) is based, is female, but after years of staff members coming and going, Giant Bomb still has never hired a woman to join the crew. I've seen many people come and go on Giant Bomb over the years, whether full time staff members, or even interns, but Giant Bomb has still been 100% male."

It's not a matter of demanding a gender quota, it's examining something that you authentically love (Giant Bomb), and pointing out something that you see as hurting it more than helping it. I'm not going to boycott GB for still not adding a woman to the crew, I'm not going to cancel my subscription. But at a certain point, I have to conclude that either the biases inherent in the Giant Bomb staff, or in the video game industry are a factor, and that's a bummer to someone who likes the kind of critical thinking, discussion, and actual fun that comes from having a group of people that have their differences.

Hi Austin, I loved the article and I really hope that you continue writing similarly critical pieces that focus on aspects of games that are often either ignored or screamed down by the expected crowd (mrm activists, children/teenagers, culturally insulated middle/upper class Americans, etc.). As in most cultural and media outlets, I still find the general rule of overt and covert sexism and gender bias in video games to be widespread to the point where it's usually overlooked or dismissed, and when it is addressed the public backlash is such that positive change is either silence or kicked down the road. Clearly you have a unique perspective on the complex issues of race and culture in video games which I personally always find fascinating, but I would also really enjoy either your (or if GB hired a female staff writer at some point) critical perspective on sexism and gender portrayal in video games and video game culture.

When I was still an undergraduate I found critical analysis of sexism and gender bias in various forms of media and culture super interesting, which flies in the face of what people usually say on internet forums, but I think a general audience could come to realize just how enjoyable critical, analytical readings of games and gaming culture (and other forms of media) can be if presented in the right form. From this article you seem like just the kind of writer who can successfully straddle that line between addressing traditionally sensitive issues of race and gender, and keeping a calm and casual tone that doesn't raise the ire of community prone to knee-jerk reaction. Anyways, longer post that I had planned, but keep up the good work!

Edit: One last point, obviously articles addressing/discussing/analyzing issues of gender bias, sexism, etc. in video games and media will always immediate infuriate certain people, but there's also a portion of the audience like me that really wants writing like this to become more available for our consumption. In other words, Giant Bomb doesn't need to have articles splashed permanently all over the front page with the words SEXISM ARTICLES! in all caps, BUT it would be really cool if there were at least more critical articles similar to this one by Austin available on the site somewhere, for people like me who would really enjoy them. Again, Austin and the whole GB crew is awesome, keep up the awesomeness.

I can't put to words the kind of sadness I'm experiencing. This is an aspect of my life that will never be the same. I feel I've lost a dear friend, regardless of never having met Ryan. You can't spend so much time laughing alongside someone without connecting with them in a visceral way. It's too much...