Social media has had a profound impact on the gaming industry as a whole. It has changed the perception of gaming. New communities have risen around social media gamers. It offers a direct line between consumers and developers. Game conceptualization, production, and marketing has fundamentally changed. Social media allows new alternatives for indie game designers to gain exposure and fund projects. Social media has significant beneficial impact on the gaming industry and community, giving broader access beyond what was previously available.
Social Media and Gaming
Web-based browser games initiated the first cross between social media and the gaming industry. Browser games developed as a way to keep users logged in, and gained in popularity
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The perpetrators of such acts are harder to trace and prosecute. These events reflect negatively on the game industry and community as a whole. The Gamergate controversy is a well-publicized example of misuse of social media to stalk and harass individuals (Jason, 2015).
Harassment and Stalking A game developer’s ex -boyfriend used social media to dig up personal details on her life. These details were posted on other social media sites for others to use against her. She endured online harassment and both virtual stalking by a group using the Gamergate tagline. These attacks spread out to include other female personalities in the game community and transformed into targeted cyber bullying (Jason, 2015).
Cyber Bullying Threats on social media spread to releasing private information including social security numbers, phone numbers, and home addresses. Individuals received death threats and threats of physical harm at home and work. Some developers left the game industry rather than be subjected to constant abuse (Vorel, 2014). The problem has become so widespread congress is reviewing cases related to the controversy (Hall,