While this is an opinion piece, it's a fairly uninformed one.
She had a history of doing this at Paizo prior to ArenaNet and was fired for it.
Do you think that this was an isolated incident? Her Twitter betrays a pattern of vile behavior and one could make the argument that she abused a political ideology in order to be a terrible person.
Just to elaborate on some of her history, Wulfgarion on Reddit posted this nice summary on r/MMORPG.
Let's be clear about what has occurred here. The reason why this story has gone viral well beyond the confines of gaming websites is not over whether a company was in the right to release employees over breaking rules but that it was done so publicly and quickly.
It IS standard corporate practice to fire employees blatantly breaking rules. It is NOT standard practice to fire employees PUBLICLY and in real time over social media. That is beyond making a statement. It is a declaration.
ArenaNet is distancing itself from any form of SJW style practices. Jessica Price claimed she was being victimized by sexist profiling while using sexist attacks in a conversation where none existed. She has a clear record of doing this repeatedly levied against her position within an industry. This is political agenda.
ArenaNet did not have to do this publicly ... but they did. They severed those 2 employees with a proverbial french revolution guillotine.
Let's be clear about what has occurred here. The reason why this story has gone viral well beyond the confines of gaming websites is not over whether a company was in the right to release employees over breaking rules but that it was done so publicly and quickly.
It IS standard corporate practice to fire employees blatantly breaking rules. It is NOT standard practice to fire employees PUBLICLY and in real time over social media. That is beyond making a statement. It is a declaration.
ArenaNet is distancing itself from any form of SJW style practices. Jessica Price claimed she was being victimized by sexist profiling while using sexist attacks in a conversation where none existed. She has a clear record of doing this repeatedly levied against her position within an industry. This is political agenda.
ArenaNet did not have to do this publicly ... but they did. They severed those 2 employees with a proverbial french revolution guillotine.
In an incident like this, it is standard a company say how they handled the issue, they handled it by letting the two employees go. This isn't some new practice, it is a very standard one these days for companies in the spotlight.
Right. It wasn't about making a public political statement. The employees in question made themselves a publicly visible issue to the playerbase. Any resolution to that issue also had to be visible to the playerbase, within the limits of any applicable privacy laws.
On who actually loses in all of this, though I don't think they realize it yet.
Gaming journalism. I spent a good deal of time talking to folks I know in the industry, and they are not actually scared the way Jessica Price said.....if anything they are doing the "I told you so" to their superiors and marketers, who are in turn discussing future narrative and how Naive it is to allow just Tom, Dick or Henrietta (see what I did there?) to form a narrative they have zero control over.
My prediction from what I am hearing....
Expect much less cooperation from developers in the future, expect fewer con showings, and more controlled (As in developer run ) gaming news sites, also much less developer backed revenue. It won't stop fans from still shouting their opinion, but it's going to be damn hard to make any revenue from it.....and the masses will hear the controlled message, they just will.
I remember gaming journalism sites started because people that loved games, wanted to talk to the awesome folks that made games, and for a time it was a mutual admiration society......like everything else human nature touches that went to shit, for reasons.
My prediction is by 2020, there will be maybe one or two independent game journalism sites ran by hard core fans doing it out of just love making zero dollars......the larger game conglomerates will either buy out the more popular sites or will give theme the middle finger, sue them any time they publish something about their company without permission and send their controlled narrative to the news outlet they created, which will have very strict controlled means of communication.
Congratulations to RPS, The Verge, Kotaku and Ploygon........you created your own demise.
This has already pretty much happened. Game journalism based sites like Kotaku are dying out. Youtube and Twitch are replacing them. In some cases, for some people, they already have.
Let's be clear about what has occurred here. The reason why this story has gone viral well beyond the confines of gaming websites is not over whether a company was in the right to release employees over breaking rules but that it was done so publicly and quickly.
It IS standard corporate practice to fire employees blatantly breaking rules. It is NOT standard practice to fire employees PUBLICLY and in real time over social media. That is beyond making a statement. It is a declaration.
ArenaNet is distancing itself from any form of SJW style practices. Jessica Price claimed she was being victimized by sexist profiling while using sexist attacks in a conversation where none existed. She has a clear record of doing this repeatedly levied against her position within an industry. This is political agenda.
ArenaNet did not have to do this publicly ... but they did. They severed those 2 employees with a proverbial french revolution guillotine.
Actually, they did have to do it publically. If they secretly fired them, it would have been an even BIGGER controversy then it is now. The headlines would read something like "ArenaNet fires 2 employees secretly over social media debate" on sites like Kotaku.
I have an inkling that the ONLY reason it was done so publicly was for MO to seem like the "Hero" or "Good Guy" to the community. But then, that's only based on what I know from folks who have or do work at ANet. This sort of stuff happens a LOT, not just at ANet - people in power outright abusing those below them. And the fact that this is done so pubicly, despite the wrongdoing (and it was just that) of Jessica Price, is a bad look for ArenaNet, except to the fans. And that's precisely what MO knows.
I guess that's my main point.
I'm not trying to make the man look bad either. To those who know, he already does look bad. People don't come out publicly because they know it would burn bridges and be bad for their careers. And that's a shame. But since writing this I've had people from in and outside of ArenaNet come to me and tell me they appreciated the article because it brings up his actions past and present at the company and at previous work at Blizzard too. There are many things about these we will never know.
To me, the story shouldn't be about Price, but about MO and the public nature of the whole issue.
The firing isn't ONLY about MO. But the PUBLIC nature of it is entirely meant for him to garner support from Reddit/GuildWars2, and little else. One person who contacted me even called the man a Sociopath and had to go to therapy because of their time working with him.
I've met him 2 or 3 times, and he was always kind to me. But I've heard enough horror stories about working there that I think it's valuable to not let him hide behind his position as President.
The next time he comes out and makes a public spectacle on something other than the game's patches or updates - keep this in mind: he's doing it just to get the adulation of the community, even if he's stomping down on those below him.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
Let's be clear about what has occurred here. The reason why this story has gone viral well beyond the confines of gaming websites is not over whether a company was in the right to release employees over breaking rules but that it was done so publicly and quickly.
It IS standard corporate practice to fire employees blatantly breaking rules. It is NOT standard practice to fire employees PUBLICLY and in real time over social media. That is beyond making a statement. It is a declaration.
ArenaNet is distancing itself from any form of SJW style practices. Jessica Price claimed she was being victimized by sexist profiling while using sexist attacks in a conversation where none existed. She has a clear record of doing this repeatedly levied against her position within an industry. This is political agenda.
ArenaNet did not have to do this publicly ... but they did. They severed those 2 employees with a proverbial french revolution guillotine.
Mike O'Brien's statement quoted in the Polygon article made it very clear they were aware of things as of the 4th, but the office was closed.
Even Price's account claims that she was called into a meeting and was fired there. She was not fired "in real time" over social media.
O'Brien then made an announcement to the community, which was only proper, as Jessica Price had made this a community ordeal.
Remember Adam Orth? The guy from Xbox who mocked everyone who complained about Always Online?
He was also fired rather publicly. No one cared to interview him however.
I have an inkling that the ONLY reason it was done so publicly was for MO to seem like the "Hero" or "Good Guy" to the community. But then, that's only based on what I know from folks who have or do work at ANet. This sort of stuff happens a LOT, not just at ANet - people in power outright abusing those below them. And the fact that this is done so pubicly, despite the wrongdoing (and it was just that) of Jessica Price, is a bad look for ArenaNet, except to the fans. And that's precisely what MO knows.
I guess that's my main point.
I'm not trying to make the man look bad either. To those who know, he already does look bad. People don't come out publicly because they know it would burn bridges and be bad for their careers. And that's a shame. But since writing this I've had people from in and outside of ArenaNet come to me and tell me they appreciated the article because it brings up his actions past and present at the company. There are many we will never know about.
To me, the story shouldn't be about Price, but about MO and the public nature of the whole issue.
The firing isn't ONLY about MO. But the PUBLIC nature of it is entirely meant for him to garner support from Reddit/GuildWars2, and little else. One person who contacted me even called the man a Sociopath and had to go to therapy because of their time working with him.
I've met him 2 or 3 times, and he was always kind to me. But I've heard enough horror stories about working there that I think it's valuable to not let him hide behind his position as President.
I don't disagree, but this wasn't internal insubordination on the part of Price- it was a very public attempt to shame, from what I can tell, an otherwise cherished member of the community. If you're going to publicly shame someone as a respresentative of a company discussing company work, you have to make damn sure you are in the right about it and the act worth shaming is pretty much objectively so. That was not nearly the case here.
In the end, whether MO leveraged it for PR points or not, the community wanted to know the end result of this. We can debate whether they were entitled to it, but the fact that the act that caused her firing was very publicly made against another very public member of the community makes me lean towards "Yes."
Again, I invite anyone fearing for their jobs when interacting with the community to look to Oskar Gabrielson's handling of the #NotMyBattlefield group. He was very firm in rebuking the group (one whose action much more heavily warranted that rebuke than Deroir ever got here), even using a bit of sarcasm to drive home the ridiculousness of the group's goal. However, he kept it professional.
Bill, just admit you don't like Mike O'Brien and it's coloring everything you write.
At least if you put that disclaimer up, you'd be taken seriously.
Your entire article reeks of a bias, which you're going at great lengths to assure us is entirely justified without showing receipts.
Step off, mate.
Um, no? Because this is kind of my job. I can't name my sources, but I do have them. This whole thing is bogus. Maybe she should have been fired. I wouldn't have, but I've already said what I would have done. My point is that this whole thing goes way to the top of AN, and it's not going to stop. If anything, it's only going to get worse now that it's seen as a way to "please" people for MO.
I'm not trying to rub you or anyone the wrong way, but rather to put the truth out there. It's yours to do with as you please.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
Bill, just admit you don't like Mike O'Brien and it's coloring everything you write.
At least if you put that disclaimer up, you'd be taken seriously.
Your entire article reeks of a bias, which you're going at great lengths to assure us is entirely justified without showing receipts.
Step off, mate.
Um, no? Because this is kind of my job. I can't name my sources, but I do have them. This whole thing is bogus. Maybe she should have been fired. I wouldn't have, but I've already said what I would have done. My point is that this whole thing goes way to the top of AN, and it's not going to stop. If anything, it's only going to get worse now that it's seen as a way to "please" people for MO.
I'm not trying to rub you or anyone the wrong way, but rather to put the truth out there. It's yours to do with as you please.
Then it's all hearsay and hearsay is the realm of the gossip-monger.
There's a mountain of evidence showing how poorly Jessica Price acted, how she has a history of volatility and burning bridges after being removed from positions. All there and objective for people clear as day. Being traded around social media
Meanwhile...
Bill Murphy: I have SOURCES. They tell me Mike O'Brien is a terrible person! Believe me, because I'm a journalist!
Bill, you didn't even bother to name one instance of a company answerable to its parent or its shareholders that has actually defended an employee who's created this type of PR disaster with open and vitriolic mockery at a well known and respected customer and business partner.
Because they don't exist.
A CEO's job is to protect the company. If protecting the employees is in its best interest, it will do so. If firing them is in its best interest, it will do so.
Bill, just admit you don't like Mike O'Brien and it's coloring everything you write.
At least if you put that disclaimer up, you'd be taken seriously.
Your entire article reeks of a bias, which you're going at great lengths to assure us is entirely justified without showing receipts.
Step off, mate.
Um, no? Because this is kind of my job. I can't name my sources, but I do have them. This whole thing is bogus. Maybe she should have been fired. I wouldn't have, but I've already said what I would have done. My point is that this whole thing goes way to the top of AN, and it's not going to stop. If anything, it's only going to get worse now that it's seen as a way to "please" people for MO.
I'm not trying to rub you or anyone the wrong way, but rather to put the truth out there. It's yours to do with as you please.
You must see though for us that this is unsubstantiated allegations, as opposed to what can be read on Twitter. I even take a healthy pinch of salt about what I read on Twitter, let alone what I can't read myself. I should point out that I do believe you, it just that how much can that inform what I think about this?
As I can see good reason for her to go, and poor PR reasons for him to go, I see no need for something behind this other than that. Indeed you even implied (I think) MO might have had no direct involvement and this was done because he would have wanted it done that way. Well that's down to his staff as much as him.
I said it’s not about JP. This goes above and beyond this single instance. But well, I know what I know. I’ve said what I can say. Totally fine if you think I’m crazy.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
Bill, just admit you don't like Mike O'Brien and it's coloring everything you write.
At least if you put that disclaimer up, you'd be taken seriously.
Your entire article reeks of a bias, which you're going at great lengths to assure us is entirely justified without showing receipts.
Step off, mate.
Um, no? Because this is kind of my job. I can't name my sources, but I do have them. This whole thing is bogus. Maybe she should have been fired. I wouldn't have, but I've already said what I would have done. My point is that this whole thing goes way to the top of AN, and it's not going to stop. If anything, it's only going to get worse now that it's seen as a way to "please" people for MO.
I'm not trying to rub you or anyone the wrong way, but rather to put the truth out there. It's yours to do with as you please.
Maybe it will, as you know more about MO's actions than we obviously do. But this situation with Price seems a very poor poster child for that point.
I said it’s not about JP. This goes above and beyond this single instance. But well, I know what I know. I’ve said what I can say. Totally fine if you think I’m crazy.
We don't think you are crazy Bill, we will need a few posted rants, derogatory outbursts at random individuals, obsessive zeroing in on issues which you will not let go of...ever.
I said it’s not about JP. This goes above and beyond this single instance. But well, I know what I know. I’ve said what I can say. Totally fine if you think I’m crazy.
The problem is not that you've decided to put MO on blast in an opinion piece. That is your right, so long as you avoid defamation and have actual information to back it.
The problem is that, once again, you used a simple, objective controversy to do it. MMORPG.com had the opportunity and knowledge to factually present the story and its outcome against the popular narrative spread by other media outlets. You used this as an opportunity to criticize their boss, who was factually in the right in this single instance, and thus diluted the news coverage away from the actual issue, just like every other media outlet. If you do not see why this might be an issue, I don't know what to tell you.
Bill, just admit you don't like Mike O'Brien and it's coloring everything you write.
At least if you put that disclaimer up, you'd be taken seriously.
Your entire article reeks of a bias, which you're going at great lengths to assure us is entirely justified without showing receipts.
Step off, mate.
Um, no? Because this is kind of my job. I can't name my sources, but I do have them. This whole thing is bogus. Maybe she should have been fired. I wouldn't have, but I've already said what I would have done. My point is that this whole thing goes way to the top of AN, and it's not going to stop. If anything, it's only going to get worse now that it's seen as a way to "please" people for MO.
I'm not trying to rub you or anyone the wrong way, but rather to put the truth out there. It's yours to do with as you please.
Are you aware that you can be sued for defamation? You are calling the man a sociopath are you aware of that?
I just hope you have reliable sources because this thing could be very costly for you. You are practically lynching him.
You are portraying his employees as victims and he is an executioner even though the "facts" are that mentioned employees were clearly acting inappropriate. I hope you know what are you doing.
Not doing nothing or being a "nice" person is not why a manager gets to be a manager.
Anet would eventually have to at least make a statement.There was no way for them to act like a ostrich,the response from the players was massive.
Anet chose the nuclear option,but we can't really know what lead to that.
Maybe they asked of the developer to make amends with the players and apologise and she told them to f off.Who knows.
To the point,the developer was wrong 100%..She confronted Anet's customers for no reason and put her employers in the awkward position of having to choose between her or their clients.
If she was right,if she was indeed being attacked and insulted by the poster that replied to her tweet giving constructive feedback,Anet would have stood by her.But she wasn't.On the contrary she was the one spewing poison.
The other dev that got fired was collateral damage as firing only her was not an option due to appearances' sake.There was no way to fire only her given the tone that she and a multitude of good Samaritans chose to give to the conversation.
In the long run this will be good for the company and the game.
The last thing GW2 needs is toxic devs that lack people skills and can't interact with players in a professional and respectable manner.
By linking the Anet boss to this controversy, you're basically invalidate your position. Thing is, gaming press in a chorus is singing a false narrative, trying to convince people that what's right in front of their eyes is the opposite of what they see. So a claim of "listen and believe" tied to a lie, is pretty much a self defeating effort.
It is too late even for a separate article, as it will merely look like an attempt at unsubstantiated character assassination.
The problem is that, once again, you used a simple, objective controversy to do it. MMORPG.com had the opportunity and knowledge to factually present the story and its outcome against the popular narrative spread by other media outlets. You used this as an opportunity to criticize their boss, who was factually in the right in this single instance, and thus diluted the news coverage away from the actual issue, just like every other media outlet. If you do not see why this might be an issue, I don't know what to tell you.
It is attempting the same tactic as the Polygon, Kotaku, PC Gamer et al pieces did.
Downplay Jessica Price's culpability and shift blame.
The thing is, and it's very clear, a substantial number of people are not swallowing the sexism angle. It is, in fact, burning up what little credibility these outlets had among gamers to begin with.
Time for a new angle: The CEO of the company is a BAD man to EVERYONE!
It won't score you as many points with the ideology, but it will allow you to shift focus from one woman who's damaging liberalism's fight for equality (and weaponizing it to enable her shitty personality).
It is really overplaying their hand in how they manipulate public thought.
In short, most eloquently put by Thomas L. McDonald, the Gell-Mann
amnesia effect defines the idea that "I believe everything the media
tells me except for anything for which I have direct personal knowledge,
which they always get wrong."
I said it’s not about JP. This goes above and beyond this single instance. But well, I know what I know. I’ve said what I can say. Totally fine if you think I’m crazy.
A gaming company catering to customer outrage by firing a couple of employees is one of the side stories related to this incident worthy of coverage. Details about the CEO's personality are part of that story.
Another side story is inappropriately using misogyny as a defense when it's not warranted.
And yet a third side story is the equally inappropriate use of the misplaced misogyny accusations to further a fringe political agenda.
But those IMO are all side issues that, if they deserve their own coverage, should be covered after you thoroughly cover the main story which was a couple of developers, at least one of whom had been drinking by his own admission, using their own public twitter accounts to try to shame a customer for no good reason and without provocation and then doubling down with explicit statements that indicate that being nice to customers is not something they do naturally but is just a facade they turn on when they're on the job.
Allow me to offer my decidedly amateur observation (ironic, I know ) about how you need to "earn the right" to focus on the side issues by first exhaustively dealing with the primary issue. I think this is the problem that even those readers without extremist agendas have with your article. It reads as glossing over the original bad behavior by Price to focus on MO's reaction and make that the main story. This gives the impression of bias and dismissing the importance of the original issue even if that accusation is not warranted.
and 2 others.
"Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”
― Umberto Eco
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” ― CD PROJEKT RED
I said it’s not about JP. This goes above and beyond this single instance. But well, I know what I know. I’ve said what I can say. Totally fine if you think I’m crazy.
Bill Murphy, a white knight for self righteous pieces of trash. Funny how you've known all this stuff about ArenaNet for so long & how they do but wait til now to say anything about it. That is some moral compass you have there Mr. White Knight. Unless it's total bullshit & you're just trying to make the crybaby idiot who got fired look better? But hey, at least she can't do anymore harm.
I said it’s not about JP. This goes above and beyond this single instance. But well, I know what I know. I’ve said what I can say. Totally fine if you think I’m crazy.
Bill Murphy, a white knight for self righteous pieces of trash. Funny how you've known all this stuff about ArenaNet for so long & how they do but wait til now to say anything about it. That is some moral compass you have there Mr. White Knight. Unless it's total bullshit & you're just trying to make the crybaby idiot who got fired look better? But hey, at least she can't do anymore harm.
MO, that you?
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
O'Brien made no spectacle of the firing. He merely informed the community. It is the gaming journalists and Jessica who are making this a spectacle.
That aside....do you honestly think Jessica wouldn't have run back to Twitter and every Journalist who'd listen and spin a non-existent tale of sexism and injustice into a spectacle storm ? Judging from her self proclaimed no nonsense attitude ...or any sampling of tweets she's made for that matter... that's what she would do and I guarantee you... that's what she was in the process of doing when MO posted the announcement. There's no way it would have been kept internal by her. The righteous indignation was too great to contain.
It does seem that Peter's firing was a bit much but there is still much we do not know internally. Like were they on any disciplinary actions. Do they even have a disciplinary system in place like most corporations? She, at least, should have been on a final warning for the tweet about Total Biscuit. If not already fired.
What about him? Final warning perhaps? Did he carry over his gallant defense of a co-worker from twitter and propose a " If she goes, I go!" style ultimatum only to have MO call his bluff?
Comments
https://www.reddit.com/r/MMORPG/comments/8wp3b9/jessica_price_to_kotaku_after_the_gw2_incident/e1ya162/
It IS standard corporate practice to fire employees blatantly breaking rules. It is NOT standard practice to fire employees PUBLICLY and in real time over social media. That is beyond making a statement. It is a declaration.
ArenaNet is distancing itself from any form of SJW style practices. Jessica Price claimed she was being victimized by sexist profiling while using sexist attacks in a conversation where none existed. She has a clear record of doing this repeatedly levied against her position within an industry. This is political agenda.
ArenaNet did not have to do this publicly ... but they did. They severed those 2 employees with a proverbial french revolution guillotine.
You stay sassy!
I guess that's my main point.
I'm not trying to make the man look bad either. To those who know, he already does look bad. People don't come out publicly because they know it would burn bridges and be bad for their careers. And that's a shame. But since writing this I've had people from in and outside of ArenaNet come to me and tell me they appreciated the article because it brings up his actions past and present at the company and at previous work at Blizzard too. There are many things about these we will never know.
To me, the story shouldn't be about Price, but about MO and the public nature of the whole issue.
The firing isn't ONLY about MO. But the PUBLIC nature of it is entirely meant for him to garner support from Reddit/GuildWars2, and little else. One person who contacted me even called the man a Sociopath and had to go to therapy because of their time working with him.
I've met him 2 or 3 times, and he was always kind to me. But I've heard enough horror stories about working there that I think it's valuable to not let him hide behind his position as President.
The next time he comes out and makes a public spectacle on something other than the game's patches or updates - keep this in mind: he's doing it just to get the adulation of the community, even if he's stomping down on those below him.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
Even Price's account claims that she was called into a meeting and was fired there. She was not fired "in real time" over social media.
O'Brien then made an announcement to the community, which was only proper, as Jessica Price had made this a community ordeal.
Remember Adam Orth? The guy from Xbox who mocked everyone who complained about Always Online?
He was also fired rather publicly. No one cared to interview him however.
Or crucify Xbox for it.
Can't imagine why.
What kind of double-speak is this?
Bill, just admit you don't like Mike O'Brien and it's coloring everything you in regards to ArenaNet and Guild Wars 2.
At least if you put that disclaimer up, you'd be taken seriously.
Your entire article reeks of a bias, which you're going at great lengths to assure us is entirely justified without showing receipts.
Step off, mate.
In the end, whether MO leveraged it for PR points or not, the community wanted to know the end result of this. We can debate whether they were entitled to it, but the fact that the act that caused her firing was very publicly made against another very public member of the community makes me lean towards "Yes."
Again, I invite anyone fearing for their jobs when interacting with the community to look to Oskar Gabrielson's handling of the #NotMyBattlefield group. He was very firm in rebuking the group (one whose action much more heavily warranted that rebuke than Deroir ever got here), even using a bit of sarcasm to drive home the ridiculousness of the group's goal. However, he kept it professional.
I'm not trying to rub you or anyone the wrong way, but rather to put the truth out there. It's yours to do with as you please.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
There's a mountain of evidence showing how poorly Jessica Price acted, how she has a history of volatility and burning bridges after being removed from positions. All there and objective for people clear as day. Being traded around social media
Meanwhile...
Bill Murphy: I have SOURCES. They tell me Mike O'Brien is a terrible person! Believe me, because I'm a journalist!
Bill, you didn't even bother to name one instance of a company answerable to its parent or its shareholders that has actually defended an employee who's created this type of PR disaster with open and vitriolic mockery at a well known and respected customer and business partner.
Because they don't exist.
A CEO's job is to protect the company. If protecting the employees is in its best interest, it will do so. If firing them is in its best interest, it will do so.
As I can see good reason for her to go, and poor PR reasons for him to go, I see no need for something behind this other than that. Indeed you even implied (I think) MO might have had no direct involvement and this was done because he would have wanted it done that way. Well that's down to his staff as much as him.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
Price acted like a grade A douche and paid the price. It's not a complicated story at all, except for the the white knights rushing to make it so.
The problem is that, once again, you used a simple, objective controversy to do it. MMORPG.com had the opportunity and knowledge to factually present the story and its outcome against the popular narrative spread by other media outlets. You used this as an opportunity to criticize their boss, who was factually in the right in this single instance, and thus diluted the news coverage away from the actual issue, just like every other media outlet. If you do not see why this might be an issue, I don't know what to tell you.
I just hope you have reliable sources because this thing could be very costly for you. You are practically lynching him.
You are portraying his employees as victims and he is an executioner even though the "facts" are that mentioned employees were clearly acting inappropriate. I hope you know what are you doing.
Anet would eventually have to at least make a statement.There was no way for them to act like a ostrich,the response from the players was massive.
Anet chose the nuclear option,but we can't really know what lead to that.
Maybe they asked of the developer to make amends with the players and apologise and she told them to f off.Who knows.
To the point,the developer was wrong 100%..She confronted Anet's customers for no reason and put her employers in the awkward position of having to choose between her or their clients.
If she was right,if she was indeed being attacked and insulted by the poster that replied to her tweet giving constructive feedback,Anet would have stood by her.But she wasn't.On the contrary she was the one spewing poison.
The other dev that got fired was collateral damage as firing only her was not an option due to appearances' sake.There was no way to fire only her given the tone that she and a multitude of good Samaritans chose to give to the conversation.
In the long run this will be good for the company and the game.
The last thing GW2 needs is toxic devs that lack people skills and can't interact with players in a professional and respectable manner.
Downplay Jessica Price's culpability and shift blame.
The thing is, and it's very clear, a substantial number of people are not swallowing the sexism angle. It is, in fact, burning up what little credibility these outlets had among gamers to begin with.
Time for a new angle: The CEO of the company is a BAD man to EVERYONE!
It won't score you as many points with the ideology, but it will allow you to shift focus from one woman who's damaging liberalism's fight for equality (and weaponizing it to enable her shitty personality).
It is really overplaying their hand in how they manipulate public thought.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gell-Mann_amnesia_effect
In short, most eloquently put by Thomas L. McDonald, the Gell-Mann amnesia effect defines the idea that "I believe everything the media tells me except for anything for which I have direct personal knowledge, which they always get wrong."
Another side story is inappropriately using misogyny as a defense when it's not warranted.
And yet a third side story is the equally inappropriate use of the misplaced misogyny accusations to further a fringe political agenda.
But those IMO are all side issues that, if they deserve their own coverage, should be covered after you thoroughly cover the main story which was a couple of developers, at least one of whom had been drinking by his own admission, using their own public twitter accounts to try to shame a customer for no good reason and without provocation and then doubling down with explicit statements that indicate that being nice to customers is not something they do naturally but is just a facade they turn on when they're on the job.
Allow me to offer my decidedly amateur observation (ironic, I know
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