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Yesterday, Ooblets developer Ben Wasser published a Medium post that spotlighted a fraction of the violent verbal threats and abuse the studio Glumberland endured as a result of its Epic exclusivity agreement.
Last week, Glumberland announced that its game would now be released on the Epic Games Store, and explained in a blog post why they took up the offer and what it would mean for Ooblets. In essence, the investment from Epic allows Glumberland to allocate more resources to complete the game’s development, and keeps the lights on for an independent studio. Wasser expected that there may be a backlash to the announcement, and suggested that there are more pressing things to get angry about, such as climate change or the finale of Game of Thrones.
The post was intended to be as transparent as possible on what an Epic exclusivity agreement details with tongue-in-cheek humour about distribution platform disputes. Instead, it sparked intense vitriol, with readers labelling the post as insulting and dismissive, and sending ‘thousands if not tens of thousands’ of messages harassing Glumberland developers with anti-Semitic, racist and violent abuse.
Wasser addressed the distressing experience in a Medium post released yesterday. In it, examples of the incessant persecution that he and Rebecca Cordingley endured over the past weekend are shown; Wasser stated that ‘the worst of it usually gets deleted or is sent to us privately.’
The common theme in all the hate directed towards the indie developers is that Glumberland didn’t treat potential consumers with respect, something that the detractors believe they are entitled to. ‘Whenever I’ve mentioned that we, as random people happening to be making a game, don’t owe these other random people anything, they become absolutely enraged,’ Wasser explained, ‘Some of the most apparently incendiary screenshots of things I’ve said are all along these lines.’
‘These folks believe they hold the magic power of the wallet over developers who should cower before them and capitulate to any of their demands,’ he added. Despite the storm of ire and toxicity, Wasser stood by his original statements, and thanked the Ooblets community, Epic Games and everyone who publicly and privately supported the studio through the experience.
Epic Games released its ‘Statement on Misinformation & Abuse’ yesterday in reaction to the Ooblets controversy, and denounced all harassment that its partners receive when a game becomes Epic exclusive. ‘Epic is working together with many game developers and other partners to build what we believe will be a healthier and more competitive multi-store world for the future,’ Epic Games stated, ‘We remain fully committed, and we will steadfastly support our partners throughout these challenges.’
In the replies to the tweet attached to Wasser’s Medium post, it doesn't seem that people are taking his words to heart, but hopefully the tides will turn in future.
