Bungie has, historically, been one of the most forward-facing studios in the business. The team would freely admit that it doesn’t get every decision right, but generally it fronts up its failings and maintains an open dialogue with its community. However, in recent months the freshly minted Sony studio has quietened down. The reason? Fans have been taking their feedback too far.
Community manager dmg04 took to the title’s Reddit page to explain: “Here’s the thing, the harassment we've spoken to isn't just rude replies on Twitter or vague comments. There have been real threats towards our people and our studio. We're taking them seriously, which is leading to an amount of reduced communications as the team plans future protections [and] strategies to help avoid these sorts of things.”
He added: “I will be very clear in saying that I appreciate the studio in the amount that it’s helped me personally after some serious harassment towards me and my family. I'm taking time off in part because of this. Just because you can't see it directly in a given tweet or forum reply doesn't mean that it didn't happen.”
The good news is that Bungie is adamant the bad eggs won’t ruin things for everyone, and is looking at new ways it can continue to engage with its community without opening itself to attacks: “The team is planning ways in which to communicate with you all – some of these plans I'm really looking forward to when I get back in. I can assure you that many on the team are checking out threads each day and talking about your feedback.”
It’s a reminder to all of us that, while robust feedback is fine, it’s important to remember there are real people on the other side. We’re sure that Bungie welcomes all criticism and suggestions, but personal attacks, threats, and insults are simply unacceptable – and, ultimately, unnecessary. If you want to share your thoughts, be clear and polite – it’s the best way to get a response anyway.
[source reddit.com, via resetera.com]
Comments 43
Not to get hysterical but the internet was a mistake. Thanks Al Gore.
@zupertramp The Internet is great. It's just, like anything, the people who use it are the problem.
Bungie have always been incredible when it comes to customer interaction, they’re really involved in the Destiny community and have been for years. Mad that anybody thinks they can treat people like this.
@zupertramp Nah Social Media Was The Mistake.
@zupertramp AL gore had nothing to do with it, thank those that truly Own and run this country and most others as well as their intelligence agencies.
But funny nonetheless
The worst part about it isn't the cowards that threaten others hidden behind the veil of anonymity. It's the misinformation that literally shape and the ignorant to their in every aspect of their lives through a foundation of lies, misdirection, and marketing.
Now we have an era where even the journalists and the rise of "influencers" are doing the false marketing for the corporate overlords and elite for a quick buck and aspirations of future greed.
But I digress
@get2sammyb Well don't take me too terribly serious. Perhaps I needed an emoji of some kind to help relay my intended playful tone.
Still, I can't be the only one that questions the cost to benefit ratio at times, especially in regards to social media. Like, threats of violence?! Over a video game? Just... why?
Time to make identity verification a requirement to use social media??
Jokes aside , it sucks when the minority can ruin everyone else's time...
@Royalblues
I completely agree.
@KundaliniRising333 yeah, figured I'd get some flak for the Gore comment. Lol. It's just nice to have a scapegoat... even if it's the wrong one.
Seriously though, it's all in jest because that's my only response to such disheartening behavior.
I understand there's logistical headaches and hurdles towards it, but there needs to be a real effort at policing the internet.
Be as rude and annoying as you want, but as soon as you start harrassing and threatening someone, you should face real world implications of that.
Unless it's Randy Pitchford. Then it's ok.
@zupertramp Haha I knew you were being facetious. But yeah, it's crazy how OTT some people can be.
Fortunately everyone's lovely here! (Most of the time! )
@Areus No cap, as the kids would say. Or, I think they still say that. <Insert obligatory Steve Buscemi gif here>
Just block the people that's using personal attacks and threats on twitter, although I'm beginning to think bungie just don't want to communicate with it's fans again using this excuse.
@zupertramp Most Of Them Have Never Known a World Without it Send Them Back To the Early 80s And They Wouldn't Know How To Function.
@zupertramp I know it was a joke, but behind every joke is some truth. Regardless as others have said there is nothing wrong with the internet. As created it was for sharing information for the betterment of mankind. And for it's first 20 years it was mostly just that, a positive thing.
As @Areus said social media was the mistake. Giving people - of which just a small proportion are ***** - a platform that only encourages them.
@get2sammyb The same with guns but somehow i believe the world will be safer without them. I may not agree on a lot of things but i never saw death threats here?
Twitter and all social media is a cesspool that shouldn't exist. It's destroyed civility. Most younger people can't even properly communicate face to face. It's stunted society far more than its helped. I say burn down all social media sites as the cancer they are.
@wiiware I dont want to mean but such a stupid response and if these are your fans then ofcourse why would you want to talk to such people. Threats are never normal even if people try to make them like a normal issue.
@Royalblues Depends of the thing. No Man's Sky is the game it is now is due to Hello Games constantly listening to feedback and seeing what the community wants, hell the recent update was a result of they community really wanting that part of the game expanded.
The trick is to not get too personal though, HG and Sean frequently visit the subreddit (proved by Sean always posting pics from it on his Twitter) but almost never comment or chat with us. We know they're there watching and listening we just can't directly chat with them.
Bungie are one of the most anti-consumer and worst devs when it comes to ripping off their player base. They deserve most of the criticism they get. Saying that no one should threaten Bungie staff or other devs for any reason. It’s sad.
Even something as small as a mosquito, if gone, can devastate the environment. Same goes for bees, krill, algae, etc. Except humans. The world would be fine, without humans. Moral of the story? People suck.
@Fenbops Yeah Bungie deserves a lot of criticism but nobody should receive threats about it. It always feels to me Push Square are quick to praise Bungie but gloss over the fact they are one of the few publishers to take away content I have paid for and not a small portion about 99% of what I have paid for.
Where's Rache Bartmoss when we need him?
It would be so satisfying if each and every one of these harassers had to face real consequences for their actions. No more hiding behind keyboards
@zupertramp You wouldn't have this game nor would this comment exist without the internet. Is this pedantic? Yes but your comment was pointless anyways so no harm.
Umm, Bungie has always been lousy with their communication especially when it comes to Destiny. How is this any different?
@nessisonett This is satire, right?
@zupertramp hits tree with a hammer and screams “take that, Al Gore!” XD
Thanks for bringing some levity to an otherwise dour conversation.
On topic, nobody deserves to have their family threatened for any reason and the trolls need to be reported and pursued to the fullest extent of the law.
I do think perhaps on the industry side just not having Twitter accounts, official reddit, Facebook, etc would definitely help eliminate the avenue for cowardice threats at least in the online space.
Or at least having pages essentially as bulletins, but not allowing commentary and including links to submit suggestions and feedback where some level of verification is implemented would greatly help avoid this type of abuse.
@bindiana exactly.
Some folks just can't help but take things from 0 to 11 no matter how inconsequential it may seem. 🤷♂️
Sometimes I feel like licenses should be issued out for a lot of things that don't otherwise have licenses. For example, there should probably be a license issued in order to use the internet, as well as have kids or even own a pet.
People need to realize that it's fine if you have some criticism of a project and offer something that is constructive towards it. However, threatening people and calling them all kinds of names isn't going to help, but the anonymity of the internet doesn't help with that.
Gamers are the worst. Well, maybe there are a few groups worse, but it ain't many.
@MasterVGuides yeah anonymity is equals parts bug and essential feature. and it takes a great deal of self awareness, self restraint, and frankly empathy to take full advantage of that anonymity and still treat others like you would in real life. It's something I certainly wasn't taught, but then the internet was just beginning to blossom back in my day.
But now... it's so integrated into our lives, I don't understand why there's not a greater push toward educating our youth on internet etiquette.
@themightyant maybe we can settle on the truth of my joke being that maybe yes, social media, unbridled and wild wild west at it is, was an oversight on our part.
get rid of social media problem solved
@trev666 I honestly wish we could. Sadly it’s not that easy, way too much money involved.
@zupertramp Ever play Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri? When you research the Internet technology tree for your civilization, the icon is Al Gore's picture
Internet etiquette? They don't even educate youth on real world etiquette. They teach assertiveness and not etiquette. And there we have our problem
In the us back in the day, there was the Internet, and there were the AOL message boards. Sane nerds used Internet. Insane"normal"people used the aol swamp. It was separated and it was better.
@get2sammyb But some things are so obviously things that no human should ever have access to, making the thing itself bad. The Internet, time travel, spray cheese in a can...
@Flaming_Kaiser What are you talking about, I said just block the rude people, and talk to normal fans. But I think bungie didn't want to talk to it's normal fans again so they're winding down their communication channels.
I do think toxic mtx games will breed toxic fans, since the fans will complain if the mtx isn't fair.
@NEStalgia never played that. funny.
true that education in general could be more well rounded and not be so geared toward "getting yours" in life.
yeah there were a couple times where AOL was just about the only way to access the internet. definitely got exposed to some weird stuff way too young lol.
In my work, Ive had people threatening me. At the end of the day the 'team' shouldn't be fronting Twitter or social media, pass it to a PR company. Especially as Destiny is going to garner backlash everytime it updates - it's expensive and has microtransactions. Who buys them? Kids and Karen's. Bad news both sets.
No doubt the same pathetic losers who made rape threats towards Naughty Dog employees. Exactly the same kind of basement dwelling incels who can’t behave like humans.
@trev666 cool solution, champ. Problem fixed 🤦♀️
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