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It is reported that there are now over one billion people worldwide who play multimedia video games, and the typical 'gamer' stereotype (mid 20s, single, white male) no longer applies (Reilly, 2015). Games are growing increasingly more pervasive as well as more social, and are now available any time on multiple platforms (PC, Xbox and PlayStation) and devices such as smart phones and iPads. Within less than a decade, video games have gone from being a niche area of entertainment for a few, to a mass medium that appeals to people of all ages and genders. Research continues to show an increase in the number of women who are now gaming, with the genders almost reaching parity. These statistics, however, tend to focus on gaming as a whole, and ignore gender splits within particular games and/or countries, where in many online games women are often a minority. As a result of this gender imbalance, the culture of games continues to be heavily influenced by highly masculinist discourse.
There is an increasing diversification of gaming culture that is occurring due to the growing popularity of games. While many perceive this to be a positive step, there are some who are resistant to these fundamental shifts and who do not want the culture of games to change. Users of the hashtag #GamerGate have been the most vocal in their resistance to these changes. In 2014 reports of GamerGate activities started to circulate more widely, becoming a topical issue in the USA where news outlets began to describe the emergence of a 'culture war' over the diversification of gaming culture. The most prominent debates centred on the topic of cyberbullying, including rape and death threats that were being directed primarily at scholars and women involved in the gaming industry.
The movement known as #GamerGate has evolved out of a series of incidents following the publication of an online blog written by Eron Gjoni (posted 8 August 2014). In this blog, Gjoni accuses his former girlfriend, game developer Zoe Quinn, of sleeping with a game critic journalist in order to gain a favourable review for her game Depression Quest. Gjoni's story was subsequently posted on several other forums where discussions were aimed at harassing Quinn and exposing details...
