Axios Gaming: Controversy around IGN's pro-Palestinian post

Plus: A surprise change in "Mass Effect." | Monday, May 17, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Cisco   Axios Gaming By Megan Farokhmanesh and Stephen Totilo ·May 17, 2021 It's Monday, though, if it already feels like the middle of the week, we get it. Hello from Megan and Stephen. Let's talk games, shall we? ⚡️ Situational awareness: AT&T's spin-off of some of its businesses into a new company with Discovery will have some impact on its games business. A spokesperson tells Axios' Sara Fischer: "Some of the gaming arm will stay with AT&T and some will go with the new company." Details TBA. Today's newsletter is 976 words, a 4-minute read.     1 big thing: Controversy over support for Palestinians A screenshot of the now-deleted post on IGN.com.   The controversy over a Friday IGN post supporting Palestinians spilled into the new week, after a statement appeared on IGN's twitter feed late Sunday night regarding the post's deletion. The big picture: Games media weigh in on politics more than outsiders might expect, but the mainstream and often more restrained IGN publishing a pro-Palestinian article made this turn of events unusual even to gaming insiders. "Palestinian civilians are currently suffering in great numbers in Jerusalem, Gaza, and West Bank, due to Israeli forces," the now-deleted IGN article began, before listing charities to provide relief aid to Palestinians. It was first altered on Saturday to remove the image of a Palestinian flag, and it was deleted on Sunday afternoon. Then, at 2:21am ET on Monday morning, IGN's twitter feed posted an unsigned statement that noted, in part, that "[b]y highlighting only one population, the post mistakenly left the impression that we were politically aligned with one side." Many IGN staff had tweeted in support of the Friday post, making it unlikely that the deletion went over well in the newsroom. Reps for IGN owners Ziff Davis and parent company J2 Global have not responded to Axios' request for comment. A source close to IGN told Axios that editorial employees are frustrated and say they were kept in the dark on Sunday about the deletion until the company's statement was released. The push to speak up for the Palestinians animated much of the past week, as some developers and members of the media urged their peers to not be silent. The IGN post kicked off a wave of similar articles from GameSpot, Kotaku, and Game Informer (which was also deleted on Sunday). Direct reaction on social media to the outlets' posts seemed largely positive. "More companies in the gaming industry need to be like this!" read one response to GameSpot's article, which remains online. But the blowback to IGN's effort, some clearly from within, was evident from the start. On Saturday morning, IGN Israel, which is operated by a separate company under a licensing agreement, condemned the post, saying it was "misleading." That IGN Israel statement was also deleted by Monday morning.     2. A game developer's mixed feelings The wave of articles supporting Palestinians had left game developer Rami Ismail, a frequent advocate about issues regarding the Middle East, with a complicated reaction. "I have spent a lot of time at my computer these past days watching the surge of support with happy tearful exhaustion," he told Axios over Twitter DM prior to the IGN article's deletion. He said he was tired and disappointed it had taken this long for members of the gaming media, who are often very open about their politics, to advocate for Palestinians. "Palestine is not a new issue, and the games press has been quiet on the destruction and death of Arabs — but most specifically Palestinians — for over two decades now. " He attributed the change to the increased number of Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians in the industry, though he said that by speaking out they face increased Islamophobia and issues getting visas.     3. Twitch subscription prices are dropping Photo illustration: Filip Radwanski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images   Twitch plans to lower localized subscription pricing abroad, Sara writes. Driving the news: Subscription prices will be lower than the current $4.99 fee; that price point will remain in the U.S. Over the next few months, that price will change for new subscriptions, existing subscriptions and gift subscriptions. "Community is what we do best," VP of monetization Mike Minton told Axios. "Subscriptions are the foundation of the patronage model where people can support the streamer. It's about support, not an access to content model." If, for some reason, creators see their revenues go down as a result of these changes, Twitch says it will provide adjustment incentives for creators to help ensure that they are paid, so long as they meet basic eligibility requirements, like continuing to post 85% of their live, baseline hours.     A message from Cisco The Realm: The power behind the 2021 LoL Mid-Season Invitational     Cisco's network is powering the League of Legends (LoL) Mid-Season Invitational for the first time. Why it's important: The new technology was engineered to provide a zero-ping environment and a near-zero latency network for ultra-fast, responsive gameplay. Learn more.     4. "Mass Effect" gives major character a new face Image via Maxgoods on Reddit   The remastered bundle of the "Mass Effect" trilogy does more than add quality of life improvements; BioWare has also redesigned one of its lead characters, Tali, after using a stock image of the character for years. Why it matters: Nine years later, Tali finally has an original face. On Reddit, user Maxgoods posted an image of Tali's new image, which can be found in Shepard's cabin. YouTuber GAMMA XII also posted a video of the reveal, during which Shepard picks up her portrait. Flashback: In 2012, angry fans uncovered that an image of Tali, found in "Mass Effect 3," was actually a modified stock image. Throughout the series, Tali is only ever shown masked (due to completely fair, lore-based reasons about her entire race having compromised immune systems). The reveal is a subtle one — a small image players have to earn by spending time romancing the character.     5. Tencent's games for China A weekend showcase from Tencent focused primarily on the tech giant's games for the Chinese market. Highlights included a "Minecraft"-style game called "Handmade Planet" and a stunning space exploration adventure called "Our Planet." The games shown were heavily focused on mobile and targeted to Chinese tastes, according to Niko Partners analyst and mandatory games industry Twitter follow Daniel Ahmad, who live-tweeted the event. Tencent did not show much of what it's working on for consoles and high-end PCs, but the company's investments, including a growing but secretive California studio suggest bigger ambitions for games with worldwide appeal. "While Tencent is indeed investing in this space, it's clear that it does not have anything to show right now," Ahmad noted. The big picture: Tencent may well be the most powerful gaming company in the word, thanks to its own Chinese studios and its stake in gaming companies around the world.     6. Worthy of your attention 👂Streamers aren't therapists. But some therapists are streamers. (Nicole Carpenter, Polygon) "For better or worse, mental health streaming on Twitch is an extension of mental health in entertainment. " ✈️ A "Microsoft Flight Simulator" modder is building a tour guide to the entire world. (Wesley Yin-Poole, Eurogamer) 👄 Ebay is banning the sale of "adult video games." (Luke Plunkett, Kotaku)     7. That's-a so dark On Saturday, Tristan Cooper posted a video that will haunt us until death of Mario dropping Bowser into a hot lava pit and enjoying a fist-pump celebration. Screenshot: @TristanACooper     A message from Cisco What makes the 2021 LoL Mid-Season Invitational possible     The Realm is powering every mind-blowing moment at the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational. The background: Cisco helped Riot Games develop The Realm so that pro-level players can enjoy a sub-1ms ping, allowing for near-instantaneous reaction times and uninterrupted gameplay.   Got a tip? A story you want us to cover? Email us at megan.farokhmanesh@axios.com or stephen.totilo@axios.com. 🐦 Find us on Twitter: @megan_nicolett / @stephentotilo No spin-offs or mergers planned here.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: