Recent reports of harassment, assault, and drugging at the 2023Game Developers Conferencehave sparked concern and outrage within the gaming community. The incidents which took place atGDC2023 raise questions about the safety and security procedures in place at in-person gaming events, particularly following the Me Too movement.Sadly, this kind of despicable behavior is something that has plagued the gaming industry for years and even at the time of writing, multiple gaming industry giants aredealing with sexual harassment lawsuitsand “conducting investigations” into these allegations within the respective companies. Activision Blizzard, Quantic Dream, Riot Games, and Ubisoft have all faced similar claims over the past few years, meaning that this GDC incident is just the latest in a shameful trend.RELATED:Activision Blizzard Attempt to Get Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Dismissed FailsThe founder of Games Industry Gathering, Guy Blomberg, took to social media to report several incidents of drink-spiking with “roofies,” a common term for Rohypnol, a powerful sedative commonly associated with sexual assault. The incidents occurred during an after-hours karaoke event at the Pandora club in San Francisco, which was co-hosted by Blomberg. In the days following the event, reports of similar incidents at multiple parties during GDC have also surfaced. The majority of the online gaming community has responded with outrage andcondemnation of such behavior. The Games and Online Harassment Hotline has since posted a tweet notifying victims how they can get help via text message.
According to a statement released by the GDC, the reported events took place outside its official premises, at different locations in San Francisco. The statement expresses deep concern and outrage over reports of disturbing incidents that occurred during off-site events at GDC week, specifically involving assault and drink spiking, with women being the primary victims. The statement also affirms thateveryone has the right to feel safeand strongly condemns such behavior. It is also claimed that the victims are supported and encouraged to report the incidents to the authorities, and it is hoped that the perpetrators will be identified and brought to justice.
The statement also went on to emphasize that safety and well-being of all participants at GDC events are of the utmost importance to the organizers and that the GDC team endeavors to create a secure environment by implementing a strict code of conduct and making assistance available to those in need of support. The team also reiterates that it can offer aid in contacting venue security or local law enforcement, providing police escorts, or any other necessary measures to help individuals feel safe during the conference.
Perhaps the only positive thing to come out of this detestable situation is the further spread of awareness thatincidents like these are unfortunately still taking place. The reporting of these occurrences has prompted a wider discussion about safety and security measures at gaming events. While GDC does maintain that it enforces a strict code of conduct at the event, incidents such as these clearly suggest that more needs to be done to protect attendees.
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