FBI offers help to game developers suffering harassment, death threats

There's been a swell of online harassment, and the authorities have noticed.

by Casey Johnston 

The FBI offered its assistance to the International Game Developers Association (IDGA) back in July to help with what the organization sees as a growing tide of harassment of game developers, according to a report from Polygon. IDGA Executive Director Kate Edwards said the FBI approached her during Comic-Con in San Diego to let her know "the FBI's capability."

Edwards told Polygon that the FBI noted a rise in activity in the online harassment of game developers. Over the last year, BioWare senior writer Jennifer Hepler left her job after getting death threats from fans, and Adam Orth, a Microsoft creative director, got a "tidal wave of vitriol" for tweeting his support of always-online devices. Since the FBI's meeting with the IDGA took place, developer Zoe Quinn has been harassed over personal details aired by her ex-boyfriend, and a flight carrying Sony Online Entertainment CEO John Smedley was diverted after getting a bomb threat from a gaming hacker group. On Tuesday, thousands of developers released a signed petition "asking for tolerance and acceptance in the larger gaming community."
In addition to keeping in touch with the FBI, Edwards said the IDGA is creating a special interest group for mental health issues surrounding harassment. Last week, the IDGA released a statement condemning the personal attacks that had taken place over the last several weeks against Quinn, her supporters, and supporters of Anita Sarkeesian, who received death threats over her latest video about tropes of women in video games. "We call on the entire game community to stand together against this abhorrent behavior," the statement reads.