Gamergate the Game

You're seven years old and it's your birthday. [[Next|1.2]]

As a gift, your parents buy you the coolest new toy: a ''Nintendo 64.'' [[Next|1.3]]

Your Nintendo 64 becomes your prized possession. At first, your brother plays Super Smash Brothers with you all the time. But then he gets bored with it and becomes obsessed with soccer. You, however, remain enamored with the Nintendo 64. [[Next|1.4]]

You save your allowance to buy all of the newest games--Super Mario 64, Donkey Kong Country, Pokemon Stadium--each one more fun than the last. By the time you're nine, it's fair to say that you ''love'' video games. [[Next|1.5]]

Video games make you think in a way that nothing else does. When your mind is turning through the intricacies of a puzzle in The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, it gives you a truly distinct thrill. You love the adventure, the magic, the stories. Your teacher tells your parents that you can read at a ninth grade level. [[Next|1.6]]

You are now 14 years old and in ninth grade (consequently, you now read at a college level). [[Next|2.2]]

You still love video games, though you've certainly grown out of your Nintendo 64. It's still in your room, stashed under the bed but pulled out from time to time for nostalgia's sake. Mostly, though, you play Halo and Star Wars Battlefront on your Xbox. [[Next|2.3]]

You have a few friends. Like you, they have acne and haven't quite figured out their haircuts. Your favorite Friday nights are when they come over and you all play Call of Duty. Though, you hate the way Jenny acts like she isn't good and the way Brian acts like he's better than you. [[Next|2.5]]

When the time comes, you study incredibly hard and get into a great college. Best of all, they have one of the top Computer Programming departments. You haven't, even for a moment, given up on your dream of becoming a video game designer. And now, that dream feels closer than ever before. [[Next|3.0]]

7:30 AM. The alarm on your phone goes off. It's time to get up, but you've already been awake for an hour. You're laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, and smiling to yourself. It's the first day of the rest of your life: the day you start the job you've been dreaming about [[since you were a kid.]] You are... [[...an artist.]] [[...a designer.]] [[...a writer.]]

(set: $career to "artist")(set: $media to "Instagram")After four years at a top art school on the East Coast, you've landed a job in Portland, Oregon at one of top video game design studios in the world: [[Mega Great Games.]] Soon, you'll be designing characters and scenery for some of the games that inspired you to start drawing in the [[first place.]] It's been weeks since you got the call, but your heart still flutters when you think of what lies before you. [[Next|002]]

(set: $career to "programmer")(set: $media to "Tumblr")After four years in a top comuputer science program on the East Coast, you've landed a job in Portland, Oregon at one of top video game design studios in the world: [[Mega Great Games.]] Soon, you'll be creating code for some of the games that inspired you to start programming [[in the first place.]] It's been weeks since you got the call, but your heart still flutters when you think of what lies before you. [[Next|002]]

(set: $career to "writer")(set: $media to "Twitter")After four years in a top creative writing program on the East Coast, you've landed a job in Portland, Oregon at one of top video game design studios in the world: [[Mega Great Games.]] Soon, you'll be penning the stories for some of the games that inspired you to start writing [[years ago]]. It's been weeks since you got the call, but your heart still flutters when you think of what lies before you. [[Next|002]]

You think back to when you were just seven years old. For your birthday, your parents got you a Nintendo 64, one of the greatest video game consoles in history. Your parents would only let you play for 45 minutes a day, but you looked forward to spending the better part of an hour with Mario, Link, and Pikachu more than anything else. You had never loved a toy more in your life. You loved the way video games challenged you and made you think. You thought that whoever made Mario must be the happiest person in the world--even the person who made Bowser. You were just ten years old when you decided that someday, you were going to make video games. [[Back|001.0]]

Your success as (if: $career is 'artist')[an] (else-if: $career is 'writer')[a] (else: $career is 'designer')[a] $career is bittersweet. When you relocated for your new job, you were forced to give up a lot. All of your friends and family are still back on the East Coast...and so is [[your ex.]] You try not to think about these things too much, though. You know everyone just wants what's best for you, and this job is definitely it. And your ex, well, that's a different story; one you're still trying to forget. You'll have to start from scratch in this new city and that thought is both terrifying and incredible. You leave home and head for work, filled with determination. [[Next|003]]

In 1996, Dusty Mortising started Mega Great Games in his parents' garage in Portland, Oregon. Innovative game design combined with Mortising's enigmatic personality quickly turned Mega Great into a household name. Mega Great has since grown to be one of the top video game companies in the industry, rivalling the likes of EA and Ubisoft. More often than not, Mega Great is in the news for pushing boundaries and stirring controversy. Recently, they became the first company to find a loophole in the rating system--meaning that children of all ages would be able to purchase their products without parental consent. In the video game industry, there is nowhere more cutting-edge to work than Mega Great Games. (if: $career is "artist")[[[Back|...an artist.]]](if: $career is "designer")[[[Back|...a designer.]]](if: $career is "writer")[[[Back|...a writer.]]]

You were a bit of an awkward teenager, but a strangely happy one. You found your place in the art wing of the high school and hung out with kids who wore hoodies with characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas drawn on them. You took art seriously, and got pretty good with oils and charcoal. But what you really loved was filling notebooks with drawings of magical landscapes and daring warrior women. In college, you specialized in digital painting and 3D modeling. You would spend all night in the computer lab, adding the finishing touched so intricate paintings of virtual galaxies. [[Back|...an artist.]]

In high school, your favorite subject was always math. You were the only freshman in your Advanced Calculus class. Sometimes, you heard the senior kids whispering about you, but you always managed to tune them out when you were working on an equation. You imagined you were Link in the Water Temple and suddenly everything made sense. Your problem solving skills got you into your first-choice college, where you absorbed numerous computer programming languages like there was a drought and Python was water. You had come an incredibly long way from programming your first game on a TI-84 graphing calculator in middle school. [[Back|...a designer.]]]

You've always been a bit of a loner, but you didn't mind too much. You made it through high school subsisting on the virtual relationships you built with people online. People were drawn to the poetry and stories you would post on your blog, and you found your best inspiration and critique from people across the world. In college, you enjoyed every gratuitious analytical essay just as much as the assignments from your poetry class. You always had so much to say about everything. [[[Back|...a writer.]]]

You and your Ex met three years ago, during your sophomore year of college. You have a required humaities course together. Something along the lines of "Peoples and Places" that was actually a completely over-generalized survey of non-Western life. You are seated across the room from each other, and every time the teacher would drawl the word "populationsss..." you would make eye contact and internally giggle. Eventually, the two of you started talking after class. One day, you miss class and they friend you on Facebook. You find out you have the same soft spot for 80's action movies. It's over from there. Your relationship is of the warm, balanced variety. You don't fight often, but when you do it's quiet and serious. You move in together after five months of dating because it just seems like the obvious choice. You spend the rest of your college career thinking that this is the person you will be attached to forever. This is the person you will move mountains with. When they find out you got the job at Mega Great Games, they are thrilled. When they find out you will need to relocate to Portland, they are not quite as thrilled. Their decision is swift. They are not willing to move, and they are not willing to give a long-distance relationship a try. "We're too young for that," they said. You cried while they arranged for a moving van to come pick up their stuff. [[Back|002]]

The GPS in your car only gets you //slightly// lost, but fortunately you left 15 minutes early and arrive at your new office with five minutes to spare. You had seen pictures of the building online, but in person it's even cooler. Nine floors of multicolored steel and glass filled with start-up companies, websites, and of course, Mega Great Games on the very top floor. A security guard helps you sign in since you don't have an ID badge yet. But your name is right there on a list with everyone else who works at Mega Great. This is surreal. You step into the [[elevator.|004]]

You press the button for the ninth floor. People file in behind you. Everyone in the elevator is unbearably cool. You are fairly certain you're the only person in here without a tattoo or asymmetrical haircut. You feel yourself sweating with nervousness. "First day?" The man next to you asks, smiling. "How could you tell?" You joke. "I just don't think I've ever seen anyone in here wearing a blazer before," he jokes back. You think he seems pretty nice. He's pretty cute, too, even though blondes aren't usually your type. "Yeah, the employee handbook didn't say anything about a dress code, but I just wanted to be professional," you say. "Gotcha. Where are you starting?" "Mega Great Games," you say, with absolute pride radiating from every pore of your body. "Woah, really?" He sounds genuinely shocked. "Uh, yeah," you reply, trying to feel out his tone. "Sorry, it's just that I've never met a girl who works in video games before." "Well, I do," you chuckle. You're not sure what to make of this guy. He seems really nice, but something in your stomach churns. It's probably just nerves. "Hey look, I have to get off here, but how about you give me your number? I'd love to take you out for a drink and hear all about how you make video games." You... [[...give him your number.|004.01]] [[...apologize and pretend you have a boyfriend.|004.02]] [[...tell him to mind his own business.|004.03]]

(set: $guy to "yes") You quickly punch your number into his phone and hand it back to him. He looks down at it and smiles. "This better not be a fake number," he teases. You laugh. You decide meeting new people definitely couldn't hurt. "Good luck, new girl!" He waves and steps off the elevator. You officially feel ready to slay your first day. [[Next|005]]

(set: $guy to "maybe") "Uh, that's really nice of you but..." you stutter. It's been a while since anyone asked you for your number. "But what?" "...I'm actually in a relationship. I'm sorry." You don't know why you're apologizing, but you can't help it. He looks disappointed. "Oh, okay. I got you, I got you," he shrugs. "But you know, if things ever take a turn for the worse with that guy...well, you know where to find me." He steps off the elevator with a wink. You can't decide how you feel about the whole interaction. You don't have time for this right now, anyway. [[Next|005]]

(set: $guy to "no") "Sorry, but I don't even //know// you. Why should I give you my number?" You ask. "Woah, woah! Calm down!" He holds his hands up in front of his chest as though you were about to attack. You kind of wish you were about to attack. "Geez, I was just trying to be friendly since you're the new girl and all." You scoff and take a step away from him. The elevator dings and the doors slide open. He moves to step out. "Good luck making friends with that attitude, new girl!" The doors close and you internally groan. You suddenly wish you were back in bed right now. [[Next|005]]

The elevator makes its way to the ninth floor. The top floor. The floor where your destiny at Mega Great Games awaits you. There's a few people left in the elevator with you, and when the doors open they all stride confidently into their roles as marketing managers and beta testers. You cautiously approach the front desk, where a boy who looks about 18 is sitting at a desk and scrolling through $media. "Hi," you say. "I'm looking for [[Steve.]] Today's my first day." The guy behind the desk perks up slightly. He takes a moment to study your face before jumping up enthusiastically. "Hey! Steve right here. Great to finally meet you in person." For a second you're shocked that this is the man who hired you. He looks like he can't be more than 20 years old. He whisks you [[into the main area of the office.]]

After submitting your resume via Mega Great Games's website, you received a Facebook message from a man named Steve P regarding the $career position you had applied for. You didn't think he was legitimate at first, but a quick Linkedin investigation verified his position as Head of HR at Mega Great. Your conversation went something like this: Steve: hey got ur res! things look great very impressive GPA lol. You: Oh, hello! Thank you so much for getting in touch. Yes, when I saw that Mega Great was hiring a $career I just had to apply. S: yeah i feel you. so are you based in portalnd? cuz this is an in-house gig only. You: Well, I currently live on the East Coast, but I am willing to relocate at my own expense if hired. I am very serious about this job. S: lol intense! Well that's what we like to hear. S: yeah i think we should move forward with an interview. You: :) S: oh just as a heads up tho--emoticons do not fly in da office. [[Back|005]]

The office is an open loft with a few smaller offices along the walls. Employees, wearing jeans and t-shirts, sit in bean bag chairs and hammocks as they tap furiously at Alienware laptops. You think you spot someone on a scooter. There is nary a blazer in sight. Your desk is on the far side of the room, near a large window. Steve makes a comment about there being a bad glare at this desk, but you think you'll make the most of the beautiful view. You drop your bag at the desk and Steve shows you to the copier and coffee maker. He also points to a pair of large steel doors in one corner of the office. "That's Dusty Mortising's office. He's not here every day. But when he is, you'll know it," Steve says. You're not sure if you want to know what he means. [[Next|006]]

Steve sets you back at your desk and says your first assigment will be in your e-mail. You sit down, breathe in, and get to work. Before you know it, it's [[lunch time.]]

During the hour you have for lunch, you step outside for some fresh air. You also don't want to look like you're sitting at your desk all day. Though, on your way out of the building you definitely saw three different pizzas heading up to the ninth floor. You sit on a bench and pull our a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and your phone. You eat the sandwich and open $media on your phone. You want to make a post about your new job. Partially so all of your high school friends can see it and be impressed by your success, but also because you are deeply and genuinely excited about this day. What do you say? [[So excited to be starting work at Mega Great Games! Such a legendary place to be a part of!|006.1]] [[Aw ye killing it up in here at Mega Great #bejealous|006.2]] [[Work Update: Now $career at Mega Great Games|006.3]]

//So excited to be starting work at Mega Great Games! Such a legendary place to be a part of!// Click! Posted. You sit for a few minutes, scrolling through the posts of your friends and Cher. A girl you once had seminar with just got a pet bunny. Nice! A notification pops up on your screen: //New reply to your post!// You tap to open it. Someone with the username MisterDeath66 is telling you: //Really??? Whoever hired u should kill themselves and u probably should too just for good measure.// [[Next]]

//Aw ye killing it up in here at Mega Great #bejealous// Click! Posted. You sit for a few minutes, scrolling through the posts of your friends and Cher. A girl you once had seminar with just got a pet bunny. Nice! A notification pops up on your screen: //New reply to your post!// You tap to open it. Someone with the username MisterDeath66 is telling you: //What did they order a stripper or something?? Fuck off back to the kitchen!!!// [[Next]]

//Work Update: Now $career at Mega Great Games// Click! Posted. You sit for a few minutes, scrolling through the posts of your friends and Cher. A girl you once had seminar with just got a pet bunny. Nice! A notification pops up on your screen: //New reply to your post!// You tap to open it. Someone with the username MisterDeath66 is telling you: //lol i think there's a typo in here missy. you look like you should be working at Wendy's with that face// [[Next]]

You stare down at your phone in disbelief. You've never read anything like this, at least anything that was directed at you. You figured that the industry was a bit of a boy's club, but this seems a bit ridiculous. But in the end, it's just one message. You don't let it shake you up too much and try to finish your day on a positive note. [[Next|007]]

After work, you go home and try to relax, but your mind is racing. The adrenaline rush from this morning still wasn't worn off, and now there's the guy from the elevator, Steve, and that weird message all on top of that. You really need to cool down. How do you relax? [[Video games and booze.|007.01]] [[Go for a run in the park.|007.02]] [[Call your mom and vent.|007.03]]

You pour yourself a tall glass of red wine and boot up your Xbox. You pop in Grand Theft Auto and enjoy the catharsis of stealing cars and threatening innocent bystanders with semi-automatic weapons. You sink down into the couch, finally feeling warm and fuzzy. In the game, your boss tells you your next mission is to raid a strip club. You drive your stolen Escalade to a place called the Pussycat and storm in. Suddenly, women are screaming and begging for their lives. You flinch and all you can think about is the message from earlier. You chug the rest of your wine and toss yourself into bed. [[Next|008]]

You change out of your blazer and put on a comfortable yet chic running outfit. You truly hate running, but can't deny that huffing your way down the street makes you temporarily forget all of your problems. Soon, you're cruising around your neighborhood and a weight feels lifted from your shoulders. You feel awesome, in fact, besides the whole running part. You arrive at the bank of a river where there is a beautiful view of the setting sun. You pause to soak up the last rays of the day before turning for home. "Hey beautiful," a voice calls from behind you. "I love a girl who keeps it tight," says another voice. You turn to see two men in backwards baseball caps staring at you and giggling. You scoff and start running again. "Aw, go to hell you bitch!" They call after you. Suddenly, all you can think about is that message from earlier. You wish you had never seen it. When you are out of sight from those two guys, you stop running and walk the rest of the way home. No amount of running is going to stop you from thinking about that message. [[Next|008]]

You dial your mom's number and she picks up on the second ring. "Is everything okay?" she asks immediately. "You only ever call when it's serious." You assure her everything is fine, but she can hear the lie in your voice. "Fine," you concede. "I'll cut to the chase." You proceed to vent about your day--including everything from the man in the elevator, to the nasty message. When you finish, there's a pause on the line. "I don't know what to tell you," your mom finally says. "Boys will be boys!" This response mystifies you. That's the best she can offer after everything you've said? Is she brainwashed or are you just being too sensitive? "I thought you were really excited about this job!" She says. "I was...I mean--I am," you assure her. You don't want to let her down. She paid for your college education after all. "Well, why don't you just give it another day and we'll go from there, okay?" "Okay mom," you sigh. Maybe you are just overreacting. [[Next|008]]

You go to work the next day feeling slightly underwhelmed. You had a really hard falling asleep and spent the entire night tossing and turning. You treat yourself to a chocolate chip muffin on the way to work, and this boosts your mood slightly. At the office, a meeting is called to announce the start of Mega Great's next big game: [[Triton's Quest.]] Everyone in the office is buzzing with excitement. Most fantastic of all is the fact that you receive your first big assignment! You look over the specifics and absorb them before immediately getting to work. [[4 hours later...|008.01]]

By the time you next look up from your desk, it's well past lunchtime. Your stomach is growling, but you feel great overall. This is the feeling you dreamed about as a kid: making magic happen. Still, you need to eat to stay alive to make said magic happen, so you get up, stretch your legs, and head to the break room for coffee and a snack. You're about to turn the corner into the break room, but you hear two people talking and pause just outside. [[Listen in...|008.02]]

"Yeah, I don't know why they hired her. Like, affirmative action or something?" "I think that only applies to like, Mexicans and stuff. But still, yeah, like maybe Steve just wanted to see some pussy around the office every now and then." "Bro! I feel that though..." A pause. "Would you?" "What? Her? Like, usually the girl has to be at least a six, but...yeah." "HA! Yeah, me too dude." "But you know, she is kind of a bitch, dude. Get this..." (if: $guy is "yes")[[[Next|008.03]])](if: $guy is "maybe")[[[Next|008.04]]](if: $guy is "no")[[[Next|008.05]])]

"So yesterday was her first day, right? Well, I was in the elevator coming up here with her and this dude from the eighth floor was like totally hitting on her." "Oh man, I feel like I know that guy." "Yeah, well when he goes to leave he asks for her number." "Damn. Bold." "Yeah, but get this. She just //gives// it to him!" "Really?" "Like...dude...slut alert." [[Next|008.06]]

"So yesterday was her first day, right? Well, I was in the elevator coming up here with her and this dude from the eighth floor was like totally hitting on her." "Oh man, I feel like I know that guy." "Yeah, well when he goes to leave he asks for her number." "Damn. Bold." "Yeah, but get this. She tells him she's not even single!" "Really?" "Yeah, but she was totally flirting with him the whole time. Talk about mixed signals, right?" "Yeah...dude...slut alert." [[Next|008.06]]

"So yesterday was her first day, right? Well, I was in the elevator coming up here with her and this dude from the eighth floor was just being really nice and trying to get to know her." "Right, like just trying to make her feel welcome." "Yeah, exactly. So anyway, when he goes to leave he asks for her number. Like, super casual. Just a 'maybe we can get drinks' situation." "Okay, okay. Chill." "Yeah, but get this. She was all 'mind your own business!' and just totally shut him down." "Damn really? Sounds like he was just trying to be nice to her." "Right? Like, exactly." "Dude...major bitch." [[Next|008.06]]

There's no way they're //not// talking about you. Your heart drops to your shoes. You feel like the world's biggest idiot. You clench your fists. You know you need to do something, but really, how can you win in this situation? If you go and confront them, they'll just say you're overreacting. If you do nothing, you'll feel helpless. What do you do? [[Confront them.|008.07]] [[Do nothing.|008.08]]

You storm into the kitchen with anger in your step. "Excuse me," you say. The two men talking turn to face you and their eyes grow wide. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation." The men remain silent. "I know you were talking about me and I hope you know how ugly and unprofessional you both are. I think you owe me an apology or I will be forced to report this harassment to HR." You cross your arms to puncutate your statement. You still feel angry, but there's a soft glow of pride you get from standing up for yourself. The men are silent for a moment longer. But then they burst out laughing. They quite literally howl with delight until the coffee in their mugs sloshes to the floor. "Lady," says one, wiping an invisible tear from the corner of his eye. "You have to relax, okay? It was just a joke!" "Yeah, come on, who shoved a broom up your ass?" says the other one. The laughing resumes. You're dumbfounded. How could they treat you like this? You turn to leave. Clearly there is no point in continuing this conversation. "Hey lady," says one. His voice is overcome with a sudden seriousness. "One more thing--Don't you ever threaten my job again." [[Next|009]]

Instead of confronting them, you turn and head back to your desk. There are assholes all over the world--better that you learn to ignore them, right? You sit at your desk and try to get back to work, but you can't focus for even a minute. They probably told everyone else in the office about Elevator Guy, you think... You look up and glance around the room. You feel like everyone is looking at you. You feel crazy. You want to go home, but you force yourself back to your computer. This is what you wanted and worked so hard for, right? Now you're just going to let a couple of idiots spoil everything? For a moment, you're entirely certain that this is allyour fault. [[Next|009]]

You finish your day and go home from work completely rattled. You don't know where else to turn, so you open your laptop and log onto your blog to make a new post. You write... //Hi guys...sorry to be so annoying with all the negative posts, but today was really hard :( At work, I heard these two guys talking about me and calling me a slut because they heard me talking to some guy in the elevator?...Idk what to do...I really love my job but I just don't feel welcome. Why is it so hard for women to just make video games without feeling like crap???// You close your computer, feeling slightly better that you let it out, and fall asleep on the couch. An hour later, you wake up because your phone is buzzing like crazy. [[Check your notifications.]]

All of the notifications are coming from that blog post you made earlier. At first, you receieved a few messages of encouragement from your followers, but now your post has over 150 responses that look like this: //You are useless seriously just shut the fuck up and die// //if they say you're a slut...you're a slut sorry 2 against 1 here// //ew shut up u whiny bitch u probably suck at ur job. like literally sucked dicks to get there// It looks like someone discovered your social media profiles and is sending them to a bunch of other people so they can jump on the bandwagon of hate. You click on the usernames of a few of the commentors, wanting to see who's behind all of this. Shockingly, they all look like normal men. There's no defining physical characteristic evident in their profile pictures--but it appears they all love video games. Besides sending you hateful messages, they all blog about video games daily. You don't get it. If they love video games so much, why are they berating you for being someone who makes video games? You're so frustrated and confused that you're head could burst. Your investigation into your harassers is temporarily halted by an incoming call. (if: $guy is "yes")[[[It's...|guyconvo]]](if: $guy is "no")[[[It's...|exconvo]]](if: $guy is "maybe")[[[Next|exconvo]]]

(set: $ex to "no") ...an unknown number. Your hands are shaking. Could one of those guys online really have gotten your phone number? You press "Accept Call" and anxiously await the voice on the other side. "Hello?" says a man. You're taken aback. He doesn't sound at all threatening. "Who's this?" you ask, slightly more aggressively than you mean to. "It's me! Elevator guy! New girl guy!" he says. Your shoulders relax. If you'd known it was him, you might not even have picked up. But it's certainly better than the alternative you were thinking of before... "Is everything okay?" He asks. "Sounds like I might have caught you at a bad time." What do you do? [[Keep talking|010.1]] [[Find a way to quickly exit the conversation.|010.2]]

...Your ex?! You can hardly believe it. You haven't spoken with them for weeks--not since you moved. And the last time you talked, it wasn't on good terms. Hesitantly, you press "accept call." "Hello?" They say. The sound of their voice brings the three years of your relationship flooding back. "Hey," you say. "Oh, great. I totally thought you weren't going to pick up." They sound relieved. "Yeah well...here I am," you half-laugh. "Right, well. I guess I'll just get to the point. Do you have a minute to talk?" What do you do? [[Keep talking. You want to hear what they have to say|010.03]] [[Find a way to quickly exit the conversation. You don't need this right now, or ever.|010.04]]

You apologize and explain that it's just been a long day. He says he understands. But you know he doesn't--you want so badly to tell him //why// it was a long day, but that would involve essentially telling him it was all his fault and you don't think you can handle someone else calling you names or shutting you down. You talk for about 30 minutes before you tell him you better get to bed, even though it's barely 8:30 at night. He tells you he'll text you soon. You wish you were more excited about this guy...but instead you fall asleep thinking about your ex. [[Next|011.0]]

After what happened today, you don't think you could stand talking to this guy for another second. You pretend you have an incoming call from your grandma, and he seems to sort-of buy it. Either way, you don't really care. You just want everyone to leave you alone. You toss your phone across the couch and go to bed. Strangely, you fall asleep thinking about your ex. [[Next|011.0]]

At work, you keep your nose to the grindstone. You hardly talk to anybody except when totally necessary. You spend all day at your desk with your headphones on, shutting out the men around you. If anyone's talking about you, you're keeping yourself too busy to notice. You can't ignore that your work as a $career is off. Half of the assignments you turn in feel sloppy and not fully thought-out. Your work is passable, sure, but you don't feel proud of yourself. One afternoon, a meeting is called. Meetings are one of the few times you emerge from your desk. You reluctantly go to the conference room. [[Next|011.1]]

(set: $ex to "yes") "Um, sure?" You say. This sounds like it could be serious. "Well, it's nothing major. It's just that there's some stuff of yours that's still at my place and I wanted to know what I should do with it." "I don't know, throw it out I guess. I really don't care," you say. And really, you don't. This seems a bit unnecessary. "Right well I know I could do that, but Jordan says that's not very good karmically and--" "Who's Jordan?" You say involuntarily. Your ex pauses and a moment of silent understanding passes between you. "Oh." "Yeah so, could you maybe give me an address or something?" They finally say. You look down at your phone in disbelief. You feel utterly disposable. Replacable. Useless in every way. Your ex is still speaking, but their voice sounds small and far away. You press "end call." [[Next|011.0]]

(set: $ex to "yes") "Actually, you know what? It's really not a good time. And it probably won't be a good time for a while so please don't call me." You say. You realize how ridiculous and disjointed you sound, but it doesn't even matter. You're not over this person and know it would be a mistake to continue this conversation. You press "end call" and toss your phone across the couch. You crawl into bed and fall asleep thinking about your ex. [[Next|011.0]]

At the meeting, everyone is buzzing with excitement. You're confused--what's everyone so happy about? The answer quickly becomes clear. When the meeting starts, the presenters (a few guys from the Marketing Department) announce Mega Great Games's plan for [[E3]]. Your ears perk up at this. You've //always// wanted to go to E3. And from the sound of this presentation, it looks like everyone at Mega Great will be heading down to Los Angeles for the annual event. You catch yourself grinning. This is exactly the boost your spirits need. The marketing guys tell everyone to report to their department some time in the coming week to confirm travel plans and ticketing arrangements. [[Next|011.2]]

E3 ("Electronic Entertainment Expo") is one of the largest video game and media conferences in the world. It is held each July in Southern California, and everyone from the biggest companies to the smallest indie designers flock to see the latest in gaming tech. [[Back|011.1]]

Later that afternoon, you take a break from your work and pop in to the marketing department. It's only been a few hours since the meeting, but you're too excited to not have the details about the conference. You introduce yourself to Mega Great's public relations coordinator and ask him for the low-down on E3. "It's always been my dream to go," you tell him. "Really?" He says this in a way that means he doesn't believe you in the least. "Name?" He turns to his computer and begins scrolling through a spreadsheet of information. You give him your name and position. He types it into his computer, and judging by his expression, you're not about to receive good news. "Sorry, there's no one by that name in the system." "What do you mean? I've worked here for two months. Are you sure it's not a mistake?" You protest. "I'm just telling you what I'm seeing!" "Can you check again?" You ask. "I can check a hundred times and your name isn't going to be on this list. Tough luck." He turns back to his computer, signalling the conversation is now over. You're in shock. Does this mean you don't get to go to E3? Why not? They said they were even sending the interns! What do you do? [[Talk to HR|011.3]] [[Talk to Steve|011.4]] [[Do nothing|011.5]]

You leave the PR office and head for HR. Surely they'll have to understand your frustration. Instead, they look at you as though you have three heads. "Um...maybe you should go talk to Steve?" One of them suggests. You huff and stomp off to [[find Steve.|011.4]]

"Is this about the E3 passes?" Steve asks before you even have a chance to explain. He's sitting at is desk with his feet kicked up. Out of the corner of your eye, you see he's busy reading Halo fanfiction. "Yeah, look, I figured you'd be all pissed off about this but come on, you gotta understand." Steve says this in a way that maeks your skin crawl. "Steve, I don't really know what there is for me to understand. I know I haven't worked here that long, but there are //interns// who are going on the trip. Shouldn't actual employees have precedent?" "Interns are employees!" Steve pouts. "Okay, that's obviously not the point I'm trying to make. I just can't help but feel like I was purposely excluded from E3 plans." "What? No! That's crazy! Excluded? Never!" Steve takes his feet down from their resting place and stands to face you. "Look, you're a good person so I'm gonna be totally honest with you. E3 is like our annual company retreat, you know? All the boys get together and let off some steam after we've been working so hard for the past year. It was kind of a unanimous decision that you might not be so comfortable tagging along." "Tagging along?" you scoff. "Yeah, you know." Steve makes some aimless gesture. "It's a guys thing. I'm sure you get it." "Uh huh..." "And look, if it makes you happy, you can even have those days off as paid vacation. What do you say to that?" Truly, you have no idea what to say to that. You wish you could throw Steve off the roof, but instead you just nod and return to your desk. [[Next|012]]

You decide to do nothing. On one hand, you feel like you're not standing up for yourself. But on the other hand, you're certain that if you //were// standing up for yourself, you'd end up in the same place either way. You've learned it's best to just accept the status quo and stay in your lane. That way, you can never be disappointed. You can never feel underappreciated if you expect nothing to begin with. Maybe, you think, that's for the best. [[Next|012]]

You can't believe that things have gotten this bad. You wish you could write something on your blog about this, even just for your own catharsis, but you know someone would find it and send you some vile messages for no reason. You start to think that maybe the people who send you those messages are right. Maybe you do just need to shut up and accept how inferior you are. You've never felt more alone and unloved. One night, you're feeling incredibly lonely. You reach for your phone and your thumb hovers over calling your ex. You haven't made a single friend since you've been here. You don't know who else you can trust at this point. [[Next|013]]

You feel pathetic. When you moved out here, you were cofident that you were starting a new life--a better life--without them. Even after all this time, they are still your only option. You find their name in your phone and press "call." (if: $ex is "yes")[[[It's ringing...|013.01]])](if: $ex is "no")[[[It's ringing...|013.02]]]

A few weeks later, you are finally given something to feel good about. Triton's Quest, the game you've been working so hard on, is finished and ready for beta-testing. Your name will be forever remebered in the credits of the game, and for you this is a small but valiant victory. The day after the game is finished, Mega Great hosts a wrap party on the roof of the building. Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring their friends. You don't //really// want to go--at this point no one in the office even looks at you. But not going would be letting them win. And maybe out of the office, people might see you differently. You don't know why you keep giving these scenarios a chance. You're even surprised at yourself that you have any hope left. Still, you put on a nice outfit and head to the party. [[Next|014.01]]

You drive home both enraged and sweating with anxiety. You're certain if you had stayed, you would be thrown off the balcony. But tossing that drink was incredibly empowering. It's the most you've really stood up for yourself in so long. At home, you pace your room, too full of adrenaline to fall asleep. It's too late to call your mom and talk, so you pick up your phone and open your blog. You write... //As a woman working in the video game industry, I have never felt more scared, alone, and frustrated. Fuck Mega Great Games.// ...and post. Your phone immediately starts buzzing with notifications. You toss your phone aside, ignoring the replies pouring in, and go to take a shower. [[The next day...|015]]

You're barely out of the elevator on the ninth floor and you can already tell everyone is whispering about you. Steve nearly falls off his chair when he sees you walk in. It makes sense--the word about last night had to have gotten around by now. But they have to know that Dusty was harassing you, right? They had to have seen him grabbing your arm. Everyone's probably wondering where your lawyer is. [[Next|015.01]]

Steve quickly intercepts you before you can go any further into the office. "You shouldn't be here," he says. You're confused--you definitely deserve to be here after everything you've been through. "Someone found your blog and leaked all of your posts in an anyonymous e-mail." "What?" you gasp. "HR is going to be forced to report this. There could be serious consequences. I think you should probably go home for the day--at least let the dust settle, you know?" Before you know it, you're stuffed back in the elevator and heading for home. [[Next|016]]

At home, you sit in front of your computer, staring at the screen and contemplating the most frustrating decision: should you delete all of your social media, or expose Mega Great while you still have a chance? What do you do? [[Delete your $media|016.01]] [[Make a post on $media|016.02]]

You begin the slow process of purging your online identity. You don't want anyone to be able to find you. Sure, you won't get to exist online, but that way no one can get to you. No one can prove that anything you said actually ever existed. [[Next|017]]

You write, //For the past several months I have been employeed at Mega Great Games. During my time with the company, I got to be a part of the creation of Triton's Quest, the first game I have ever worked on professionally, a game that should be near and dear to my heart. Instead, my experience at Mega Great has been filled with gossip, harassment, and threats. I am positive this is exclusively my experience because I am the only woman who works there. I have been made to be an outcast of the company, despite being an incredibly hard worker who has earned my rank. Today, I was told that an anonymous source leaked all of my social media profiles to everyone at the company. I was told that Human Resources will be taking action. Meanwhile, just last night I was sexually harassed by the founder of the company, Dusty Mortising. It doesn't appear that he is facing any potential repercussions. I believe my days at Mega Great are numbered, but I want everyone to know what a toxic and terrible environment they have created and how disappointed I am that it has taken me this long to say something.// [[Next|017]]

The next morning, you wake up to an e-mail from the address "[email protected]" The subject line is "Termination." //Dear Employee, I regret to inform you that your contract with Mega Great Games is being terminated, effective immediately. Reason Code 252: Violation of Social Media Policy. Please see the employee handbook for more detailed information. Please report to the office to sign your official severance paperwork and collect any personal items. Thank you. Sincerely, Human Resources// [[Next|018]]

When you go into the office the next day, no one makes eye contact with you. Not even Steve. You meet with HR and they have stacks of paperwork ready for you to sign. They explain to you that you can either turn in an official resignation, complete with apology, or you will be terminated immediately. "I still don't think I understand," you say. "If this is about my social media, shouldn't you fire everyone else in the office? Everyone here tweets about Mega Great." "You can see item number 252 in the employee handbook for any questions you might have." The HR guys won't look at you, either. "Now please, sign the paperwork so we can move along and begin finding your replacement." What do you choose? [[Quit|018.1]] [[Get Fired|018.2]]

You barely glance at the paperwork in front of you before standing up from the desk. "No, actually," you say. "I think I'll be quitting." "Please, just sign the paperwork and make everyone's lives easier!" "I'm not signing anything. Sorry." You pause. "Actually, I'm not sorry at all." You walk out of the room and take the elevator down for the final time. [[Next|Ending]]

You're exhausted. You can't even begin to think of creating another "scene." You pick up a pen and sign your name on the documents. You don't care what this means--at least it also means you are out of here forever. The HR guys are saying more things to you now, but you tune them out. At least it's over. You find yourself shaking hands with someone and being escorted down to the lobby. This is the nicest they've ever been to you. You can't help but start laughing. [[Next|Ending]]

//The video game industry sells over $22 billion dollars in product every year. It employs more than 150,000 people in 36 states. 41% of people who play video games are female, yet only 22% of game developers are female. On average, women in the industry make $26,000 less than their male counterparts. Even the 22% who choose to remain in the industry despite these factors are at risk of being forced out of their jobs, simply for being women with ideas. Fewer women are applying to developer positions, because of the notoriously toxic and unsafe environments video game studios create for women. GamerGate refers to the systematic oppression of women working in the video game industry in all capacities: developers, artists, and journalists. Women have been threatened with rape, murder, stabbings, and bombings. Daily, women are told to kill themselves, to shut up, to essentially disappear from planet Earth at their earliest convenience, simply for embracing video games.// In the end, it truly doesn't matter what you did. The choices you made along the way--they're all irrelevant. They would have found a way to force you out eventually, even if you had lived every day as a model, subservient employee. Who knows? Maybe you'll find a way to continue your career in video games. Some women have gone on to start their own independent studios. It's up to you to decide whether you will pursue your passion at the risk of never succeeding. THE END

<center><img src="http://s32.postimg.org/kix2ekndh/logo.gif"> //You're just a woman attempting to make games she loves... But the predatory video game industry will do anything to make sure you don't succeed... Do you dare try to make your mark?// [[ENTER|001.0]] By Kate Fustich Copyright 2016</center>

//You: Odysseus, the legendary hero of yore. Your Mission: To reclaim the Seven Seas from the vengeful Triton. Using only your Bag of Winds and your cunning, you must reclaim the home of your people and rescue your beautiful wife, Penelope.// You think the game looks pretty sweet. Greek mythology? Clever puzzles? If this is done right, Mega Great could have another classic on their hands. Though, you can't help but have a few opinions of how things should be done. For example, wouldn't it be great if Penelope wore something other than a thong? [[Back|008]]

==> //Gamergate: The Game// //by Kate Fustich// [[Start Over|OPENING]]

The party is in full swing by the time you arrive. You recognize people from work, but there are also a lot of other people you have never seen before. Good, you think, people who don't know I'm a "useless slut." You grab a drink and walk around, giving the impression that you're mingling. You even manage to make eye contact and smile at a few people. At one point, someone taps you on the shoulder. You turn around and to your surprise, Dusty Mortising, the founder of Mega Great Games, is standing there. "Hi," he says. "I don't think we've met." "No, we definitely haven't," you reply, shocked. "I'm Dusty. You could say I'm the host of this little get together." "Yeah, I know who you are." You're more star-struck than you'd like to admit. The man who helped shape the course of your entire life is standing right before you. You always thought about this moment, and now that it's here you have no clue what to say. "You know who I am, eh?" he laughs. "Are you one of the new interns?" He takes a step closer. "What?" you snap back. "No! No, no." You breathe in and out to regain your composure. "I've been working on Triton's quest as a $career for the past few months. I really put everything into this game." Dusty laughs and you flush deep red. "My bad," he says. "You just don't see a lot of ladies around here, you know what I mean?" He brushes your arm with his fingers and you recoil instinctively. "Unfortunately," you mumble, taking a step back. Dusty takes another step towards you as though your move away from him had been an accident. "You're certainly the prettiest $career I've ever seen. That's for sure." Now that he's so close, you can smell how drunk he is on his breath. "I'm sorry, but as my boss I don't think you should be talking to me like this." Your emotions are so confused and tangled up with each other. You feel the need to respect and honor the man behind so many games you've loved your whole life. Yet, here he is, representative of everything that has destroyed you over the past few months. "I think I can talk to you however I want," he says. There's an edge to his voice now. "Okay, I'm going to leave now," you say. You turn to walk away, already thinking of home, when he grabs your arm and attempts to pull you back. The drink in your other hand flies out of the glass, landing on both you and Dusty. The glass falls to the ground and breaks. Everyone around you falls silent. You run to the door. [[Next|014.20]]

"Hello?" An unfamiliar voice pops onto the line after the sixth ring. You were almost certain it would go to voicemail. Hoped for it, in fact. "Hey, um, I think I might have the wrong number?" You say. "Oh no, I don't think you do," the unfamiliar voice sneers. "Okay?" You're not sure where this is going. "This is //Jordan//!" They say, as though you should have known. "Who?" "Oh my God, I can't believe her!" The voice says to someone in the background. Probably your ex. "Okay, I'm hanging up now," you say. You don't think they hear you. They're still shrieking at someone in the background. You end the call. [[Next|014]]

"Hello?" Their voice pops onto the line, sounding somewhat suspicious. "It's me," you say quietly. "I know," they laugh. "Caller ID is a thing now." "Right." You half-smile. Here's the part where you break down and tell them that your whole life is a mistake. "I'm actually really glad you called," they say. "There was something I'd been meaning to talk to you about." "Um, sure?" You say, a bit surprised. This sounds like it could be serious. "Well, it's nothing major. It's just that there's some stuff of yours that's still at my place and I wanted to know what I should do with it." "I don't know, throw it out I guess. I really don't care," you say. And really, you don't. This seems a bit unnecessary. "Right well I know I could do that, but Jordan says that's not very good karmically and--" "Who's Jordan?" You say involuntarily. Your ex pauses and a moment of silent understanding passes between you. "Oh." "Yeah so, could you maybe give me an address or something?" They finally say. You look down at your phone in disbelief. You feel utterly disposable. Replacable. Useless in every way. Your ex is still speaking, but their voice sounds small and far away. You press "end call." [[Next|014]]