When the site relaunched, the newly-returned and since-departed EiC Russ Pitts pledged "
We?re leaving politics at the door." Despite that pledge, this site has become a political discussion forum with occasional game news. Used to be a site to come to discuss and share a love of games and geekdom, now it's been taken over by the left and is a place for progressive/leftist political ideology. The Escapist is no longer a place for escapism. The writing is on the wall, I feel it now deep down in my bones.
Despite the bustle of V2, the sense of community is gone, replaced with toxicity and divisive politics. It wouldn't even be as bad if open and honest discussion were permitted, but it isn't. Far from being welcoming, only one ideology is tolerated and anything else gets branded -phobic. There is an identity crisis on this site and has been from before R&P and even Wild West existed. It wants to be a family-friendly site, yet the audience are adults, not teens. It wants to be a games site, but allows political discussions. It permits discussion of political and religious issues, then warns and bans people for taking part. Site members are mature adults who are policed like kids, discussions of the most divisive topics are permitted but people are suspended and warned for joining them and the fun of games is fallen by the wayside.
Here is
the site's own mission statement:
"Escapist Magazine is an evolution in online media and community, where geeks of all kinds can watch, read, share, and contribute to everything fun ? our guiding reason for being."
But despite that, the *least* fun, most boring, most controversial, most divisive and toxic posts have overtaken it. I don't blame the mods, those who have sincerely done their best and kept this site alive voluntarily, but a lack of a direction or vision has turned this site into an unwelcoming political forum new members don't want to join. What happened to Lizzie Finnegan and her award winning reporting? The Unskippable videos that made us laugh and poked fun at absurd cutscenes? The badges and quizzes, even the red button...maybe it's just wider culture overtaking the site, but it's a tragic shame that this is what it's become. This site was my place to come to indulge my love of games for a decade, I think it's just force of habit now years later that I still visit.
