Russ Pitts resigns as editor-in-chief

[Johnny Novgorod]

Following a 3 month leave of absence and Twitter sabbatical (but not really), Russ Pitts has finally resigned as editor-in-chief of The Escapist. In this [https://medium.com/@russpitts/my-escape-46c8bf0ec63d] 10 minute read in Medium (what the fuck is Medium?) Russ says he's mentally ill and that he's going to spend more time in his garden. And that's that. Anthony Agnello is officially the editor-in-chief now.

Not that I think it makes much of a difference who officially runs the place outside the occasionally cringey editorial, but you'd think there would be some kind of announcement here after all the hullabaloo surrounding the new people in charge.

 

[Saelune]

Anyways, bring R&P back.

 

[tippy2k2]

I ended up skimming it when I saw it yesterday (Sorry Russ, that's a long read) but based on my understanding of my skim, it's probably the right call for him. Sounds like he's kind of figured out what he needs to do to get better and is working on it.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

You know, all these vague implications about the Escapists dark past always make me feel like I'm posting in whatever the digital equivalent of an ancient Indian burial ground is. Including a sinister curse that makes everyone owning the property go mad.

Let's hope the next guy lasts longer.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

I am sad to see him go. I wish him well in whatever path he chooses to go in life. I hope the next guy coming in continues with Russ's agenda of keeping the forums and community together as was the plan that was discussed here rather than abandoning us. I have tried to use Disqus they have on v2 to respond to articles but it doesn't seem to work properly so have not been able to do so. Hopefully when our new editor gets established, he will come on here and post and introduce himself and let everyone know what his plans are.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Did he not just come back in what feels like two minutes ago? This site seems to be the digital equivalent of a hot potato game lol.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Anyways, bring R&P back.

Stay classy Lune.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Did he not just come back in what feels like two minutes ago? This site seems to be the digital equivalent of a hot potato game lol.

That's like shoving a stick across the spokes of your bike and then blaming the stick after you fall. Russ had his v2 with blackjack and hookers, all he had to do was watch the money roll (as it did anyway all these rudderless years, courtesy of Yahtzee), maybe tell us about boomer patriarchy in Disney's Marvel's Sony's Spider-Man if he wanted to feel in charge. But nobody asked for a thinkpiece on a tired, irrelevant subject Russ himself had expressly forbidden mention. I don't think most people here even read it. I'd say the problem was the article as much as Russ's condescending replies in social media to the wrong people [https://i.postimg.cc/HkCtYg1m/pitts.png].

Another analogy: like boarding an airplane and starting loudly debating with yourself over whether the word 'bomb' merits being taken off the plane. Nobody cares, nobody asked and it's also not the time or the place, dude.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

I wasn't even aware of it existing. I just check the forums as a matter of habit. Still, I dunno why GG has to matter in this context. I guess people are still salty this place didn't ban free speech back in the day? If so I'm happy they're upset lol.

 

[Saelune]

Anyways, bring R&P back.

Stay classy Lune.

Yes, shame me for shaming the most recent person to say they care, then disappear on us, and then finally fully just bail.

But hey, know what the difference between them and me? I am still here. I realize you think me giving a fuck is a bad thing, but it isnt.

 

[Agema]

My best wishes to Russ Pitts.

I'm feel for him he's had a lot to deal with. A bunch of yahoos bought and sabotaged his creation, but kudos to him for trying to take it back and save it. And if he soon after found a happier place to be, good luck to him going there.

 

[IceForce]

Here's hoping the next Professor of the Defence Against the Dark Arts does better.

I swear the position must be cursed.

 

[IceForce]

Still, I dunno why GG has to matter in this context. I guess people are still salty this place didn't ban free speech back in the day? If so I'm happy they're upset lol.

... until you realize that the places that did "ban free speech back in the day" are not only still in business, but doing a million times better than this sorry site.

It's a generally accepted consensus that allowing the subject here is what killed the site. If that makes you happy then... good I guess?

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Anyways, bring R&P back.

Thanks to Bohemian Rhapsody all I think about when this song comes on is an aids-filled gay sex dungeon.
Don't get aids Russ!

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Still, I dunno why GG has to matter in this context. I guess people are still salty this place didn't ban free speech back in the day? If so I'm happy they're upset lol.

... until you realize that the places that did "ban free speech back in the day" are not only still in business, but doing a million times better than this sorry site.

It's a generally accepted consensus that allowing the subject here is what killed the site. If that makes you happy then... good I guess?

Nah that's silly. It was people's reaction that caused whatever was caused here. Whatever happened is solely the fault of the people running the site and of the general community here. I will never treat people as incapable of handling any subject, ever. People should be able to discuss anything like rational individuals. Also I don't think comparing a smaller site like this with sites like reddit makes much sense. Reddit wouldn't go out of business over one subject somehow and in fact them banning people harmed them more than helped them, they'd have been fine either way, and this site would have ended up however it has ended up either way.

I've been here for long enough to know that things didn't take a sudden downturn in 2014, people just like to say they did because they were against allowing the subject to be freely discussed here to begin with and have had a chip on their shoulder ever since so they will blame anything and everything on that in order to feel better.

 

[Worgen]

Still, I dunno why GG has to matter in this context. I guess people are still salty this place didn't ban free speech back in the day? If so I'm happy they're upset lol.

... until you realize that the places that did "ban free speech back in the day" are not only still in business, but doing a million times better than this sorry site.

It's a generally accepted consensus that allowing the subject here is what killed the site. If that makes you happy then... good I guess?

Nah that's silly. It was people's reaction that caused whatever was caused here. Whatever happened is solely the fault of the people running the site and of the general community here. I will never treat people as incapable of handling any subject, ever. People should be able to discuss anything like rational individuals. Also I don't think comparing a smaller site like this with sites like reddit makes much sense. Reddit wouldn't go out of business over one subject somehow and in fact them banning people harmed them more than helped them, they'd have been fine either way, and this site would have ended up however it has ended up either way.

I've been here for long enough to know that things didn't take a sudden downturn in 2014, people just like to say they did because they were against allowing the subject to be freely discussed here to begin with and have had a chip on their shoulder ever since so they will blame anything and everything on that in order to feel better.

Do you not remember how fucken toxic the forums were when gamersgate was going on here? This site was a shitshow. Those fuckers were horrible. Having free speech is different then allowing bad actors and gg was full of those.

 

[Abomination]

Still, I dunno why GG has to matter in this context. I guess people are still salty this place didn't ban free speech back in the day? If so I'm happy they're upset lol.

... until you realize that the places that did "ban free speech back in the day" are not only still in business, but doing a million times better than this sorry site.

It's a generally accepted consensus that allowing the subject here is what killed the site. If that makes you happy then... good I guess?

Nah that's silly. It was people's reaction that caused whatever was caused here. Whatever happened is solely the fault of the people running the site and of the general community here. I will never treat people as incapable of handling any subject, ever. People should be able to discuss anything like rational individuals. Also I don't think comparing a smaller site like this with sites like reddit makes much sense. Reddit wouldn't go out of business over one subject somehow and in fact them banning people harmed them more than helped them, they'd have been fine either way, and this site would have ended up however it has ended up either way.

I've been here for long enough to know that things didn't take a sudden downturn in 2014, people just like to say they did because they were against allowing the subject to be freely discussed here to begin with and have had a chip on their shoulder ever since so they will blame anything and everything on that in order to feel better.

Do you not remember how fucken toxic the forums were when gamersgate was going on here? This site was a shitshow. Those fuckers were horrible. Having free speech is different then allowing bad actors and gg was full of those.

It was a shitshow on both sides. But one side was able to throw insults at the other without reprimand. The Pro-GGers were the ones being insulted without repercussions.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Still, I dunno why GG has to matter in this context. I guess people are still salty this place didn't ban free speech back in the day? If so I'm happy they're upset lol.

... until you realize that the places that did "ban free speech back in the day" are not only still in business, but doing a million times better than this sorry site.

It's a generally accepted consensus that allowing the subject here is what killed the site. If that makes you happy then... good I guess?

Nah that's silly. It was people's reaction that caused whatever was caused here. Whatever happened is solely the fault of the people running the site and of the general community here. I will never treat people as incapable of handling any subject, ever. People should be able to discuss anything like rational individuals. Also I don't think comparing a smaller site like this with sites like reddit makes much sense. Reddit wouldn't go out of business over one subject somehow and in fact them banning people harmed them more than helped them, they'd have been fine either way, and this site would have ended up however it has ended up either way.

I've been here for long enough to know that things didn't take a sudden downturn in 2014, people just like to say they did because they were against allowing the subject to be freely discussed here to begin with and have had a chip on their shoulder ever since so they will blame anything and everything on that in order to feel better.

Do you not remember how fucken toxic the forums were when gamersgate was going on here? This site was a shitshow. Those fuckers were horrible. Having free speech is different then allowing bad actors and gg was full of those.

It was a shitshow on both sides. But one side was able to throw insults at the other without reprimand. The Pro-GGers were the ones being insulted without repercussions.

That is the opposite of what happened. The GG's Doxxed forum members of this site, mods and staff and threatened people. They were allowed to say/ do whatever they wanted for a bit and were even given their own forum. You seemed to miss that bit. I was told specifically by mods during that time that they were more worried about the backlash from reprimanding them than making them abide by the rules. This site was known as a "pro GG" site during that time period in the gaming community and destroyed their reputation over it. That was what hurt the site the most and Russ has been working to repair.

 

[Seanchaidh]

Russ says he's mentally ill and that he's going to spend more time in his garden.

Sounds like a Crusader Kings 2 character.

 

[bluegate]

🤷

Can't really get much worse on here, so my care-o-meter is running flat.