Update: Fez Dev Tells Media Member To Kill Himself

[Saika Renegade]

Putting any sort of work out there for mass consumption invites criticism, well founded or otherwise. There's good ways to deal with hearing all kinds of opinions, but this is probably not on that list.

Not wishing to sound snobbish, but when you're a content creator of any type (artist, developer, musician, what have you), having both a reasonably thick skin and some patience is a must when dealing with the inevitable audience, which you will have no control over. I'd dare say this is especially true in the video game industry, because there are people who are going to complain about your work and will do so with or without any sort of rationale or basis. It sounds like he doesn't have that kind of ego fortitude.

 

[cridia]

You know, you seem to believe that Fish has only been criticized and never been threatened with death threats. Considering the maturity of the game community, I am willing to bet this guy has received more death threats in an hour than those Gametrailers guys will get in their entire life. I mean, have you even seen our community!? Just the past few years is already enough! We flamed Anita Sarkeesean (or however you spell her name) to hell and back, we flamed Roger Ebert to hell and back (to the point he came out and apologized) for having an opinion, and so on. Hell, just a woman daring to mention sexism in games is already a recipe for disaster in itself. We tend to flip the lid the moment someone dares to have a dissenting opinion, often with disastrous consequences, and the hilarious part is that no one seems to bat an eyelid. Okay, sometimes, but still. We will then call it "oh, but you need to be able to take criticism", forgetting that what we are doing is not only the furthest thing from it, but also makes us HUGE BLOODY HYPOCRITES. Are we truly that blind to our own behaviour that we apparently are never at fault and it is only the eeeeevul people with their dissenting opinions? Come one, people.

Yes, Phil may not have phrased some of his criticism very well. Does that make it any less valid? No, it doesn't. Sure, his game may not have been up to your taste. Does THAT make the criticism any less valid? NO. But most importantly, it wasn't even directed at us gamers. It was directed at a field that needs all the bloody criticism it can get, because a medium of expression cannot move forward without it. But no. Apparently common sense is wasted on us. Bah.

 

[Gilhelmi]

I know people will say "but the Dev was being an a**h***". And I will say,

"If you BEAT your dog, do not be surprised when it Bites you. If you constantly abuse a man verbally, do not be surprised when he curses you out."

I swear, some peoples children.

If he just cursed him out, that's OK. What's stupid is how childishly he acted about all this. If he wants to throw some abuse back, whatever. But to cancel development and not even think to just pass it on to someone else? Wow. Not to mention how much of a disservice this was to the other devs who wanted to keep working on Fez 2 but nevermind that. His feelings got hurt.

Code: I'll just pack my things and go!
Code: Fine!

*tone: slightly sad, tired*

His feelings got hurt? No, that is a minor thing. That is just a lone insult. That would be nothing, But the constant hate speech.

People abuse the term "hate speech" to the point it has little meaning, But I say it here for the fact that he had it piled upon him so so much. Yes, Fish handled it badly, but the trolls are more at fault for provoking him.

What is the verse? "The anger of a fool becomes readily apparent, but the prudent person overlooks an insult." This is what Fish should have done. And "Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool" is for the trolls. I should have remembered Proverbs before posting here, I might not have posted then *lol*. Still it is a hard path to ignore the Trolls.


If I was another developer working on Fez 2, I would blame the trolls.

 

[Yopaz]

If it wasn't for the fact that he actually deserves some criticism and does a poor job of handling it I would feel sorry for him. Media can be really rough on people. Making people stand out when they're no-one, tormenting them when they are someone.

Now I don't like Fish, nor do I think he does a good job handling both rational or irrational criticism, but I have some understanding of why this happened. It probably wasn't the comment itself, but rather the last straw. For those who were looking forward to Fez 2 I'm sorry.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

*tone: slightly sad, tired*

His feelings got hurt? No, that is a minor thing. That is just a lone insult. That would be nothing, But the constant hate speech.

People abuse the term "hate speech" to the point it has little meaning, But I say it here for the fact that he had it piled upon him so so much. Yes, Fish handled it badly, but the trolls are more at fault for provoking him.

What is the verse? "The anger of a fool becomes readily apparent, but the prudent person overlooks an insult." This is what Fish should have done. And "Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool" is for the trolls. I should have remembered Proverbs before posting here, I might not have posted then *lol*. Still it is a hard path to ignore the Trolls.


If I was another developer working on Fez 2, I would blame the trolls.

There's one law on the 'nets that everyone knows. Haters are gonna hate. Seriously, you say the trolls are to blame. Well, Fish really put himself out there to be shot down and... well... The Joker said it first.

I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I turned it on itself.

So, yeah the trolls' behavior was bad but that is to be EXPECTED. They're trolls. There will always be trolls on the internet, so you must always watch for them if you're in a position of even some importance. And besides. He could have should have just ignored them instead of listening to them all the time.

Ultimately, this comes down to just plain ol' bad PR management. Actually, I don't think there WAS any PR management.

 

[Raesvelg]

Phil Fish was something of an abrasive jerk at the best of times prior to this whole debacle, so it's hardly surprising when he attracts negative attention. The fact that he can dish it out but not take it indicates a few things about him personally, none of them positive, and his response to this whole situation is pretty consistent with that.

 

[xdiesp]

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah, Phil you are a sore loser and your game is the Duke Nukem Forever of indies.

 

[CheckD3]

Never played Fez, in no rush to, in less of a rush to now. Honestly, I'm glad this guy is getting out of video games. Why would we want to play games headed by a guy who doesn't have the heart and drive to create a great game, and silence critics and those against them with their works, rather than words.

I'm not putting down the work of the people who worked on the game who DO have the drive, but they deserve to find a job where everyone has the passion that they have. Say all you will about EA, but even when they create crap, at least the people working the project, at least from my knowledge, actually are trying to create a genuine project under the perimeters given. We don't hear about EA folks cancelling games and whining when we make fun of them or critique them, and journalists and gamers do that a LOT.