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[Endless Fluff]

Transcript of his speech for those that don't want to watch it. I left out the beginning where he says that he thinks that Cecilia D'anastasio deserved to be on the list (of nominees) and could've easily won and given a better speech than he does.

What I wanna talk about is why this award is important, not my award that I won because that would be narcissistic.... all our awards, 'cuz we have to look after ourselves, 'cuz there's these external media companies, they're looking at eSports and they wanna write the history and they wanna tell the stories.

And you know who I'm talking about... Polygon, people like that, Waypoint, the Kotakus. Right? And their approach to write about our thing is twofold.

They've consistently embarrassed themselves, writing pieces that expose their complete ignorance about our scene, the lack of sources and unoriginal opinions on topics we've talked to death for twenty years.

The second has been to write hitpieces and smears, mostly propagated on half truths or out-and-out lies and it's about some of you in this room. Give 'em hell.

They write about it because they think if they get one or two or twelve of you out of the way, they get their friends in, their cronies in, take over and gatekeep our industry.

So let's compare and contrast. The reason I'm stood here is prolly one story.

I wrote a story about a great guy, one of our best ambassadors: Rick Fox, who has received racial abuse at Echo Fox and it's a disgrace what happened to him.

I love that guy and we all owe him a great debt. That's the story I want to break and that's the kind of story I want to fight for.

Let's have a look at some of their greatest hits.

From the mainstream games press...

Well outside of Cecilia's work it's not great... there were the lies about a CSGO major event being a Trump rally, 'cuz the journalist misread a sign. Great work!

What about the time they all rallied around to stop abuse of a female Overwatch player, that didn't exist.

Which they would've found if they did a cursory fact check and of course there's the annual hitpiece they write tryin to cancel anyone of you.

OH what about that interview they did with the worlds popular streamer outside of a toilet? One throwaway quote still haunting him today. It's an outrage.

So anyway, despite this I wanna welcome good journalists from a non-eSports background into the scene, because there are hundreds of stories that must be told to make our industry better.

I stuck it out for fifteen years, because I care. I care about this industry, I care about everyone in this room and I care about everyone at home. That's why I wanna make it as best as it can be.

Thanks so much for this award, I love you all dearly, thank you.

Please forgive me for typos or if I misheard something.

It's nothing new we don't already know, but good on Richard for doing this.

 

[NeoLed]

Can I have a better translation?

 

[Noboru Wataya]

Some truth bombs here. Nice to see someone else in the games industry have the balls to push back at trashy clickbait blogs. More need to have the bottle to condemn their shitty tactics, They can’t cancel everyone.

 

[NeilH1982]

Ethics in gaming journalism, where have we heard that argument before ?

 

[Barakov]

Good on him.

 

[ZeroGravity]

I appreciate that he not only called them out, but also cited specific examples of their bullshit. The Overwatch story in particular was egregious in showcasing how little these people care about conducting legitimate journalism.

 

[Mista]

Good on you Richy! It takes a real man to stand up against those cunts and you did it well

How long until he gets cancelled though?

 

[Spukc]

Good on that dude

 

[TheDuskwalker]

 

[EviLore]

Cecilia isn’t any better than the rest of them.

 

[Spukc]

Who is that then?

 

[Hendrick's]

Who?

 

[TeddyShardik]

Ethics in gaming journalism, where have we heard that argument before ?

From a whole lot of arseholes who co-opted the otiginal argument to have a rationalization for being the scum of the earth.

 

[s34ab]

Well outside of Cecilia's work it's not great

Isn't that the chick who cried SEXISM because people were calling out 2k for inserting WNBA players into the NBA2k game instead of fixing the laundry list of problems the game had?

 

[ZehDon]

I think it was Jim Morrison who is quoted as saying "Whoever controls the media, controls the mind". When we talk about games "journalism", I always find my way back to that idea. The truth doesn't matter, the facts are irrelevant, whatever actually took place is no-never-mind. The story, the article, the review - they're just the tools the people writing them use to put their own propaganda camouflaged as truths, facts, and reality out into the world, using the moniker of a profession that once meant something to give validity to their non-sense. And it seems if you do it long enough, twist enough truths and deny enough of reality, eventually you just wear the public down. In games, at least, I think it's fair to say there really isn't much separating a "journalist" from a random social media personality - except the personality doesn't pretend they are a journalist, and usually disclose their sponsors.

 

[Jae Mara]

Good on ya Rich! Been a follower of his work for 6+ years now. Well deserved!

How long until he gets cancelled though?

Oh they have been trying especially when he was tied with a company, his has been working freelance for a while now afaik and is flourishing on writing artlicles/twitch/youtube. He is respected within the scene and has done so much there he will always have a place to write and work.

Cecilia isn’t any better than the rest of them.

Dont know her work personally but I know her article on the "Inside the culture of Sexism at Riot" for the most part was what got her the attention. I think Rich had sources they have been confirming everything in the article for a long time but I think they didnt want anything to become public. There might be other articles, I assume there are but I dont know her work all to well.
None of us are a fan of any of those publications he mentions but credit where credit is due.

 

[Starfield]

Richard Lewis is really cool. He called out alot of Bullshit inside the csgo scene and uncovered some real shit.

 

[AbZeroNow]

Resetera is in full-on shoot the messenger mode, noting Lewis's past association with Breitbart, a white nationalist site. I gotta say, this should serve as a warning to Kotaku & Polygon: their obsolescence is coming. Adopt more rigorous journalistic standards or else a better gaming journalism competitor will come along and get those clicks Kotaku or Polygon seek.

 

[OutrageousFacts]

Hearing that felt so good. ❤

Already seeing him insulted and dismissed elsewhere because of where he worked in the past and stuff he said that some people disagree with. I find that cancelculture shit so terrible. Someone can do good AND bad. He did good here.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

The lack of journalistic integrity from Kotaku, Waypoint, Polygon et al is well known and was pointed out long before GamerGate blew up.

In eSports, their incompetence is even worse. I mean, I can't trust them to properly review even a standard shooter or racing game, so I'm definitely not going to put confidence in their ability to comprehend high-level play and commentate accordingly.

This is quite sad, because there are lots of competitive genres that receive either no coverage (shmups, vs puzzle) or mediocre coverage (fighting games) that would benefit greatly from mainstream journalists giving them attention.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the videogame hobby was a vanguard effort for this modern intersectional ideology invading all corners of entertainment. We saw it pop up in gaming before comics, before boardgaming, before blockbuster movies. These are wolves in sheep's clothing and are not to be trusted.

 

[Javthusiast]

The asylum took this speech over there as we would expect, lmao.

 

[waylo]

Glad someone said it. Fuck all those fake ass pandering websites that do nothing but cater to the vocal minority and try to peddle their phony outrage culture.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

I resent what these tools do being referred to as any kind of 'journalism'.

 

[OutrageousFacts]

Ok, since I can't say it over there, I'll ask here:

The crazies at resetera are shitting on this guy because he worked for Breitbart (which is a dumb website, sure) in the past. They're calling him all sorts of terrible things. My question: For how long will they keep doing this? Because my feeling is that even in 30 years, the moment this guy says something, one of these crazies will shriek 'BUT YOU WORKED FOR BREITBART!!1'.

So what? We forgive murderers, rapists and thieves, but having worked for a bad website justifies dismissing and ruining someone's life forever?

W t fuck?

 

[waylo]

Ok, since I can't say it over there, I'll ask here:

The crazies at resetera are shitting on this guy because he worked for Breitbart (which is a dumb website, sure) in the past. They're calling him all sorts of terrible things. My question: For how long will they keep doing this? Because my feeling is that even in 30 years, the moment this guy says something, one of these crazies will shriek 'BUT YOU WORKED FOR BREITBART!!1'.

So what? We forgive murderers, rapists and thieves, but having worked for a bad website justifies dismissing and ruining someone's life forever?

W t fuck?

That's how they work. They find one little thing, no matter how insignificant, latch onto it, and use it as their excuse for why EVERYONE else should also hate you for the rest of existence. It's fucking tiring.

 

[Enjay]

So it took him this long to figure out what 2+2 is and he's gonna get a shitload of praise and good will over it. Not a bad career move for him/her I guess

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Oh, so that's why Resetera hates him. Hadn't heard of this guy before, but he sounds alright.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I resent what these tools do being referred to as any kind of 'journalism'.

They are ideological provocateur slacktivists, not any different than a blogger other than collecting a paycheck from an internet outlet.

 

[AbZeroNow]

Ok, since I can't say it over there, I'll ask here:

The crazies at resetera are shitting on this guy because he worked for Breitbart (which is a dumb website, sure) in the past. They're calling him all sorts of terrible things. My question: For how long will they keep doing this? Because my feeling is that even in 30 years, the moment this guy says something, one of these crazies will shriek 'BUT YOU WORKED FOR BREITBART!!1'.

So what? We forgive murderers, rapists and thieves, but having worked for a bad website justifies dismissing and ruining someone's life forever?

W t fuck?

Basically, their only response to attack his politics (which I find abhorrent) because they really can't actually attack the message. I think they are making a mistake in their politick über alles approach to esports and gaming journalism. Kotaku and Polygon are synonymous with barely fact-checked dreck that should never have been published if they had any standards and this hurts them when they do actually publish work exposing companies that are terrible to workers and/or customers. Lewis was thoughtful enough to state that a Kotaku journalist should have nominated, and politics aside, Lewis apparently has done some yeoman's work in exposing shady practices which some at Kotaku or Polygon could probably never do because they're too busy worrying about having the right politics rather than thinking about how to actually do their job as journalists.

 

[OutrageousFacts]

Richard Lewis replied to all the accusations against him. I'm sure the people shitting on him will ignore this:

Richard Lewis: What do you do when your harassers are journalists? - Dexerto

Richard Lewis addresses his latest outpouring of online harassment.

www.dexerto.com

 

[Bryank75]

Epic speech, he is correct about these people inserting their friends as gatekeepers.... all the smears, lies etc.
I don't know who Cecilia is....
I wish gaming companies would stop empowering these gatekeepers and hiring from their ranks. You always see folks from the likes of IGN and Kotaku trying to get jobs in writing or social media for publishers.

Waypoint, Kotaku and Polygon must die. I'd add many more to that list too...

 

[Musky_Cheese]

Never heard of him.

Agree with his speech tho.

 

[ROMhack]

Interesting. Always interesting when people call them out.

 

[Gp1]

Cecilia isn’t any better than the rest of them.

little praising then criticizing, just for the camera.

And he stayed only on e-sport coverage....

 

[Gargus]

I guess I have nothing invested because I can't take anyone serious that makes a professional career out of writing about video games, in particular writing about people who play video games. It isnt like investigative journalism about real world issues or problems or life. It's about digital games in fictional settings being played by kids, to me that's hardly worth trying to believe you're writing about something important or you have a voice. I just can't imagine a scenario in my life where I would to ever know who any of these are. But I get it, they take it serious because it's an incredibly very easy way to make money. But I also realize a lot of people are into it and take them seriously and that's fine. It's just my opinion and it's fine others dont share it, that's what keeps the world from being boring.

But on a side note yeah polygon does suck pretty bad. It's like if you took all of igns boring and bland and pedestrian articles and sprinkled in some click bait ignorance stories randomly. And kotaku jesus they used to be a cool site but now its run by a bunch of ignorant mopheads that try to make mountain ranges of ant hills and try to forcibly shove their agendas into every crack and crevice they can find, that is if you can actually find a story they wrote buried under all the "articles" that are really just advertisement banners and unrelated articles linked to their sister websites. I wish both would go out of business and the people who work there have to get real jobs that dont involve tainting video games with their mindless dribble. I dont know wayforward.

 

[JimmyJones]

#metoo incoming in T-Minus 10...9...

 

[Xenon]

guess I have nothing invested because I can't take anyone serious that makes a professional career out of writing about video games, in particular writing about people who play video games. It isnt like investigative journalism about real world issues or problems or life

Real world journalism isnt the high bar you think it is. The majority of them are click whores.

 

[Fuz]

The tide is turning.

 

[Starfield]

You all also should give Thorin a watch. Great insider in the esports scene

 

[Starfield]

Wow. I never thought that having a different opinion over on that other side literally is a reason for a PERMA BAN

Its fucking crazy how BRAINWASHED some of these people are. Like, I get it. You have a different opinion but goddamnit do some actual RESEARCh for fucks sake before you just believe what everyone says.

All these people over there would be the first ones to raise the hand if it was 1939

It's a shame how easily you can control the crowds. It is really fucking scary actually.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

I appreciate that he not only called them out, but also cited specific examples of their bullshit. The Overwatch story in particular was egregious in showcasing how little these people care about conducting legitimate journalism.

I thought he was very smart to do that. Now, people who weren't familiar with those examples can search it themselves and discover how bad the gaming media is. And then, that may lead to them telling their friends about how corrupt gaming journalists are.

 

[Kazza]

 

[Plague Doctor]

They aren't journalists.

They write intentionally provactive ragebait to get website traffic to entice advertisers whom they happen to review the advertisers as well. They aren't journalist and they are a dying format.

Cut it off at the source. Don't give them the click. Use ad blocker. Call them out for not being journalists.

Fuck them and cheers to this guy for calling them out.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

They aren't journalists.

They write intentionally provactive ragebait to get website traffic to entice advertisers whom they happen to review the advertisers as well. They aren't journalist and they are a dying format.

Cut it off at the source. Don't give them the click. Use ad blocker. Call them out for not being journalists.

Fuck them and cheers to this guy for calling them out.

And archive their articles, especially their clickbaity ones.

 

[ZehDon]

Agreed - when linking to their articles, for whatever reason one might, using archive links should be the best practice. Takes very little effort to make sure we’re separate from organic traffic.

 

[Screamer-RSA]

The tide is turning.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

Top man!

 

[klosos]

Good on Richard , about time someone spoke out. I bet Richard was chomping at the bit to have a public dig at Waypoint after the scrawny lil shit Klepek went after Thoorin (Richards mate). To be fair Richard on his Youtube channel/Live streams speaks about the incompetency of modern game journalists alot.

Ill keep an eye on his youtube channel because after the Hit pieces come out against Richard (because they are coming) that's where Richard most probably will respond

 

[maladroit]

he always gets shit for "working at breitbart" and i think it's a bit disingenuous. he worked for the daily dot for a long time and left after his editor was insisting on changing his work so much that it'd dramatically shift the intentions and tone of his articles. after that he worked freelance and had several things published in the tech section of breitbart over a five month period. he was never a breitbart employee as far as i know.

i can't wait for the smears to start today, he already tweeted and said he's heard they're coming.

 

[Badlucktroll]

I immediately thought of comedian Richard Lewis