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Unknown Worlds Entertainment has dismissed its sound designer after a slew of controversial posts on social media. [...] The controversy followed a 2016 poll by Cleveland that resurfaced over the weekend, asking whether players would prefer the ability to play Subnautica as a woman or have the studio improve upon the core game. Chylinski responded to this back in 2016, saying: "we need a 'diversity' slider in the options. It will make the character progessively [sic] darker more feminie [sic] and less sexy". [...] Users browsing through Chylinski's Twitter account have found multiple examples of insensitive statements and posts, including messages that decry immigration from third-world countries, make light of pay inequalities between genders and reference "SJW logic."

Source: www.gamesindustry.biz

I don't want to comment on whether his firing was warranted or not, but it seems to me as if twitter is increasingly becoming a liability with many of its users being out for blood. Were the developer's tweets 'insensitive' enough to be fired? Maybe, but I certainly can't conclude to his whole personality just by a couple of silly tweets. What people say, what they really think and what they actually do are vastly different things sometimes. But nowadays a couple of tweets suffice to be quickly judged and condemned by the public eye.

It seems to me as if social-media is giving way too much power to public opinion. We're all aware of the fact that large groups of people tend to be vastly hysterical. While a vocal minority of power-tripping twitter-addicts cries outrage at every silly little thing and decides the fate of individuals, the silent majority has better things to do than browsing through other people's social-media accounts.

 

[Pejo]

On one hand, I think it's silly to be fired over off-the-cuff remarks made online. On the other hand, I can attest personally to how easy it is to just not make those comments on social media for everyone to see, or at all. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[cucuchu]

Wasn't the sound design one of the highly-rated features of the game? Sucks for the studio to lose them if that is the case and I imagine it was not an easy decision to make but this day in age it seems to be the norm to just cut off association from negativity out-right. Let this be a lesson to limit your free speech in any avenue online if you value your career.

Its tough for me to rationalize someone being fired over this though because I start to think of where we draw the line. I saw some animal rights activist on twitter the other day claiming eating chicken is the same as being as being a pedophile and I was needless to say baffled and angry at such comments but you know what, whether they really believe that or not, its their opinion to have and express. Would I want them to lose their job and ability to provide for their family over such a comment? That does not sit well with me even though I disagree with the person entirely.

 

[MrDanGuy]

If he was talked to before about this, and still went against it I say it was warranted. However, if not then it’s kind of ridiculous. I am against acting a fool on social media, but people are being too insensitive these days IMO. These people would lose their mind if they heard what was said where hard labor was done. I understand it’s all about awareness, but at what point does this violate your freedom of speech just to conform to others ideals.

 

[Petrae]

Social media posting leads to dozens of job terminations each year. The smartest move is not to post on it; if people can’t do that, then they need to lock down (make private) all accounts and post only about neutral things.

If you’re gonna post about hot-button controversial topics, it’s your own fault if you get fired. You assume that risk when you make posts like those, especially in an increasingly divided society.

Since most states are at-will in terms of employment, employers don’t really need a reason to can you... so why would you want to give them ammunition? For a few likes and retweets? It’s not worth it, regardless of whether it’s right or wrong that social media wields that kind of power.

It’s surprising to me that social media users still don’t understand the risks that come with the territory. Hundreds (if not thousands) more will lose their jobs in the years to come. It’s a sad lack of judgment to go with the need to have opinions validated by others by shouting them from the rooftops of the internet.

 

[Alx]

On one hand, I think it's silly to be fired over off-the-cuff remarks made online. On the other hand, I can attest personally to how easy it is to just not make those comments on social media for everyone to see, or at all. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah, his main mistake was making such comments in the context of discussing the game, linking it to his professional activity. If he had just spouted some racist (or whatever) nonsense, one could say that it's his own opinion and unrelated to his work, but he makes it harder to argue with his slider stuff.

 

[NickFire]

As with the OP, I would prefer to stay away from whether he deserved to be fired or not. But I would like to add that I believe Twitter is tearing the world apart and regressing the human species. We are almost literally back to the days of witch trials in the US. Instead of burning the devil though, we just cleanly purge them from the ability to work or support themselves and their family.

 

[Petrae]

As with the OP, I would prefer to stay away from whether he deserved to be fired or not. But I would like to add that I believe Twitter is tearing the world apart and regressing the human species. We are almost literally back to the days of witch trials in the US. Instead of burning the devil though, we just cleanly purge them from the ability to work or support themselves and their family.

Facebook is no better. Social media provides a platform for people to air their opinions, but that platform comes with the loudest microphone there is. Millions of people can hear what you say, and there’s bound to be at least a small percentage within those who hear those opinions who don’t like it or agree with it. In response, they use the same power of the internet to hold the opinion-maker— and his employer, for deciding to hire a person of allegedly questionable views— accountable.

Social media used to be such a great idea, once upon a time. Unfortunately, it’s home to a great deal of divisiveness, disrespect, and shit-talking now. It’s a damned shame.

 

[ExpandKong]

On one hand, I think it's silly to be fired over off-the-cuff remarks made online. On the other hand, I can attest personally to how easy it is to just not make those comments on social media for everyone to see, or at all. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah pretty much this. Those tweets were all from within the last year if I’m reading correctly, people should know better by now than to say...pretty much anything on Twitter, hahah.

Having a social media presence of any kind has become a liability nowadays.

I’ll go ahead and say the tweets of his that I’ve seen were not as extreme as I was expecting considering the backlash. But I’m sure we are all very well aware of how That Site’s population tends to blow things like this way out of proportion.

 

[NickFire]

Facebook is no better. Social media provides a platform for people to air their opinions, but that platform comes with the loudest microphone there is. Millions of people can hear what you say, and there’s bound to be at least a small percentage within those who hear those opinions who don’t like it or agree with it. In response, they use the same power of the internet to hold the opinion-maker— and his employer, for deciding to hire a person of allegedly questionable views— accountable.

Social media used to be such a great idea, once upon a time. Unfortunately, it’s home to a great deal of divisiveness, disrespect, and shit-talking now. It’s a damned shame.

I'm with you 100%. It started with wonderful intentions, but has become a cancer on society. Its used to actively destroy way too much, and passively destroys far more than people realize. Countless relationships have been wrecked (cheating, an inability to separate being friends from sharing political views, etc.), and I would bet it has also caused countless cases of depression in people falsely believing everyone else's lives are perfect while theirs are not. I'm not a fan of stifling speech and forcing shut downs, but I wouldn't shed a tear if they started going away.

 

[Kamina]

On one had people are offended by anything and everything these days, too much actually. On the other hand it’s stupid to openly state controversal opinions like that in this day and age.

 

[KevinKeene]

What makes this particular case 'interesting' is the he/she was fired directly because of harassment from resetera-users. They made themselves heard over twitter, wrote stark condemnations on the forum, and then ... fired.

They did exactly what they always accuse evil GamerGate of. But apparently it's ok when they do it.

As for my opinion: didn't deserve getting fired. People say stupid things on twitter. As long as it's not illegal hate speech, let them be. Only making a fool out of themselves.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Way to bow to the lynch mob, devs. They'll never buy your games no matter what.

 

[grumpyGamer]

I really can´t see this tipe of news anymore, i just find them very unfair to the person who gets their life fucked just because some social bitches can´t stand someone who has dark humor, or is just saying shit for the sake of saying it, everything must be ignorance and harassment and everyone must be punished.

For fucks sake go fuck yourselves you 21 century babies, who of those people know the guy or know his life to be able to judge him just by reading some tweets online, they are no better than him(if he did something, which i believe he did not), they do not care about his family his home, nothing they just want the witch hunt to prove they are right.

These people are spoiled and entitled to nothing yet they believe they deserve everything and the company´s and normal people of society just get out of they´re way in case the babies look at them and accuse them of being supportive of the EVIL.

I am sorry to anyone who does not like this rant, but this is getting ridiculous, and the people who are in favor of the witch hunt go get a life outside the internet, i honestly believe these are all 5 year old children or mentally deficient adults.

 

[DryvBy]

I said this on Twitter but I find it funny the same groups that campaigned to get this guy fired are the same groups that made a huge stink about how it was harassment when Alison Rapp getting fired and people campaigned about her. She even had a history of suggesting cp should be legal. Somehow Rapp's case was harassment but Chylinski is totally justified to that same group.

 

[Night.Ninja]

resettera won, would have been saying the old neogaf couple months ago

this day and age its better to keep your thoughts to your self

 

[Jon Neu]

The dictatorship of the polical correctness continues.

And I'm more baffled by the people in this thread who just simply accept society has to be that way.

Let's harass and destroy the life of people who doesn't conform to our thinking!

 

[TheShadowLord]

I said this on Twitter but I find it funny the same groups that campaigned to get this guy fired are the same groups that made a huge stink about how it was harassment when Alison Rapp getting fired and people campaigned about her. She even had a history of suggesting cp should be legal. Somehow Rapp's case was harassment but Chylinski is totally justified to that same group.

what's cp?

 

[RoboFu]

The hypocrisy of the people who demanded action be taken is that they have no concept of forgiveness or that someone can grow and change their minds over time yet the deem themselves liberal. These people look back decades to find something someone said that could offensive in this day.
Yet themselves resort to name calling and ill mannered behavior which is okay because of the “ cause “ apparently.

 

[Gormless Noodle]

Hopefully, this does not impact Subnautica, which has been well received since recently coming out of Early Access.

Of course it will. They took a political stance whether they like it or not and that's going to have impact in the super polarised US at the very least. To be fair, NOT doing anything would have been considered taking a political stance as well, so that was a no win situation either way.

 

[KevinKeene]

I said this on Twitter but I find it funny the same groups that campaigned to get this guy fired are the same groups that made a huge stink about how it was harassment when Alison Rapp getting fired and people campaigned about her. She even had a history of suggesting cp should be legal. Somehow Rapp's case was harassment but Chylinski is totally justified to that same group.

And just for the record, Alison Rapp deserved to be fired. OldGAF moderation forbade to mention the reason she got fired. It wasn't evil Nintendo. No, she was working as a prostitute in secret, basically breaking two laws: company law that forbids having another job in secret. And breaking state law, because prostitution was illegal where she lived.

But the same people defending all that now do their hardest to ruin people's lives for silly tweets.

It's important to call them out. It's bad enough that forum is often cited as a source on big websites. They wouldn't use stormfront as their source, would they.

 

[cormack12]

The real problem is that people use these social media platforms as an outlet to voice often sardonic opinions on modern society. A lot of these people just make the comments as a riposte or exaggerative commentary in contrast to the overblown reactions of modern day society.

In most cases they are not going to be vehemently held beliefs and the people are not hardcore racists, sexists etc. They are just people making controversial shout outs for the sake of it. The real problem is people feeling the only outlet they have is this.

Do I think it's stupid? Absolutely. And misguided. But I don't think we should be demanding to devastate someone's career or life, just because they are this month's example of poorly thought out social media posts.

What's worse is that these pitchforks are a threat to the Devs that their game wouldn't be purchased if they don't react. The reality is hardly any of those people would have had plans to buy it anyway, and also it's really shitty to hold that over an entire studio just because of the inappropriate behaviour of one employee. I wonder how many people will post receipts now they've got what they wanted....

 

[JORMBO]

I would think most people would know better then to post stuff like that online, but I don't feel he deserved to lose his job for it.

 

[moomoo14]

Online is forever. He easily could have simply not made those tweets.

Stuff like this is why I don’t make political comments on the internet under my name. People will use against you, regardless of where you are on the spectrum.

Social media is mostly for frivolous stuff, like talking about video games.

 

[Petrae]

Online is forever. He easily could have simply not made those tweets.

Stuff like this is why I don’t make political comments on the internet under my name. People will use against you, regardless of where you are on the spectrum.

Social media is mostly for frivolous stuff, like talking about video games.

Same. I talk 93% video games, 4% other entertainment, 2% about the weather, and 1% about current events. I avoid politics and divisive topics like the plague. Better to keep my opinions to myself then risk angering people and have my offline life affected.

 

[ExpandKong]

What makes this particular case 'interesting' is the he/she was fired directly because of harassment from resetera-users. They made themselves heard over twitter, wrote stark condemnations on the forum, and then ... fired.

They did exactly what they always accuse evil GamerGate of. But apparently it's ok when they do it.

It’s very telling that they locked the thread related to this topic once word got out that he was fired. The mod message stopped just short of saying “mission accomplished.”

To be fair, NOT doing anything would have been considered taking a political stance as well, so that was a no win situation either way.

I dunno...the Hat in Time devs didn’t do or say anything about JonTron, and their game seems to be doing really well. Yooka-Laylee, on the other hand, has performed below expectations and Playtonic itself is in a bit of trouble as a result.

Of course I can’t really say whether Playtonic’s troubles or HiT’s success are a direct result of how they differently handled the JonTron thing. It’s just an observation about a similar kind of situation.

 

[bufkus]

Dude definitely should have been fired. His views would clearly make any woman or person of color working with him uncomfortable. People should stop acting like they have a right to employment despite toxic views.

The dictatorship of the polical correctness continues.

And I'm more baffled by the people in this thread who just simply accept society has to be that way.

Let's harass and destroy the life of people who doesn't conform to our thinking!

I'm baffled that you don't understand that racist and sexist views are harmful to society.

 

[LaughingStock]

what's cp?

Well, "C" is for child. You can figure out the rest.

The whole thing is messy. You can think and say whatever you want. But don't expect it to be free of consequence.

 

[astroglide]

I co worked of mine got suspended for a meme. It's getting crazy out there. I had to go delete my Twitter and Facebook history. I now just stay nuteral and post cat videos. Lots of people make 2nd profiles for talking trash. If called out jarred petty who use to work for ign for dumb shot he says. Deleted it because it got pretty heated. He's the dumbest person there in my opinion. Have to watch out in the ign facebook groups as well. Ugh has no alpha males and they cry easy

 

[TheShadowLord]

Well, "C" is for child. You can figure out the rest.

The whole thing is messy. You can think and say whatever you want. But don't expect it to be free of consequence.

yeah, he already told me and yeesh... I thought it was an error on his part and he met politic correctness

 

[ExpandKong]

Dude definitely should have been fired. His views would clearly make any woman or person of color working with him uncomfortable. People should stop acting like they have a right to employment despite toxic views.

People should stop acting like they have a right to not feeling uncomfortable about someone else’s opinion.

 

[Alx]

Dude definitely should have been fired. His views would clearly make any woman or person of color working with him uncomfortable. People should stop acting like they have a right to employment despite toxic views.

That would only work if he made those statements at work, though.
In the case of social networks, it's not about the coworkers but the public image he's giving of the game/company. That's why I said his mistake was to make comments related to the game itself. Had it been only him expressing random opinions, well that's his own business.

 

[NickFire]

Dude definitely should have been fired. His views would clearly make any woman or person of color working with him uncomfortable. People should stop acting like they have a right to employment despite toxic views.



I'm baffled that you don't understand that racist and sexist views are harmful to society.

False equivalence. Saying things have gone too far with respect to lynch mob justice that demands a person and their family be unable to financially survive over words - does not equal - racist and sexist views are beneficial to society.

WTF happened to this country? Seriously, how did we go from detesting what you say, but willing to die for your right to say it, to I want you and your family to basically be homeless, and live off unemployment and welfare the rest of your life (and possibly die by extension of exposure, hunger, etc.), because you said something that I am not comfortable with?

 

[bukowski81]

Dude definitely should have been fired. His views would clearly make any woman or person of color working with him uncomfortable. People should stop acting like they have a right to employment despite toxic views.



I'm baffled that you don't understand that racist and sexist views are harmful to society.

IMO, unless he actually have inapropiate behavior on the workplace, firing him is not justified at all. Its ridiculous to fire someone because of twitter, twitter is just bs that not represents what anyone stands for or thinks, your actual behavior should be more important. Its ridiculous to fire someone because of the social pressure of a small minority that label themselves as "progressive" when in reality are very intolerant and the absolute opposite of progressive.

 

[Remeard]

People want freedom of speech but don't want the consequences that come from it. A company is well within their legal right for firing somebody for something like that. I mean, as a business do you want to be tied to someone like that?

 

[Petrae]

I would think most people would know better then to post stuff like that online, but I don't feel he deserved to lose his job for it.

In most cases, termination isn’t the best solution; however, most employers don’t want to be continual targets of harassment/criticism from those offended or bothered by the words and actions of an employee. Much easier, in terms of publicity, to cut bait with the offender instead of taking or defending against the abuse, threatened boycotts, and so on.

Employees are replaceable. A damaged public image and the financial repercussions of said damage is much harder to fix.

People HAVE to learn to know better, or to at least understand the risks undertaken to themselves, their employers, and others that they’re linked to on social media when they decide to post controversial, political, or divisive opinions. It’s a difficult minefield to navigate, especially when you plant the mines yourself.

People want freedom of speech but don't want the consequences that come from it. A company is well within their legal right for firing somebody for something like that. I mean, as a business do you want to be tied to someone like that?

The “freedom of speech” defense is a poor one. Employees are NOT protected from consequences for their words and actions when they speak out publicly. They ARE protected from arrest or trial by the government for said speech. The First Amendment was never designed with job security in mind.

As a business, it matters more when the words and actions of an employee cause harm to the company’s reputation. Like it or not, actions outside of the workplace still reflect on your employer— especially if you willfully link your identity to your employer online. It doesn’t matter how much one argues that “These are my opinions and not those of my employer.” Disclaimers like these are worthless.

 

[Kadayi]

IMO, unless he actually have inapropiate behavior on the workplace, firing him is not justified at all. Its ridiculous to fire someone because of twitter, twitter is just bs that not represents what anyone stands for or thinks, your actual behavior should be more important. Its ridiculous to fire someone because of the social pressure of a small minority that label themselves as "progressive" when in reality are very intolerant and the absolute opposite of progressive.

Fully agreed. There's this weird presumption that the entire world is somehow fixated on Twitter (to the extent that Twitter spats/shade throwing are even covered on the news at times *insert Harrison Ford who gives a shit.Gif* ) when the actual reality is most everyday people you know don't even have an account let alone tweet regularly. It's not a reflection of global society, it's a reflection of people who are hyper-connected and can't get off the internet hamster wheel of perpetual offence.

 

[DryvBy]

Dude definitely should have been fired. His views would clearly make any woman or person of color working with him uncomfortable. People should stop acting like they have a right to employment despite toxic views.

I'm baffled that you don't understand that racist and sexist views are harmful to society.

I think it's illegal to fire someone for political view sets in California. At least it used to be when I loved there unless they're going to work and starting a bunch of crap with co-workers.

Also, what did he say that was racist? Only thing I read was about immigration from third-world countries.

 

[cireza]

Anonymous people on the internet are the new judges of current times.

 

[Trap Card]

That's what happens when you let an echo chamber manifest & you do nothing about it so they can witch hunt whoever they want.

 

[alken]

.

 

[KevinKeene]

People want freedom of speech but don't want the consequences that come from it. A company is well within their legal right for firing somebody for something like that. I mean, as a business do you want to be tied to someone like that?

It's not free speech if there are consequences. Otherwise I'd have to assume we also have 'free murder'. Sure, I have to go to jail, but I can murder you. Your definition of free speech is a very detached, philosophical one. One that's worthless for all practicalities.

 

[NickFire]

People want freedom of speech but don't want the consequences that come from it. A company is well within their legal right for firing somebody for something like that. I mean, as a business do you want to be tied to someone like that?

That's just another tiresome and standard talking point that the far left uses to justify the thrill they get from their crusade to inflict maximum pain and punishment on people they don't care for over nothing but words, as well as upon their family and anyone else dependent on them for support. If they believe that tearing people down, and destroying them and their families for saying stupid shit online is a worthy cause, then god bless them. Its their absolute right to do so. But they should at least have the balls to say what is really going on. And that is some people believe they are morally or otherwise superior, and take great pleasure in causing pain and destruction upon the inferior people who think differently, all without leaving the couch, bed or toilet.

And to the extent those people think they are actually making a positive change, I would ask them how much they enjoy having Trump as president?

 

[ExpandKong]

People want freedom of speech but don't want the consequences that come from it. A company is well within their legal right for firing somebody for something like that. I mean, as a business do you want to be tied to someone like that?

No one is contesting the company’s right to fire their employee. The issue is that the hypersensitive masses of the internet have appointed themselves judge, jury and executioner for badthink, and that these companies are going along with it.

 

[PtM]

And just for the record, Alison Rapp deserved to be fired. OldGAF moderation forbade to mention the reason she got fired. It wasn't evil Nintendo. No, she was working as a prostitute in secret, basically breaking two laws: company law that forbids having another job in secret. And breaking state law, because prostitution was illegal where she lived.

But the same people defending all that now do their hardest to ruin people's lives for silly tweets.

It's important to call them out. It's bad enough that forum is often cited as a source on big websites. They wouldn't use stormfront as their source, would they.

Do you have some receipts for this prostitution talk? Preferably not some guy on YouTube?

 

[AnimalFather]

if ur dumb enough to post that stuff in todays fascist mindset you deserve to be fired.

 

[Petrae]

No one is contesting the company’s right to fire their employee. The issue is that the hypersensitive masses of the internet have appointed themselves judge, jury and executioner for badthink, and that these companies are going along with it.

A little less busybody-ism would do us all a fair amount of good.

Social media— and the internet, in general— unfortunately empower people to nose in on the affairs of others, because everything is so blasted public.

There’s enough blame to go around for both the set of people who willfully share their controversial opinions on a public forum despite the numerous occurrences of job termination resulting from such a thing AND for the witch hunters who make it a voluntary and personal crusade to harshly right someone else’s wrongs.

if ur dumb enough to post that stuff in todays fascist mindset you deserve to be fired.

I can’t argue this. Again: with all of the reports of people getting fired for sharing divisive policital or generally controversial opinions on a public forum (like Twitter or Facebook), people that continue to take these risks and not adjust their behavior are asking for consequences. I get the frustration from some folks about this, but the trend over the last 5+ years has been very clear. People are losing their jobs over questionable social media posting decisions, and whether that’s perceived as right or wrong, it’s not changing in the foreseeable future.

 

[RoboFu]

if ur dumb enough to post that stuff in todays fascist mindset you deserve to be fired.

Not even three strikes huh? Just straight to maximum sentence.

 

[Remeard]

It's not free speech if there are consequences. Otherwise I'd have to assume we also have 'free murder'. Sure, I have to go to jail, but I can murder you. Your definition of free speech is a very detached, philosophical one. One that's worthless for all practicalities.

So there should be absolutely no consequences to what people say? If someone in a company harasses an individual, says racist, misogynistic, hateful things the employer should just shrug and say "Hey that's perfectly acceptable buddy!"

k

No one is contesting the company’s right to fire their employee. The issue is that the hypersensitive masses of the internet have appointed themselves judge, jury and executioner for badthink, and that these companies are going along with it.

Literally the point of the thread is a company firing an individual because of what he posted. Regardless of if it were to hit mainstream video game news... whatever that is... doesn't matter. In the real world, a decent company shuts that shit down.

That's just another tiresome and standard talking point that the far left uses to justify the thrill they get from their crusade to inflict maximum pain and punishment on people they don't care for over nothing but words, as well as upon their family and anyone else dependent on them for support. If they believe that tearing people down, and destroying them and their families for saying stupid shit online is a worthy cause, then god bless them. Its their absolute right to do so.

Jesus Christ do you argue online for a living? A guy posts something about a project that the company was working that contains comments that are misogynistic. Said company fires guy for doing so. I'm not sure what kind of mental gymnastics you want me to jump through, but in - again - the real world a decent company doesn't stand for that.

But they should at least have the balls to say what is really going on. And that is some people believe they are morally or otherwise superior, and take great pleasure in causing pain and destruction upon the inferior people who think differently, all without leaving the couch, bed or toilet.

And to the extent those people think they are actually making a positive change, I would ask them how much they enjoy having Trump as president?

Buddy, you take the gold medal.

 

[ExpandKong]

Buddy, you take the gold medal.

Dunno what happened here but the post you’re quoting here isn’t mine (well one of them is, but not this particular one).