SWSX Gaming Panel Canceled After Death Threats

Austin’s South by Southwest convention is a pretty huge nerd convention, but it’s not really a ‘gaming’ convention as we’d understand it. It’s broader than that, which means it’s not usually worth our attention (given that we’re specifically a gaming website, ya know) unless there’s something very specific happening pertaining to us. And as it turns out, this time, there is!

Or, rather, there was.

The convention, which runs from March 10th to March 20th next year, was going to be host to two discussions involving video games: Level Up: Overcoming Online Harassment was supposed to look at the bullying epidemic that currently plagues our culture, and SavePoint: A Discussion on the Gaming Community was intended to be Pro-Gamergate in everything but name alone, talking about ethics in games journalism and breaking away from the ‘straight white male’ stereotype that's currently beset gaming.

Both, however, have been canceled. Take a wild stab at why.

If you guessed “threats of wild stabbing”, then you pretty much hit the nail on the head. Both panel operators have reported numerous threats of violence have been made against them and the festival, and has thus canceled their respective discussions. SXSW Interactive director Hugh Forrest had this to say in the festivals official blog:
 

"If people can not agree, disagree, and embrace new ways of thinking in a safe and secure place that is free of online and offline harassment, then this marketplace of ideas is inevitably compromised. Maintaining civil and respectful dialogue within the big tent is more important than any particular session."

Two thoughts on this. The first is a profound disappointment that we’re STILL doing this, gaming community. There is absolutely no reason we should be making death threats still, I had really thought we’d outgrown this crap when Feminist Frequency released several episodes of Tropes Vs Video Games and I wasn’t getting press releases about countless death threats. Second of all, it’s getting very discouraging that we keep bowing to these threats of violence--I understand safety is a top priority, but as long as we keep showing we’re afraid of death threats, people will keep making them.

Nothing to do about it here, I suppose. SXSW is still looking to be legendary next year, check it out if you’re in the area.  Next year.