Limited Run Games, and the industry’s gatekeeping problem

Video games have a big problem with gatekeeping, and not in the way the mainstream games press would like you to believe.

Gamers have often been accused, among other things, of gatekeeping their hobby to prevent it from becoming “diverse” and “inclusive”. Whatever those mean. Nerds have long been excluded for mainstream society, and are often happy to bring new people into their fold. In fact, it seems the only people who are trying to actively exclude anyone are those working within the industry itself.

Recently, YouTuber 21Kiloton made a video explaining why woke politics have become so prevalent in video games. Over the years, creatives coming up through the university system have been indoctrinated in leftist ideology. They got jobs in the games industry, and slowly began to shape the cultures of the companies they worked for. Over time, those who did not share that ideology slowly began to be pushed out, while leftists successfully kept anyone else from becoming or staying employed unless they shared their political views.

The issue has come to public attention once again after Limited Run Games, who makes physical releases for small developers, terminated an employee allegedly for following LibsOfTiktok and a few other conservative commentators on Twitter.

In a statement released on their own Twitter feed, the company stated that “LRG respects all personal opinions, however we remain committed to supporting an inclusive culture. Upon investigating a situation, an employee was terminated. Our goal as a company is to continue to foster a positive and safe environment for everyone.”

Now, in fairness to the company, we don’t know this employee’s work history, or whether there were mitigating factors involved. Though LRG’s own weasel word stacked statement doesn’t seem to indicate anything other than what we’re all thinking. That they were fired simply for associating with individuals that went against their bosses’ political beliefs. On their time no less.

These companies claim to promote “inclusivity”, but that does not include diversity of thought. You must tow the party line, or else. Some US states do ban hiring managers from discriminating based on political beliefs, though I’m not sure what the law says in North Carolina, where LRG is based. However I would fully encourage the individual involved to consider a lawsuit against the company, as this seems to be a pretty clear cut case of wrongful dismissal to me. Of course getting out of such a toxic environment was probably for the best, and I hope this person gets hired somewhere better.

This isn’t an isolated incident though. We’ve heard reports all across the entertainment industry, not just games. Gina Carrano probably being the most notorious example, after she was fired from The Mandalorian for quite literally for blowing the whistle on the widespread gatekeeping within Hollywood. But as far as games are concerned, if you want to know why so many are mediocre or buggy nowadays, this is why. Hiring and firing decisions are now made based on whether someone says the right buzzwords or associates with the right people, not whether they’re a good programmer or writer. Those working in the industry are more concerned with politics than they are with releasing a good product, or even appeasing their investors.

Diversity of thought is what produces good stories and fresh innovations. Which is why we’re seeing neither. But it points to a bigger civil rights issue that nobody is really addressing. I’d like to see legislation to preventing this kind of discrimination expanded, and enforced, in more places. Though that’s not something I’m holding my breath for given the current climate. Even conservative politicians have been particularly bad on that front, when it comes to sticking up for their supporters. In the meantime, gamers and developers need to start voting with their wallets, and building out parallel indie economies outside the mainstream, as this problem is unlikely to go away anytime soon. Not at least until the venture capital runs out.