An image of the Avenger Xbox 360 controller, a futuristic looking black controller.
In case you’ve been hiding somewhere without internet for a day or two, you’ve probably heard about how Penny Arcade exposed a ludicrous conversation between the world’s worst customer service representative at Ocean Marketing and one of their readers. It swept across the internet in record time, eventually causing Kotkin Enterprises, the makers of the Avenger controller, to drop Ocean Marketing as their PR firm and customer service.
Byeuji on the GirlGamers subreddit asks:
Anyone else find it absolutely amazing how Penny Arcade can really whip people into a frenzy over controllers, but tell people to screw off over rape jokes?
I read the emails – the manufacturer guy was a complete asshole and totally unprofessional. I’m not sure it warrants a witch hunt and public shaming, but whatever.
But when someone at Penny Arcade is a complete asshole and totally unprofessional, they tell us to get bent and oh btw don’t come to PAX anymore.
Absolutely amazing, indeed.
I’ve been following this latest piece of nonsense as it’s unfolded and I’m absolutely appalled by PA’s behaviour. Yes, Mr. Christoforo’s behaviour should have been addressed, yes he probably should have lost his job because of it, but how is it appropriate to set a pack of their fans on him? That goes doubly so given the abusive behaviour and threats that came from some of those fans over Dickwolves.
It’s internet mob mentality at its worst and it’s disgusting. Mike Krahulik’s gleeful crowing is also disgusting. He actually said in his update on this, “Someday every bully meets and even bigger bully and maybe that’s me in this case.”
Yes Mike, you’re acting like a bully. You said it yourself. Now stop.
I mentioned this in the comments on that very reddit thread, and it’s been more than one occasion that people weren’t aware of this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/2011/2/2 contains PA’s final acknowledgments and apology attempts. The very same reddit thread submitter linked to the debacle timeline in the OP, and yet wasn’t aware of the apologies. Having read them, they now say they don’t feel as “ranty” about it. It’s not for me or anyone else to dictate how someone should feel about a situation, but for anyone else who doesn’t know, they can evaluate the value of PA’s efforts by first knowing about them.
“how is it appropriate to set a pack of their fans on him?”
Yeah exactly. It’s not. Mike pretends that he has nothing to do with it now, it’s out of his hands, etc… even though he’s the one who whipped them up in the first place.
He also talks a lot about how he used to be bullied. Like that’s any excuse at all.
“Anyone else find it absolutely amazing how Penny Arcade can really whip people into a frenzy over controllers, but tell people to screw off over rape jokes?”
I’ve been saying that on twitter ever since I read about PA! It was good the link that was shortened didn’t connect because I don’t want to give PA the views.
Seeing the PA guys continue to sick their fans on people validates my decision to stop following their site.
I liked this post quite a bit: http://www.joystickdivision.com/2011/12/a_quick_angry_note_on_the_ocea.php
The Ocean Marketing guy is clearly an asshole who has no business being in PR. This isn’t the first time this has happened, and I’m glad PA brought attention to that. But launching a harassment campaign against the guy and his family? That is FAR over the line. RIDICULOUSLY far. And that’s not even getting to the scary shit about “I will personally burn everything I’ve made to the fucking ground if I think I can catch them in the flames.” FUCKING YIKES.
“But launching a harassment campaign against the guy and his family?”
http://penny-arcade.com/2011/12/28/i-wwebsite-as-on-the-internet
“none of this is [Paul's wife and kid's] fault and I think we can all agree that they should be left alone. “
Yes, I saw that post. It’s the same weak shit they pulled during the Dickwolves debacle. Mike prefaces what you quoted by saying he doesn’t even know if Paul’s family EXISTS, or “IF” people are harassing them. They ARE being harassed, that’s not in question. This is the “I’m sorry if you were offended” non-apology of trying to stem harassment. It is bare minimum, cover-your-ass bullshit that ultimately doesn’t do anything.
And the fact remains that Mike still evidently believes that personal harassment of Paul is appropriate, WHICH IT IS NOT.
Why do you feel the need to come in here and defend Penny Arcade? They really do not fucking need it.
I’ve offered no defense of PA in my posts here. Sorry if it appears otherwise; I tried to be clear on that.
Just information and then clarification on what I saw as a possible point of confusion. But your meaning is much clearer to me now! Thank you for expanding on your point. 
PA have so much power and influence. They could do so much good in the gaming community. When the Ocean Marketing thing happened, all I could think of was the failure and missed opportunity that was the Dickwolves debacle.
“They could do so much good in the gaming community.”
@Brinstar
Not defending them, but their Child’s Play charity is probably the best thing the gaming community does each year. So there is at least one thing they do for good.
If only his crime was telling rape jokes instead of being a jerk and a homophobe, I bet Gabe would of even defended him from all the backlash :\
Not getting some controllers on time or something: worse than bullying rape victims.
It’s odd really, I’ve been gaming since I was a kid and I’ve never felt the need to even go to PA’s website. I’ve had friends try to get me into it but they’ve always seemed way too over-rated. This whole debacle just further pushes me away from ever getting interested in them.
It is unfortunate that PA do not use their powers and influence for good, particularly on the equality and social justice and building a better community front. There is much that could be done.
However, to be honest, something about PA and the folks behind it always struck a wary and ‘stay away’ chord with me. I always listen to my intuition — and these last few years are just validation for me.
Recent comment from Gabe on the ordeal is, “I am absolutely an unapologetic asshole, but I try as best I can to be your asshole.”
Proving once and for all, that women or more accurately those who find rape jokes untasteful, are not people he considers his fanbase. I suppose I should expect this with a giant “SEMEN WEEK” logo at the top of the page.
http://penny-arcade.com/resources/an-update1.html
This is pretty shocking to me. Paul sends some very human apologies and asks for help and Mike seemingly ignores him choosing to laugh at these requests in a public space. That is just unacceptable. It’s the hypocrisy of it that gets me. I seem to recall the PA guys offering their non apology for dickwolves by saying “this has gone too far and has to stop”. Seems it’s one rule for sexist people who make jokes about rape one of, if not the, worst things a human can do to another human and another rule for people who work in PR.
Sorry PA guys, you don’t get to excuse your behaviour in the dickwolves fiasco and then attack another person because their actions offended you. That’s pretty much the definition of hypocrisy.
Daniel, his apology was anything but, did you read the apology he offered over on MSNBC? He isn’t sorry about the situation. He’s sorry that his consequences overlapped onto his family. He just wants the backlash to stop. That isn’t an apology. That’s the essence of someone caught who wants to continue doing what they were doing before.
We all should be aware of that attitude and call it out when seen. The fact that PA may be hypocritical of this concept does not suddenly invalidate this. So they’re hypocrites…. and? Does that suddenly mean that we should all give a free pass to someone?
.
We don’t suddenly hand out free passes to jerks because they happen to be up against some other more famous jerks do we? We should be holding each person responsible. The concept that PA happens to be on the right end of the stick this time just means that the broken clock is right twice a day.
I hadn’t seen his full apology, just Mike laughing at a man asking him for help. For the most part I agree with you. My original comment makes it seem I find Paul innocent of all crimes. Obviously he was in the wrong but I would argue that what the PA guys are doing feels worse because of the hypocrisy. Can you look at the comic they made about this and tell me this feels just? Truth is all parties involved in this are in the wrong but I feel that what the PA guys are doing feels worse because it’s abusive bullying presented as social justice.
You’re spot on about the broken clock
A lot of people bring up the “Is this just?” and my assumption is that this has nothing to do with justice. (In so far as from the PA people) What I get from PA is that their greatest “strength” is also their weakness… Their humor and childish outlook. Mike seems more like someone who just posted on their facebook wall “OMG GUYS LOOK” and I bet he’s still having a hard time grasping the full social implications of what he does. Much to the chagrin of his employees.
This in no way implies they are absolved of anything to me, just that Mike really needs to grow up and realize he not only has a large audience, but a large audience that _believes_ in what he says and how he says it. Lastly, I don’t think one or the other is more wrong, the moral weight of the situation is somewhat incalculable (for instance, Hypocrisy to me isn’t weighted that high since every human being is often very hypocritical. I might as well start asking people to cease breathing.) Thanks for the polite talk!
Also a heads to up everyone following the story, if you go the Avenger Controller’s page on Amazon as of this week they’ve suddenly acquired a staggering amount of 1-star reviews. I’ve alerted amazon about this so that hopefully they can get it fixed.