Gamergate - What We Know So Far
The Gamergate scandal happened all the way back in 2014, which is eons ago in Internet time. But the ramifications of the online harassment campaign continue to reverberate today. That's one of the themes of the upcoming TV series about Gamergate. On October 4, Deadline reported that a Gamergate show is in the works, co-created by one of the women who were most affected by it, video game developer Brianna Wu. The show won't be a straightforward retelling of Wu's experience — which she's shared many times before, both in print and on-screen — but it will instead be a fictionalized version.
"Working with Brianna is a huge score for us," said Mind Riot Entertainment's Jonathan Keasey. "Based in Seattle, one of the country's meccas for gaming, we've been wanting to shed light on this subject matter for a while and are honored that Brianna will be co-writing the series."
Here's everything we know so far about the "Gamergate" TV series.
What is the release date for Gamergate?
At this point, it's too early to know for certain when the "Gamergate" series might premiere, or even make an educated guess. The show first became public knowledge on October 4, 2021 (via Deadline). At this point, the actual news is that production company Mind Riot Entertainment has made a deal with video game journalist, developer, and software programmer Brianna Wu for her life rights. While the project does have its two main writers lined up — see below– it's not clear if a script even exists yet.
The show also doesn't yet have a buyer, so there's no indication yet as to which network or streaming platform might air it. Normally, knowing the buyer gives us a good indication of when a series might premiere.
Most likely, once the buyer is announced we'll have a better idea of when we can check this show out. We'll update this article once more information becomes available.
Who is in the cast of Gamergate?
The "Gamergate" TV series was just announced on October 4, and there were no accompanying announcements about the cast. At this point, all we can share is the figures in the scandal who might be portrayed on the series, and even then not much is known. While the story will be based on the real-life events of the Gamergate scandal as experienced by Brianna Wu, it won't be a simple rehashing of the story, as noted above. Casting information is scarce, at least for now.
But based on what we do know, at this point, it's unlikely that the story will focus on fictionalized versions of the major players in the Gamergate story, like Brianna Wu, her husband, and Wu's fellow gaming journalists Zoë Quinn and Anita Sarkeesian. Instead, "Gamergate" will reportedly feature characters made up for the series.
Behind the camera, the series is co-created and co-written by Wu and J. Brad Wilke. It's being produced by Jonathan Keasey and Jeremy J. Dodd, both with Mind Riot Entertainment (via Deadline).
What is the plot of Gamergate?
As reported by Deadline, the "Gamergate" series will tell a fictionalized version of the Gamergate scandal, which will be distinct from the versions that have been told on shows like "Law & Order: SVU" and the documentary "GTFO." Gamergate began in 2014 when an ex-boyfriend of Zoë Quinn's wrote a 9,000-plus word rant about Quinn, making several accusations regarding her journalistic career. Redditors and 4Chan users amplified the message and began harassing Quinn and other female gaming journalists online (via The New York Times). As reported by Deadline, the online vitriol, which included death threats, forced Wu and her husband to flee their Boston home for safety. Wu then ran for Congress in 2018, on behalf of women in tech.
But while the "Gamergate" series will dramatize these events, it will also seek to connect the scandal with more recent violent incidents that were fueled by social media and online communities. "We're not going to retread the same story told in thousands of news stories from outlets such as 'The New York Times' and 'The Washington Post,' plus multiple documentaries like GTFO," Wu told Deadline. "Our series will focus on new, fictional people within the industry reacting to a horrific situation. By explaining how they were unable to stop the video game industry from being hijacked by the lunatic fringe – we can show how the tactics of Gamergate were the same ones that led to tragedies like Christchurch and January 6th."