Blizzard CEO on GamerGate: "They are tarnishing our reputations as gamers"

During the BlizzCon 2014 opening ceremony this morning, Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime addressed GamerGate, calling out "a small group of people" which has been "doing really awful things and making some people's lives miserable."

The origin of the movement and actions of some GamerGate supporters, however, don't align with that goal: The banner has been used to demand that writers stop expressing social criticism, and most notably and despicably, harass journalists and developers, especially women, so far as to send death threats.

Morhaime didn't necessarily decry the entire movement, but he did decry the behavior most associated with it. "They are tarnishing our reputations as gamers," he said, concluding with a clear call to action:

"Let's take a stand to reject hate and harassment, and let's redouble our efforts to be kind and respectful to one another. And let's remind the world what the gaming community is really all about."

Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the '80s and '90s, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on early PCs. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now, and PS1 classic Bushido Blade (that's right: he had Bleem!). Tyler joined PC Gamer in 2011, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.