Gaming Developer Goes on Hateful Rant, Targeting Transgender Twitch Streamer
The gaming community is once again facing criticism due to the harmful behavior exhibited by some gamers. A recent incident involved the developer behind the game Domina, who went on a hateful spree on Steam, including harassment towards a transgender Twitch streamer.
In the patch notes for Domina, developer Nicholas John Leonhard Gorissen made derogatory remarks about the transition process experienced by members of the trans community. Gorissen even targeted Twitch streamer Keffals, a transgender individual who has endured extensive online harassment and recently became a victim of swatting.
Developer Faces Backlash for Politically Charged Patch Notes
This isn’t the first time Gorissen has received backlash for using game patch notes to convey politically charged messages. Earlier, he was banned from posting on his own game due to retaliating against negative reviews, as reported by PC Gamer.
As a result of these recent events, Gorissen’s Twitter account has been suspended. Additionally, he is now prohibited from commenting or deleting any posts on his game Domina. On his Gab page, which is still active, he compares himself to a roman soldier in the midst of a war, refusing to acknowledge the backlash he received for his hateful and transphobic rhetoric.
Valve Under Pressure to Take Action
There is growing public outcry for Valve to address this developer’s behavior on Steam. The repercussions for Domina and Gorissen may not end here.
Update Sept. 2, 8:11 am CT: According to the official Steam page for Domina, the game is no longer available for sale on the platform. While Steam claims this was at the developer’s request, it is hard to believe that Steam had no influence following the backlash. The transphobic patch notes are still visible on the game’s main page.
According to Gorissen, “Wherever people are getting the notion that Dolphin Barn removed Domina from Steam are incorrect.” This suggests that Steam found the developer to be in violation of its terms of service before delisting the game. Gorissen also shared screenshots on his Gab channel, showing him unbanning himself from the forums, which he had previously been reprimanded for.
It appears that Steam has finally had enough of this developer’s actions and may see keeping his game on the platform as a liability. If Gorissen decides to continue making games after this incident, it is unlikely that Steam will be willing to collaborate with him in the future.