IGDA considering support groups for devs harassed by gamers

The International Game Developers Association plans to start a number of support groups for developers who find themselves harassed and attacked by angry gamers on a regular basis. As part of an in-depth article at Polygon, which explores the damage that some of the most impassioned video game fans are causing to development teams, IGDA director Kate Edwards notes that the organization plans to set up groups in which those affected by cyber harassment in the games industry can find some support. Edwards notes that, while harassment isn't having a massive impact on the video game industry as of yet, "we're at the cusp of where it could... Harassment silences and repositions content creators in ways that protect the interests of certain fan groups, which again is no justification for the kinds of abusive behavior and language seen online today." She later adds, "We're getting to a point where we're thinking, 'Yeah, it's becoming something we're going to need to talk about. It might be time to consider doing a more explicit support group or mechanism to help people who are dealing with this sort of thing." It's well worth reading the full article over at Polygon.