Popular Gaming Subreddit r/Games Shuts Down on April Fool's Day

On a day that is classically filled with japes and pranks, one large collective on Reddit is attempting to get their 1.7 million readers to look at the destructive and poisonous side of the online gaming community. 

Instead of allowing r/Games to be another home for folks to share the dumb and light-hearted April Fool’s Day news (like the new Rainbow Six Siege event Rainbow is Magic) coming in from all over the industry, the moderators of the popular subreddit have locked it down entirely. 

A Stand, Together 

The pinned post on the subreddit reads:

"This April Fool’s, we decided to take things a little more seriously and shed some light on a growing, pervasive issue that has affected the community of r/Games and gaming communities as a whole. In recent times, it’s come to our attention that what has been intended to be a forum for the potential spread of knowledge and involvement in video games has instead become a battleground of conflicting ideas. Ordinarily, this isn’t an issue; discussion by its very nature is certain to bring argument, but when that argument descends into vitriolic attacks between individuals on a regular basis with no chance at deescalation, that’s when, put simply, something’s got to give."

The post then later goes into details about how, as a group, they are all responsible in part for the perpetuation of these destructive online attitudes, and wish to voice their unease with the current atmosphere of online interaction. They discuss the amount of “combative” and “derogatory” schools of thought they see on their sub (and the platform as a whole) and how they will continue to remove and ban this content. 

While it may seem odd to spark a conversation -- they’ve made mention that the post will remain when the subreddit unlocks tomorrow, for discussion -- or conscious thought on a day so closely related to jokes, it’s commendable that the moderators essentially use their busiest day to shed some light on a harmful part of the gaming culture. 

Don't Be Sorry, Be Better

What's the point? Seemingly, it's pleading with their community to do better and asking the come-here-often folks to focus on the act of lifting up the community rather than the repetitious destruction that comes with the negative. 

"So let’s revel in what’s available to us, and also appreciate the myriad of backgrounds that we as gamers come from. Our differences in experiences comprise the diversity in the content that we consume, and by allowing ourselves to appreciate those differences, we change our perspectives and interpretations; this applies not only in games, but life as a whole."

The r/Games moderators made sure to mention that not all candies are sour and that there are “plenty of you who, as members of the community, want to take care of one another” to whom they give their thanks. 

For a Cause

Ending the post, the moderators bring to light the myriad of folks who are not afforded all of the opportunities other are, and ask their readers to consider offering support or donations to a wide list of charities that span the LGBTQ+ communities, People of Color charities, Women’s Health, and many more additional causes like the AbleGamers and Child’s Play. 

So, while the rest of the world revels in the kind-of-tired tradition of fake news posts and faux products, maybe it’s worth some of that time to consider how we, as a community of gamers, treat one another. 

If you would like to discuss the subject in a constructive way, be sure to check out the post tomorrow on the r/Games subreddit. You can also read the post in its entirety. 

Be swell, and be kind to one another.