Rust Developer Cancels Event After Death Threats
Game Developers Conference 2023 is taking place this week, and Rust developer Facepunch Studios was planning to hold a special small event nearby for fans in the San Francisco area. The event would have taken place at a coffee shop and allowed fans a chance to meet and chat with the game's creators in an informal setting. Unfortunately, Facepunch Studios announced on Twitter that it has cancelled the event following what it referred to as "an IRL threat we must take seriously." The company went on to say that fans that want to share portfolios, get feedback, or "talk shop," can reach them via email.
The Tweet announcing the cancellation can be found embedded below.
It's important to remember the developers are indeed humans. When threats arise we make their safety #1.
— Rust (@playrust) March 15, 2023
We'd love to see what you make!
gdc@facepunchstudios.com
Speaking to PC Gamer, Rust producer Alistair McFarlane confirmed that there were "threats to kill" members of the team. As the event details had been made publicly, Facepunch Studios was forced to cancel it altogether. McFarlane went on to state that threats of physical violence against the developers are unfortunately common, and "community facing staff see threats daily." It's gotten so bad that team members have actually been forced to "change personal details" as a result of doxxing. McFarlane went on to state that dealing with this sort of thing, "often takes a heavy toll on their mental health."
Social media has given gamers unprecedented access to video game developers, allowing a level of communication that was unthinkable even just 15 years ago. There has been a lot of benefits to come from this, as studios are able to get immediate feedback on their games, and find the best ways to make changes and improvements. Sadly, too often gamers have taken advantage of these open lines of communication, using them to harass and threaten development teams when things don't go their way. The whole thing is quite sad, and the people making these threats are the ones that spoil things for everyone else. It's likely that a lot of fans were looking forward to this week's event, and now won't get a chance to attend.
Were you planning to attend this event? Are you disappointed that these threats ruined it for others? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!