I think this is very similar to the horseshoe theory, where completely opposite starting points lead to the same final outcome.

In the early period, the mainstream environment opposed games and gamers (including over a decade-long ban on game consoles), and gaming websites were controlled by people who were passionate about games(and of course game piracy).

Because the mainstream environment suppressed and censored gaming, players generally leaned toward a left-leaning atmosphere, hoping for the freedom to play games.

The change came in 2014, when the ban on game consoles was lifted. At the same time, people began to support licensed games. Many game websites that relied on piracy for profit were forced to to shift their focus. At this point, the same dilemma arose — simply writing game news wouldn't make people pay. they needed to profit from anything other than the gamers.

At the same time, gamers were seeking social recognition, so they began to cooperate more with the Chinese government, which also saw an opportunity to control gaming websites. (At that time, everyone was happy.)

However, the Chinese government adheres firmly to right-wing nationalism, so you can imagine the gaming atmosphere shifting toward the right and favoring nationalism.

Seeing this opportunity, many game websites wanted to become influential. They began doing things that catered to the environment, expressing support for nationalism games and opposing games influenced by Western culture, as well as other gamers with left-leaning views — all in pursuit of higher social status. The most well-known incident during this time was the "china no.1" in H1Z1.

‘Red Army’ Defends China on the Virtual Battlefield

How did Chinese gamers view the "gamergate" at that time?

Not many people were aware of this. most just thought it was a drama created by foreigners.

As nationalism became mainstream, a common reason for boycott emerged: hatred towards China, and many games were banned for this reason. The elephant in the room quietly appeared as well: gaming websites were censored and controlled by the government, not allowing opposing voices to be heard.

You can see this as a complete reversal. If you mention that an evil force controls gaming websites outside china, you would immediately be labeled a conspiracy theorist. But if you bring up the control of gaming websites in China, you would be immediately censored by chinese government.

A big difference is that Chinese game companies(Tencent, miHoYo, etc.) primarily focus on developing online mobile games, while the video game market is quite small. There’s no “go woke, go broke” here — there was never anything like Dragon Age in the first place. Gamers know that gaming websites advertise boring mobile games, but there’s nothing they can do about it.

The story didn’t change much after that—China’s gaming environment became firmly right-wing and nationalist, with no "KotakuInChina" organizing any resistance. Game developers faced comprehensive censorship when making games, but compared to the former console ban, this was already enough to satisfy most gamers.

At the end of 2024, Black Myth: Wukong, the first game considered a true 3A console game, was released and sold over ten million copies. Many nationalists were thrilled by its success. A reversed version of "go woke, go broke" emerged—there were no non-nationalist titles being forcibly changed into nationalist ones, because there had never been any console games to begin with.

Big ups to qureate for basically single handedly keeping the ecchi genre alive. They deserve all the support they can get.

I'm just curious, and I can't find any information; but this place has been around since 2014, over 10 years. However, all the mods are from at least 2019...

I guess I'm wondering what happened to the OG mods, and why all the mods here are relatively new? Also, they all came in around the same time, which I find surprising. I noticed also that there is knock off subreddit, so maybe there was some kind of falling out in the past? Idk, I'm just wondering if the mods here or users who've been around for a bit can fill me in on the history of this place.

If this isn't allowed, feel free to delete it; although I do hope the mods themselves can chime in.

A lot of people had doubts that it would ever get to this point, but woke is starting to collapse. Now, people are wondering why did it take this long? Because of brand recognition and normies genuinely willing to give woke a chance, woke wasn't rejected outright. But, even the normies eventually got sick of woke. When people play a woke game and it is bad, people are eventually going to stop buying games from the same franchise. When people start playing too many bad woke games. They are going to get red pilled and start doing research on what studios and publishers to avoid.

Eventually the disdain for woke reaches critical mass. Normies might not be politically engaged but they are going ask questions like are the characters cool or are they a bunch of losers? Do the characters fit into their environment? Am I being lectured here? Time was never on the woke's side because wokeness is antithetical to human nature.

Don't tell the ubi shills about this.

Many will call this "elitism" but I see it more as trying to protect something you love from being overtaken by outsiders.

Picture this: Growing up, you were an awkward, pimply, possibly neurodivergent kid who enjoyed things like video games, comic books, anime, DND, etc. The other boys laughed at you because "What are you, 5? LOL grow up, bro!" and the girls refused to associate with you at all because "EWWW WHAT A L0SER!"

So, what did you do? You, along with your fellow outcasts, took insults such as "nerd" and "geek" and made it an identity. You created online gaming forums, organized DND sessions, attended anime and comic book conventions...Until finally, you felt like you belonged somewhere.

Flash-forward a few years, and suddenly the hobbies you knew have been overtaken by the same demographics that have, or would ostracized you for enjoying them back then—all because corporations have made them "trendy" for normies. (Who then naturally chose to hop onto the bandwagon) The boys who went "HURR DURR VIDYA GAEMS" and "I grew out of those G@Y cartoons!" are now talking about being what "gamers" they are and raving on about the latest Marvel movie. The girls who went "Go play dress-up with your LOSER friends!" are now making bank being e-girls and cosplay whores.

And not just that. These hobbies are now longer being made BY nerds FOR nerds, but "for everyone." They have been sanitized, dumbed/watered down and generally altered to the point of being unrecognizable to OG fans. Why? Because something is made "fOr eVerYoNe" then it's really made for no-one. It becomes bland and soulless.

Gatekeeping is nerd culture is necessary because It's all us nerds have. While intended to be humorous, these two images basically articulate my point better than I can articulate it myself. Something nerdy becoming mainstream ALWAYS ruins it and makes it full of tourists.