SXSW Cancels Two Video Game Panels Due to Threats of Violence

Two video game panels that were scheduled to be held during SXSW Interactive’s event in March have been canceled due to threats of violence, SXSW Interactive director Hugh Forrest shared in a statement.

The two panels in question were called “SavePoint: A Discussion on the Gaming Community” and “Level Up: Overcoming Harassment in Games.” While the page for “SavePoint” is gone from SXSW’s website, a description for the latter can still be found that reads:

A panel from experts on online harassment in gaming and geek culture, how to combat it, how to design against it, and how to create online communities that are moving away from harassment. The panel will dive into data around abuse in larger gaming communities. One of our panelists will talk about about ways to actually develop the social aspects of games – including UI decisions and how they can influence accuracy and usage of reporting abuse. Another will dive into UX design choices to stymy harassment in social media spaces.

A post on The Open Gaming Society’s website shared that their “SavePoint” panel will focus on topics such as, “the current social-political climate within the gaming community, the importance of journalistic integrity in videogame’s media,” and “the future of both the gaming community and the games industry.”

“We had hoped that hosting these two discussions in March 2016 in Austin would lead to a valuable exchange of ideas on this very important topic,” Forrest said in a statement. “However, in the seven days since announcing these two sessions, SXSW has received numerous threats of on-site violence related to this programming.”

“However,” he continued, “preserving the sanctity of the big tent at SXSW Interactive necessitates that we keep the dialogue civil and respectful. If people can not agree, disagree and embrace new ways of thinking in a safe and secure place that is free of online and offline harassment, then this marketplace of ideas is inevitably compromised.”

After learning that the “SavePoint” panel would no longer be taking place at the Austin-based event, founder of The Open Gaming Society Perry Jones issued a statement.

“A lot has happened since we submitted the panel, and we’ve been overwhelmed with both support and disdain. However, SXSW’s team has had to bear the brunt of the backlash,” Jones wrote. “They received countless emails, phone calls, tweets, and messages across all social media both praising and condemning them for #SavePoint and the Level Up panel organized by Randi Harper. SXSW explained to us that they are a very neutral organization and wanted to provide a platform for both sides to speak on and have their voices heard.”

Jones went on to announce a separate “backup” panel that will be held in place of the cancelled “SavePoint” panel.

“Though SXSW has cancelled the panel, we still plan to have a panel regardless,” he said. “This has been a backup plan from square one and now we are forced to act on it. We will organize, fund, and host the panel ourselves. We plan to do so around the same time as SXSW to allow for the largest possible audience.”

Source: SXSW, The Open Gaming Society

Image via Austin 360