Hello all, I’m a former Onion and NBC editor turned documentary researcher, oral historian, and now author. While I’m not an academic, Stanford has recognized the significance of my independent oral history work on Gamergate, which has officially become a book as of today: The Hivemind Swarmed <https://www.beacon.org/The-Hivemind-Swarmed-P2122.aspx>. For the past 10 years, ever since Gamergate began, I’ve been on an odyssey to make sense of it by interviewing everyone humanly possible — a quest I’ve pursued whenever my schedule as a scraping-by freelancer would allow. I’ve conducted over 500 interviews, bringing together a group of interdisciplinary narrators from all over the world. Most of these interviews have been made available online as time allowed (this project has been only me) at Don’t Die <https://nodontdie.com/>. Stanford houses everything <https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13768655> I haven’t been able to find time to transcribe, polish, etc. from the last decade. THE HIVEMIND SWARMED, an oral history exploring Gamergate’s aftermath, examines where we are today as a result, and what has (or hasn’t) changed in videogame industry and culture. It represents stories from 90 additional narrators, and where they think the whole debacle got us. I believe this book could serve as a valuable resource for scholarship or classroom instruction, offering a comprehensive and diverse perspective on a pivotal moment in digital culture. If you need a quick refresher on Gamergate, The Week <https://theweek.com/culture-life/what-was-gamergate-and-why-are-we-still-talking-about-it?refid=A8506E9FB9200E1EA0177122960D2546&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=afternoon_newsletter_20240807&utm_source=afternoon_newsletter> just ran a good overview of why it still matters, and Wired <https://www.wired.com/story/gamergates-legacy-lives-on-in-attacks-against-kamala-harris/> has a pretty timely update on how what it set in motion continues to live on. Sincerely, I hope my book helps people. And just wanted to make you all aware! https://www.beacon.org/The-Hivemind-Swarmed-P2122.aspx ///// Description: “Out of the transient and ephemeral effluvia of the internet comes something ivied, revelatory, permanent. Bravo.” —Ken Burns, filmmaker *An incisive oral history that brings together the voices of major figures in gaming, tech, media, and politics to reflect on the long shadow of Gamergate* With *The Hivemind Swarmed*, oral historian and documentary researcher David Wolinsky invites readers to sit in on a series of urgent, intimate conversations between some of the most distinguished voices across entertainment industries and media as they reflect on the longstanding impact of Gamergate. What went wrong, and what can we learn from Gamergate to help us build a more equitable online world? The backstory: 10 years ago, a disgruntled software developer named Eron Gjoni posted online to accuse his ex-girlfriend, game developer Zoë Quinn, of sleeping with game critics in exchange for positive reviews. He offered no evidence to back up his claims. However, his posts were picked up by extremists in the gaming community who built a vicious online movement targeting women, minorities, and progressive voices. Rallying under the hashtag #gamergate, they sent their victims round-the-clock death and rape threats. Game companies, for the most part, declined to take action as their female employees were harassed out of their jobs. The FBI launched an investigation but found “no true threat.” Gamergate holds the grim distinction of being the first modern online harassment campaign. It arguably served as a model for the alt-right movement that would help propel Donald Trump to the White House. And it highlighted a toxic media culture—not just in gaming, but in film, TV, journalism, and more—in which leaders, through their passivity, took the side of the oppressor. Now, 10 years later—in the wake of #MeToo, Charlottesville, the Trump years, and the January 6 insurrection—the questions discussed here are more important than ever.