G/O Media has hired Austin Williams, as the new Editor-in-Chief of Kotaku. Williams' appointment at Kotaku isn't without its controversies, in fact... it's chock full of ‘em.
From his LinkedIn, Williams brings with him a rich background of gam... haha nah - just kidding... It's music journalism, as well as an academic role teaching at The City College of New York. He instructs courses ranging from 'Media Studies' to 'Freshman Composition', and deep diving into the genres and "rhetorical situations" they will encounter professionally...
So even being hired at the top spot at Kotaku, he... still retained his job to also moonlight as a professor of media studies. Hey, at least he's earned the title of the "Professor".
...and that's where my pleasantries end.
Let's dive into some serious... concerns. I shouldn't be surprised because hey, it's Kotaku, right? But still... a part of me was holding out SOME hope that the person G/O would bring in would steer the ship in the right direction. Course correct and be put back on track for gaming in general. This was a huge opportunity, and what I found, already proves... it was a HUGE swing and a miss.
Some of this stuff is just flat out INSANE...
Wanna guess if he hates that orange man? Orange man bad? TDS? ...Well, he's publicly expressed plenty of disdain for President Donald Trump, as reflected in a history of fiery tweets...
Not that this is the end-all be-all deciding if someone has a certain... perspective on reality, but it sure isn't a great start.
His stance directly aligns specifically with the broader editorial tones of Kotaku, a site that uses video games as an entry point to push propaganda and activism, sometimes focusing heavily on the former. This alignment raises questions about the future content direction of Kotaku under Williams’ leadership.
It doesn't stop at Trump, either....
Or imagine a white person tweeting this out about a black person...
Yikes, my guy.
The essence of Kotaku's content strategy under previous leadership has often been critiqued for leaning more and more towards social activism and cultural commentary than traditional video game journalism.
It's the exact reason why the site has been nose-diving in respect from the broader gaming community at large for the better part of 2 decades. This has caused gamers to feel alienated, believing the platform has strayed from its core focus on video games to prioritize political and social discourse in order to push a woke agenda.
According to Austin Williams, his first day at Kotaku was July 30th, 2024:
Unpacking the Past: Williams at Vice
Austin Williams' tenure at Vice included some pretty insane articles focusing on scrutinizing cultural and social issues through the "lens" of mainstream media.
In his piece, "The 'Woke' Men on TV Still Have a Long Way to Go" Williams critiques the portrayal of masculinity in television, using examples like Schmidt from "New Girl" to argue that even characters intended to be progressive depictions of men still perpetuate toxic behaviors.
He suggests that these characters, while coming across as "woke," fail to genuinely address any underlying issues of gender dynamics, often needing more 'profound' introspective work like therapy to overcome ingrained toxic traits.
This analysis could signal the depth of cultural critique Williams might bring to Kotaku, extending beyond mere reporting on games to deeper commentary on the narratives and character developments within them. Such perspectives could enrich Kotaku’s content but might also steer it further from traditional gaming journalism.
Seeking a Deeper Understanding: "I’m a Black Man and I Want a Black Woman Therapist"
In another significant piece he wrote for Vice "I'm a Black Man and I Want a Black Woman Therapist" Williams shares his own personal journey and the 'complexities' of seeking therapy as a black man.
He expresses a desire for a therapist who can deeply understand the nuances of black manhood and the intersectional pressures it entails. His article highlighted Williams' focus on intersectionality and personal identity. He cares quite a bit about identity in general, and how important it is in order to communicate with another for relating to them. Seems like they have to meet his demands for it to be deemed 'acceptable'.
I don't know about you, but... to me? That sounds kinda racist...
The Impact on Kotaku
Williams' previous writings point directly to how Kotaku, under his leadership, will continue to sink into the abyss... and ultimately have no one to blame but themselves for their imminent failure.
G/O Media hiring Williams to join Kotaku, signals a continuation, if not an intensification, of the site’s existing editorial slant towards aggresive anti-gamer activism. With once having an audience (many years ago) that historically came for reliable game news, reviews, and industry insights... now finds a broad spectrum of cultural critique that has little to nothing at all to do with gaming. In fact, whatever it DOES have to do with gaming is simply to use gaming as an avenue to push an ulterior motive. The message, if you will.
My skepticism around Williams’ fit for succuss (or more aptly put, lack thereof) as the Editor-in-Chief of the gaming news outlet stems not just from his extreme political views; but also from his extensive background in areas outside of video gaming. This, coupled with Kotaku's long history of contentious interactions with segments of its readership from people like Alyssa Mercante and Carolyn Petite, paints a picture of a publication at a crossroads.
Will Kotaku reaffirm its commitment to gaming journalism, or will they continue down a path that some critics argue has been more about cultural commentary than about video games?
I think we all know the answer already...
~Smash