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Brianna Wu and Gamergate

In 2014, conservative transgender videogame developer Brianna Wu got involved in Gamergate, a complex online harassment campaign that targeted several women in the gaming industry and their defenders.

Although most mainstream media coverage reflects Wu’s version of events, which includes real doxxing, threats, and unsparing mockery, many critics believe that Wu deliberately taunted Gamergate trolls, hoping the conflict would lead to other opportunities. Trolling Gamergate trolls was a pivotal moment in Wu’s career. Wu got a Wikipedia biography, board positions, speaking gigs, a TV development deal, and extensive sympathetic media coverage in the wake of trolling Gamergate trolls. Wu parlayed that newfound prominence into two unsuccessful runs for Congress and a leadership role at a lucrative political action committee, Rebellion PAC.

During Gamergate, toxic anti-trans online communities began extensive discussion about Wu, whom they deem a “lolcow,” a person who can be “milked” for laughs about their eccentric behavior. Wu was derided as “Literally Who?” and “LW3 [Literally Who #3],” because Wu and two others frequently targeted did not have high profiles as game developers prior to Gamergate. Eventually, Wu rose to the level of “careercow,” someone whose long-term behavior is closely monitored and meticulously documented by trolls. Wu was outed as trans, deadnamed, doxxed, and threatened during the controversy. Many of Wu’s false claims were refuted, most notably Wu’s false claims about having a college degree.

In 2023 Wu pivoted to trolling supporters of Palestine, and in 2024 Wu began trolling the trans community, using the same tactics that worked during Gamergate. Wu soon got significantly increased money and attention from Zionists and anti-trans activists.

Background

After meeting in 2009, Wu and Amanda Warner co-founded Giant Spacekat in 2010 to develop videogames. In 2013, Wu incorporated Chessboard Holdings LLC, doing business as Giant Spacekat. Following a 2013 crowdfunding campaign, Giant Spacekat releasedĀ Revolution 60Ā for iOS in 2014.Ā 

Wu has a long history of creating sockpuppets, including creating fake coauthor “Lauren Milovy” in around 2003 while writing materials in the Socially Unconscious universe.

During Gamergate in 2015, Wu claimed to have hired an assistant named “Natalie O’Brien” to deal with reported harassment, but critics believe this was also a sockpuppet created to pocket the crowdfunded money raised for the assistant.

In October 2014, Wu and Husband Frank Wu reportedly fled their home due to threats. Trolls found evidence that interviews done before and during the time they reportedly fled their home were done from the same office in Wu’s home.

In February 2015, Wu created a thread on Steam forums titled, “Is GSX Head of Development and Noted Feminist Brianna Wu a Terrible Person? 8chan, Gamergate and Kotaku in Action: Knock yourselves out.” Wu quickly deleted the post, sparking speculation that it was accidentally posted using Wu’s developer account instead of a sockpuppet account.

Timeline

Gamergate was a reactionary response to diversification of gaming. Below is a timeline as it relates to Wu.

2013

  • February 14: Independent game designer Zoe Quinn releases the free game Depression Quest

2014

  • March 7: Media critic Anna Sarkeesian releases the first video in the series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games, leading to intense online harassment
  • July 12: Wu and Giant Spacekat release Revolution 60 for iOS
  • July 22: Wu publishes a Polygon piece about hostility toward women in video gaming
  • August 15: Quinn’s ex-boyfriend Eron Gjoni suggests that Quinn got favorable reviews because of Quinn’s relationships with games journalists, then releases private personal information about Quinn, leading to a restraining order and intense online harassment for Quinn
  • September: Wu begins taunting Gamergate trolls from 4chan and 8chan on Twitter. A sampling:
    • September 18: “I decided 4chan arenā€™t the only ones that can make sock puppets for their bullshit agenda. Meet Drake Harper, @brololz. Plz follow and RT.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/512690892012924929 [broloz archive]
    • September 29: “Hey #gamergate. Could you get your ASSHOLE SUPPORTERS to stop harassing me? I mean, if your bullshit about it being about corruption is true.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/516700924660969473
    • October 9: “You guys win. You’ve scared the shit out of me. Congratulations.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/520355521262800896
    • October 10: “The only difference in 8chan/#gamergate and the asshole Southern racists I grew up surrounded by is they had the balls to leave the house.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/520692942273785858
    • October 10: “8chan/#gamergate just doxxed me, posting all kinds of personal information about me. Guys, THIS is the war on industry women. Wake up.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/520727151503757313
    • October 10: “The police just came by. Husband and I are going somewhere safe. Remember, #gamergate isn’t about attacking women. pic.twitter.com/ZU6oEVxMGL”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/520739878993420290
    • October 10: “Hey 8chan/#gamergate. I make videogames for a living. You make internet comments.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/520692839047774208
    • October 14: “8CHAN: All you are doing right now is giving me new harassment horror stories to write about for my @washingtonpost oped.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/522163776842637312
    • October 14: “My Twitter account has been hacked.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/522122969653719040
    • October 17: “I also call upon law enforcement to shut down the hate site 8chan. Then, we can ALL get back to enjoying games.”
      • https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/523179005487628288
  • September 20: future anti-trans activist Jesse Singal writes the first of several pieces about Gamergate for The Boston Globe, using Wu as a key source
  • October 10: Twitter account chatterwhiteman posts a series of threats about Wu over the course of 4 minutes. The account’s display name is “Death to Brianna,” the profile image is Wu and spouse, the profile description says “I’m going to kill Brianna Wu and her husband Frank,” and the location is the town where Wu lives.
    • @spacekatgal Guess what bitch? I know where you live. You and Frank live at [address redacted]
    • @spacekatgal I’ve got a K-Bar [a military knife] and I’m coming to your house so I can shove it up your ugly feminist cunt.
    • @spacekatgal I’m going to rape your filthy ass until you bleed, then choke you to death with your husband’s tiny Asian penis
    • @spacekatgal How’s that for terrifying you stuck up cunt? I’m sick of you fucking feminist asshats.
    • @spacekatgal Your mutilated corpse will be on the front page of Jezebel tomorrow and there isn’t jack shit you can do about it.
    • @spacekatgal If you have any kids, they’re going to die too. I don’t give a fuck. They’ll grow up to be feminists anyway.
    • @spacekatgal I hope you enjoy your last moments alive on this earth. You did nothing worthwhile with your life.
    • @spacekatgal You just made a shitty game nobody liked. That’s it. Nobody wil lcare if you die.
  • October 10: Wu reportedly leaves home due to threats, which trolls dispute
  • October 13: Wu appears on MSNBC with Joy Reid to discuss Gamergate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATloKy52bVY
  • October 20: Wu contributes the first of several op-eds in the Washington Post
  • December 2: Trolls on 8chan dox Wu’s family

2015

  • January 15: Gamergate gets covered by ABC Nightline, featuring interviews with Sarkeesian and Wu
  • January 30: Troll and edgelord comedian Jan Rankowski of Deagle Nation (aka “Jace Connors” and “ParkourDude91”), who had created a trolling campaign called “Operation Wu-Pocalypse” in 2014, allegedly has a car crash on the way to Wu’s home. This was later reported to be a hoax, though Wu described it as a credible threat.
  • February 3: Trolls release a Twitter bot identifying accounts who voted for Wu’s game Revolution 60 on Steam Greenlight. Critics had accused Wu of soliciting shill reviews.
  • February 7: Wu receives another threat by an alleged associate of Rankowski
  • February 11: Wu published an op-ed claiming “I’m risking my life” to stand up to Gamergate trolls
  • February 11: Law and Order: Special Victims Unit airs “Intimidation Game” (S16E14), which is loosely based on Gamergate
  • February 13: Anti-trans extremist Milo Yiannopoulos publishes an exposĆ© on Breitbart outing and deadnaming Wu, describing Wu’s involvement with the Susan’s Place transgender forum, and disproving Wu’s claims of having a college degree
  • Wu announces a Twitter break and scales back planned participation in the annual PAX East gaming convention
  • Debruary 25: CBC Radio airs an episode with Wu that said The Law & Order: SVU episode “makes it worse”
  • March 7: A PAX East volunteer live tweets several attempts to approach Wu
  • April: Inc. publishes a profile of Wu that includes early speculation that Wu deliberately trolled the trolls:
    • “But one of Wuā€™s friends in the gaming industry has suggested that her story may be more complicated than she lets onā€“that as bad as the situation has been for Wu, she ‘wasnā€™t dragged’ into it. ‘She taunted Gamergate for weeks,’ this woman continued, who asked that her name be withheld. ‘She baited them, and then they finally came after her, which is exactly what she wanted them to do.’ā€
  • May 12: Wu’s personal phone number is posted to on 8chan, reddit, Twitter, and 2chan, resulting in several threatening phone calls and reportedly unauthorized access to Wu’s Steam account to make several hundred dollars of fraudulent purchases
  • May 20: Wu receives and releases another threatening phone call 
  • May 31: Wu’s former colleague Emma Clarkson posts on reddit about Wu’s alleged deliberate trolling of trolls: ā€œYes it is extremely believable to me that that is what happened.ā€
  • June 21: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver airs an episode on Internet harassment, including clips of Sarkeesian and Wu 
  • August 15: Someone who claimed to have threatened Wu after Wu’s dog died and claimed to have attempted to SWAT Grace Lynn (pixelgoth) claims responsibility for the threat on AirPlay; the user’s posts on 8chan get scrubbed
  • August 17: Voting on panels opens for SXSW 2016. Wu and Arthur Chu submit a panel on online harassment of women; Wu also submits a panel on virtual reality
  • August 21: Wu writes an editorial for The Guardian on how Gamergate is only a part of sexism in tech industry
  • August 24: MTV interviews Quinn and Wu on Gamergate developments
  • August 27: HuffPost Live streams a segment titled “#GamerGate: Gender Violence & Online Threats,” featuring guests including Wu and 8chan founder Fredrick Brennan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1U1cT72JBc original URL http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/gamergate-year-anniversary/55b7d0c878c90acf34000117
  • September 12: Wu shares a Daily Beast article about the FBI’s arrest of Gamergate troll Joshua Goldberg for plotting a terrorist attack in Kansas City, Goldberg used many identities, including the pro-ISIS handle “Australi Witness.” Goldberg told an FBI informant how to make a pressure cooker bombs. Goldberg had used the handle “Moon Metropolis” to support Gamergate and attack Sarkeesian since 2012.
  • October 27: After two SXSW panels on Gamergate were cancelled over security threats (later reinstated), Wu criticized the conference in LAist.
  • October 30: SXSW reinstates the panels “Level Up: Overcoming Harassment in Games” and “SavePoint: A Discussion on the Gaming Community” as part of an Online Harassment Summit featuring Wu, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Wendy Davis, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, several law professors, and civil rights activists
  • October 30: Brianna Wu, Sarah Jeong, Randi Harper, Caroline Sinders, and Katherine Cross announce withdrawal from the Online Harassment Summit over inclusion of the “SavePoint” panel, which they consider pro-Gamergate
  • November 5: “Alison Prime” attacked Wu before being outed as fake.

2016

  • February 1: Rep. Katherine Clark, prominent Gamergate critic and sponsor of the Interstate Swatting Hoax Act, gets swatted
  • March 12: SXSW hosts the Online Harassment Summit, with talks hosted by Rep. Clark, Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, Randi Harper, Katherine Cross, and Wu.
  • March 16: Wu is featured on Syfy’s series The Internet Ruined My Life, noting subsequent harassment
  • December 20: Wu announces a run for Congress: “She fought the Alt.Right and won. Now she’s fighting for all of us. Fearless leadership for 2018.”

2017

2018

  • September 4: Wu loses the Congressional primary

2019

  • August 9: Wu contributes a Washington Post op-ed critical of gamer culture.

2020

  • November: Buzzfeed Studios announces the film 1up, about an all-female Esports team, adding it will refer to Gamergate. Wu and Quinn criticize making a comedy over the controversy.

2021

  • October 4: Mind Riot Entertainment announces a fictionalized TV series on Gamergate, with Wu as consultant

References

[CW: deadnaming, transphobia] Anonymous (October 9, 2023). Brianna Wu – A Story of Enabled Narcissism. Gamer Retribution https://gamerretribution.com/the-list/people/brianna-wu-a-story-of-enabled-narcissism

Del Rosario, Alexandra (October 4, 2021). Fictional Gamergate Series In The Works From Mind Riot Entertainment & Video Games Developer Brianna Wu. Deadline https://deadline.com/2021/10/gamgergate-series-mind-riot-entertainment-brianna-wu-1234848172/

Anders, Caroline (August 5, 2021). GamerGaters inundated her with death threats. Now some are apologizing ā€” and she forgives them. Washington Post https://washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/05/gamergate-threats-brianna-wu/

Dalton, Cooper (November 3, 2020). Zoe Quinn, Brianna Wu, and Felicia Day Criticize Gamergate Comedy Movie. Gamerant https://gamerant.com/gamergate-movie-zoe-quinn-brianna-wu-felicia-day/

Smith, Mina (November 2, 2020). [Elliot] Page to Star in Comedy About World of esports, Gamergate. Gamerant https://gamerant.com/esports-gamergate-movie-ellen-page/

Youn, Soo (June 24, 2020). Gaming is facing fresh allegations of sexism. One GamerGate survivor has advice for women coming forward. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/gender-identity/gaming-is-facing-fresh-allegations-of-sexism-one-gamergate-survivor-has-advice-for-women-coming-forward/

Dewey, Caitlyn (February 17, 2016). In the battle of internet law vs. the mobs, the mobs have won. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/02/17/in-the-battle-of-internet-mobs-vs-the-law-the-internet-mobs-have-won/

“GethN7” (December 31, 2015). An examination of Brianna Wuā€™s Wikipedia article https://medium.com/@infiltrator7n/an-examination-of-brianna-wu-s-wikipedia-article-3daa6097358b

“GethN7” (Apr 7, 2016). Brianna Wu Is A Notorious Art Tracer and Extremely Derivative Imitator, And Hereā€™s The Proof. https://medium.com/@infiltrator7n/brianna-wu-is-a-notorious-art-tracer-and-extremely-derivative-imitator-and-here-s-the-proof-afcb53d5ed6c

“GethN7” (Nov 5, 2015). Brianna Wu: Just how much work do you ACTUALLY do? https://medium.com/@infiltrator7n/brianna-wu-just-how-much-work-do-you-actually-do-fa6495c3fcb3 https://theralphretort.com/brianna-wu-is-a-twitter-whoring-fraud-who-doesnt-do-real-activism-11012015/

“GethN7” (January 02, 2020). In Which I Take Apart The Post Where Brianna Wu Denies Being Transgender. The Musings Of The Consensus https://gethn7.blogspot.com/2020/01/in-which-i-take-apart-post-where.html

“GethN7” (Jun 30, 2016). Brianna Wu Is Coming Off More And More A Blatant Fraud, Especially to Those who Paid Wu Good Money https://medium.com/@infiltrator7n/brianna-wu-is-coming-off-more-and-more-a-blatant-fraud-especially-to-those-who-paid-wu-good-money-b365e6424f8f#.mu33bnfri

Kulwin, Noah (October 30, 2015). SXSW Bungles Announcement of ā€˜Online Harassment Summit,ā€™ and Panelists Are Pulling Out. Recode http://recode.net/2015/10/30/sxsw-bungles-announcement-of-online-harassment-summit-and-panelists-are-pulling-out/

Forrest, Hugh (October 30, 2015). SXSW Announces March 12 Online Harassment Summit. SXSW http://www.sxsw.com/news/2015/sxsw-announces-march-12-online-harassment-summit

Camilleri, Ricky (August 27, 2015). #GamerGate: Gender Violence & Online Threats. HuffPost Live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1U1cT72JBc

Murphy, Shauna (August 24, 2015). One Year Later, The Women Of Gamergate Open Up: ā€˜Thereā€™s A Lot Of Work To Do, Still.ā€™ MTV http://www.mtv.com/news/2245633/gamer-gate-one-year-later/

“samzenpus” (July 22, 2015). Interviews: Brianna Wu Answers Your Questions. slashdot https://interviews.slashdot.org/story/15/07/22/1317222/interviews-brianna-wu-answers-your-questions

Oliver, John (June 22, 2015). Online Harassment. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuNIwYsz7PI

Pantozzi, Jill (May 20, 2015). [UPDATED] Gamergate Death Threat Is a Slam Dunk for Prosecutors. Will They Act? The Mary Sue http://www.themarysue.com/will-prosecutors-act-on-gamergate-death-threat/

“idledilttante” (May 13, 2015). Brianna Wu’s CC Defrauded, Cell Phone Number posted on #Baphomet. Daily Kos http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/13/1384440/-Brianna-Wu-s-CC-Defrauded-Cell-Phone-Number-posted-on-Baphomet

Borchers, Callum (April 30, 2017). Doxxed Trump donors have an unlikely defender in this Democratic congressional candidate. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/04/30/doxxed-trump-donors-have-an-unlikely-defender-in-this-democratic-congressional-candidate/

Whitford, David (April 2015). Brianna Wu vs. the Gamergate Troll Army. Inc. http://www.inc.com/magazine/201504/david-whitford/gamergate-why-would-anyone-want-to-kill-brianna-wu.html

Robertson, Adi (February 24, 2015). A violent, delusional Gamergate psychopath is actually a comedianā€™s terrible hoax. The Verge https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/24/8099531/gamergate-jace-connors-threats-comedian-hoax

[CW: deadnaming, transphobia] Yiannopoulos, Milo (February 13, 2015). The Wacky World of Wu: The Tortured History of GamerGateā€™s Self-Styled Feminist Martyr. Breitbart https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2015/02/13/the-wacky-world-of-wu-the-tortured-history-of-gamergates-self-styled-feminist-martyr/

Nightline (January 15, 2015). What It Feels Like to Be a Gamergate Target. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/feels-gamergate-target-28238598

Dewey, Caitlyn (October 14, 2014). The only guide to Gamergate you will ever need to read. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/

Selected Gamergate writing by Wu

Wu, Brianna (August 9, 2019). Video games donā€™t cause mass shootings. But gamer culture encourages hate. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/video-games-dont-cause-mass-shootings-but-gamer-culture-encourages-hate/2019/08/09/655409a0-b9f2-11e9-a091-6a96e67d9cce_story.html

Wu, Brianna (September 25, 2017). Weā€™re under constant threat of cyberattack, and Congress isnā€™t prepared to do anything about it. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/09/25/were-under-constant-threat-of-cyberattack-and-congress-cant-do-anything-about-it/

Wu, Brianna (October 27, 2015). ‘An avoidable mess’: Gamergate target Brianna Wu on SxSW cancellations. LAist https://laist.com/shows/the-frame/an-avoidable-mess-gamergate-target-brianna-wu-on-sxsw-cancellations

Wu, Brianna (August 21, 2015). A moment that changed me ā€“ Gamergate. The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/21/gamergate-sexism-games-industry-women-trolls?CMP=twt_gu

Wu, Brianna (February 11, 2015). I’m Risking My Life Standing Up To Gamergate. Bustle https://www.bustle.com/articles/63466-im-brianna-wu-and-im-risking-my-life-standing-up-to-gamergate

Wu, Brianna (October 20, 2014). Rape and death threats are terrorizing female gamers. Why havenā€™t men in tech spoken out? Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/10/20/rape-and-death-threats-are-terrorizing-female-gamers-why-havent-men-in-tech-spoken-out/

Wu, Brianna (October 16, 2014). ā€œIt happened to me: Iā€™ve been forced out of my home and am living in constant fear because of relentless death threats from Gamergateā€. xoJane.

Wu, Brianna (July 22, 2014). No skin thick enough: The daily harassment of women in the game industry. Polygon https://www.polygon.com/2014/7/22/5926193/women-gaming-harassment

Wu, Brianna (April 24, 2014). ā€œWhy GitHubā€™s unconvincing investigation harms women in games developmentā€. The Mary Sue.

Wu, Brianna (April 11, 2013). ā€œChoose your character: Faced with change, an all-female indie dev team evolves to a higher formā€. The Magazine (14).
Wu, Brianna (2012). ā€œSMOFs and Con Chairs: Ignore Videogames at Your Own Perilā€ (pdf). Argentus (12).

Resources

RationalWiki (rationalwiki.org)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Brittannica (britannica.com)

  • Gamergate
  • britannica.com/topic/Gamergate-campaign
  • original url: britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/2137296

Zippia (zippia.com)

Gamergate Wiki (wiki.gamergate.me/)

  • Brianna Wu
  • wiki.gamergate.me/index.php?title=Brianna_Wu [archive]

The Org (theorg.com)

Project Include (projectinclude.org)

  • Supporters + Allies
  • projectinclude.org/team
  • “We are especially grateful to Mia Blume, s.e. smith, Sara Sperling, Heather Wilson, Eric Wingerter, and Brianna Wu for their contributions to this project.”