A Truly Fucked Up Industry (The Jimquisition)

If you want to play a game that will break you, play that game.

Harry Moore

This War of Mine, the grim survival in a war zone. Then they did a dlc that added kids. It is a soul shattering game

Harry Moore

This should absolutely be the new channel "trailer" video. (The one that is presented prominently when you visit the main channel page.)

Twit In A Hat

I'm constantly reminded how under appreciated Michael Parenti is. https://www.medialens.org/2013/you-say-what-you-like-because-they-like-what-you-say/ "They say: “Are you telling me that I’m not my own man? I’ll have you know that in 17 years with this paper I always say what I like.” And I say to them: “You say what you like, because they like what you say.”" "‘And, you know, the minute you move too far – and you have no sensation of a restraint on your freedom. I mean, you don’t know you’re wearing a leash if you sit by the peg all day. It’s only if you then begin to wander to a prohibited perimeter that you feel the tug, you see. So you’re free because your ideological perspective is congruent with that of your boss. So you have no sensation of being at odds with your boss.‘"

Krystal Kamieniecki

Thank you for making this video, Jim. I'm sad that it's a video that needed to be made in the first place, but as usual, you've handled the subject matter with grace and clarity. I remember some of the early content that you speak of in the video, and for my part I can say that I don't hold that stuff against you. It's clear that you've grown as a person. So next time your past mistakes decide to haunt you, feel free to imagine a buff panda lady coming to beat the living shite out of those thoughts. <3

DestructoDee

This is a weird question, but what is the song in the middle of this video? (its used for the most of it).

Usually I watch your videos and think how funny and on point you are, this one I watched just wanting to give you a cup of tea. Thank you for being so honest, you acted with incredible grace. There is a lot to unpack, but I did want to say the diagnoses, it's often scary getting diagnosed especially later in life but I like to use the analogy of a house being above a pile of garbage. Having a surveyor tell you that there is a tonne of disgusting shit beneath your house sucks, and there will be a lot of steps towards fixing it, but it also explains a few things now the mysterious reason the water looks dirty or rooms smell bad or whatever other issues arise. You are incredibly talented, you have a following that defies pretty much every recommendation, like the fact you're even able to make your videos as a full time job without any sponsorship is not only unthinkable but undreamable for most creators. That being said, I suspect someone will if not has say "oh well you should be glad aobut your childhood because your suffering is where your art comes from" and fuck those people, seriously it's a selfish argument and if I had to choose between destroying all your videos and ending your suffering I'd gladly never watch a video of yours again. That isn't an option though, so I'll continue to watch your stuff and sincerly hope you can get the help you need and continue to change the world, because that is what you have literally done, your channel has changed my world and I am sure I am not the only one.

Eamon

Excellent idea. I've done the same.

Sean Riley

Hi, Jim. I love your content and think, as always, what you do contributes to the good of society. However, right now I’m feeling the weight of personal and general anxiety and uncertainty maybe more than I can handle, and need to temper that with means to relax. Video games are one of those things for me, and at least for now, I need video games to be just fun. I’ll be patron-ing, but staying away from the big heavy videos. I support how you feel from the years of watching. See ya later!

Earlier in June I decided to chip in and contribute to your Patreon, Jim. The first payment comes out tomorrow. I'm doubling it following this video.

Andy Roberts

A spectre is haunting the video games industry... No seriously, it's a great watch, thanks for the content, Jim. I sincerely hope the system changes but I'm pessimistic.

RasendeGurke

GAMES AS A GODDAMN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE?! A videogame has just been approved by the FDA to treat ADHD an mental illness. Videogame use disorder was also just made a mental illness. What happens when you use a videogame to treat videogame use disorder? GAMES AS A HEALTH SERVICE JIM PLEASE SIR GOD WE NEED TO TALK. I am a therapist-gamer and its about to get bad sir. Very bad please we must talk..DLC for treatment JIM DLC! "Need to practice more skills!" Think about how they are going to get them addicted microtransactions Jim dear lord for the love of everything please see this.

Derrick Hoard

If GoogleTube censorship ever gets so extreme that you have to jump shit and go to bitChute, I promise to support you as a patron there as well.

JtheFool

I find this video striking as I don't see anyone else in your space/platform type speaking out about this in a passionate manner. However, I wish I didn't find it so striking.

OldManZero

As long your content is your honest opinion, I'll continue to support you.

監控狂人

I cried a lot listening to this

Dan

Thank you, Jim. You've done a great job. More people need to see what you've done. I appreciate how you took ownership of how you used to be with the sexist/homophobic comments and worked on not doing that anymore. Your statement on how you're not "owed" forgiveness to me says you're more in tune with how things ought to be than anything else. I haven't bought a AAA game in years and I don't think I can because of how the companies behave. I don't play many video games period anymore (3 or so) for that reason. I'm just fascinated by the news and the goings-on in the industry. It's a horrible mess that needs to be fixed. Thank you for doing your part to get the word out so change can be possible.

Jason Youngberg

Jim, thank you for this, it was wonderful and also heartbreaking. All I can say is you seem to be making some of the best content out there right now. It's not always easy to face and say things of this nature head on, especially with something so personal, a d putting it out there for everyone to hear! But trust in your judgement, you are pretty on the money with the way you process and call out things right now. We all have things in our past we are not proud of, but the fact you stand up and try to amend for it shows you are not the POS you see yourself as in those low moments. If you didn't have that concience, that need and feeling you want to be better, then you would rightly be beyond redemption, the sheer fact you strive and wrestle with your past and your problems should stand as a sign, that you have the precence of mind and the morality that put you in a better position than others who are completly ignorant in their awful natures. You should be proud in what you do Jim, in some of my lowest moments, it is turning to hear people like yourself talk that brings me back up, makes me realise I can be better, that the past mistakes I made are part of what makes me who I am should help me strive to be better also. As always thanks for all the work you put out and keep up the great work! P. S. What is that awesome ambient pan flute backing track at the start, I have heard it in a few of your vids now and would love to get ahold of it!

LeoDLuffy

I don't have the words to write what I feel, so I'll just say that you have my support and no-strings-attached love.

Thanks so much for everything you do Jim. And the fact that you care for more than the game itself. I really wish this industry could mature and be a little less crazy and capitalistic. Love you Jim!

Emil Alne

Thank you for your wonderful work as always Jim. For what it's worth I've found your content incredibly welcoming. My non-binary partner and I usually watch your content together and we both follow you on Patreon. I agree with what a lot of other people have said. It isn't just that you shine a light on problems in an industry that genuinely needs better journalism; it's that you do it in such an affirming way that I really feel like there's a place for people like me in this hobby I love too.

Catrina Solei

I needed to hear this, too. I've done things I'm not proud of, and hurt people I'll never see again or be able to apologise to properly, and some days I hate, well and truly *hate* myself for all of it.

Twit In A Hat

Thank God for you, and thank you for doing this. I'd been meaning to get around to getting a patreon for ages, and your sincerity and conscientious work and empathy today pushed me to get off my ass and do it. And as one traumatized, bipolar queer to another, I hope you can get in the habit of forgiving yourself. I've heard it's a better life.

LOVE you jim!!!

Paul Kasinski

This video is great. Don't change it. Don't feel bad about it. Don't apologize for it. It may have been hard to make, or painful to publish, and in some respects uncomfortable to watch. But NECESSARY and GOOD. We love you, Jim. Keep doing what you do.

Hello Jim. I'm a newcomer, literally just joined. I've been watching a lot more of your content since COVID quarantine began in March here in Argentina, but I already was a fan. Today's video moved me and I figured joining was overdue and so I did. I just wanted to say: I don't think the video is shit. It's earnest, you hold others and yourself accountable in appropriately proportional measure, and your candor about how triggering this issue is, with enough information for us to understand, but not so much that it shifts the focus from the topic or makes the video about you, is also appropriate. If you decide to continue to cover this triggering issues, this video was a great start. If you decide you personally can't handle it or feel out of your depth to cover the topic, this video is a great statement to clarify why there won't be more coverage on your channel, and sends a clear signal that the eventual lack of coverage does not reflect your views on the importance and urgency of these matters... and that would also be fine. Everyone has their limits and we all have to do good in the ways we can, without veering into unhealthy territory. So I don't think the video is shit. Good one. And also: I think your "cartoony" wardrobe is comedic, yes, but it's also very affirming to, well, anyone who doesn't fit the conservative, prejudiced image and culture that corporations very much engage in to continue abusing people and then covering it up. I do believe there is overlap between the credibility of the "normal" and the manipulative gaslighting used by abusers to silence or discredit their victims, so... in a roundabout way, I don't think your customary getup was inappropriate, at all. Specially because any viewer of your show knows it's not performative. It's a performance, but it's rooted in honesty. Anyway. Cheers, it's good to hear you had a psyche eval because mental health support is always a good thing, and I hope you're doing as well as can be expected. Happy to have finally joined in supporting your great work.

Alien6981

Nah, just keep doing your thing. This whole "I'm part of the problem because I'm just living my life" shit needs to fuck straight off. You're part of the problem if you are : A. Actively doing bad shit to someone you are employing / working with B. Covering for person A If you're not doing either of those things, enjoy your white , male cisgender, video gamin-ass existence and don't let a bunch of virtue signalling douche-bags push you into self loathing. They've been really coming out of the woodwork lately.

Lubenoodle

Thank you for this video Jim and thank you for sharing even a small part of your story. You are doing better, you are doing incredibly great work. I think you staying dressed in your normal attire is perfect. All of this mess is deserving of special mention (hence the video and it's shift in tone/presentation) but you are you and you staying exactly as Jim Sterling for this video shows that it is Jim Sterling talking about this. No one can say you put on a different character to address these issues. Jim Sterling, in all his glory, the man who makes jokes and has larks and does everything he can to point out the terrible business practices of the video game industry, that same man just said, dismantle the abusive video game industry. No one can be like, "Oh that wasn't him! It was a character!" (Recognizing that Jim Sterling is also a character (kind of). But people can't distance Jim Sterling from this stance. So good on ya for that. 👍 And yes. Thank you to everyone who has been brave as freaking hell to come forward and share the absolutely deplorable things that have happened to them. ❤️

Perpetual Noob

As I said on YouTube - I think you're being *way* too hard on yourself, Jim. This is pretty heavy stuff, sure. And I'm sorry to hear that your friends were affected by it. But I don't think you should let yourself go down this rabbit hole of "I'm a bad person because I wasn't shining a light on this for every second of my career". It's not your job to make companies not do shitty things to their employees, and even if it was I don't think you would have stopped any of this garbage from happening. People are people - and some of them are dicks. Hope you can move past the badness that you went through in your past too, man. Keep being awesome :)

Lubenoodle

Not for the first time, I feel pretty useless too... I just buy the occasional video game, in steam sales, from my disability pension... I mean, I'm white, male and cis, but it's not like I have a voice, or money, or connections to draw on... I just play my games and wonder if I've contributed to the problem in some way that I never intended?

TheOldDruid

Congrats on your citizenship, mate, it's not an easy thing to swing. Thank you for covering this with the respect it deserves. Was a tasteful decision to forgo the usual tone for one of more respect for the victims that this industry churns out. There's a reason we fund you, and it's because you won't recoil from covering things just like this.

Perfect tone and ending, good job. Also congrats on US citizenship, bizarre how many people seem unable to comprehend that you might want to be a citizen of the country you live in despite its shortcomings.

This is the reason there must always be a Jim Sterling. Thanks for your work.

I'll always have your back, brother. I have a deep amount of respect for you.

Jarod

Love the video. Regarding your attire at the end : I love it Like seeing how the collection of badges has grown / keeps growing.

Ástþór Sigurvinsson

I don't think think it's in bad taste to be in your usual character for this - its a reminder that behind every mask is a real person, both in regards to the wearing and the making of the mask. The emotions that make you who you are, are the same emotions that make Jim Sterling and Sterdust and The Steam Cleaner who they are. Its all you. Thank God for Jim Fucking Sterling Son, whatever form he comes in.

Orous

It's not just this industry. I've had people subtly try to silence me in the fast food industry for mentioning how much my hourly wage is, just because they hate any discussion of wages and the fact they give out raises with all the eagerness of volunteering a kidney. The fact the video game industry is actually high paying and far reaching can only serve to make it inconceivably worse.... my job is easily replaced and easy to walk away from, a job in that industry can't be. I hope the entire industry gets a good kicking down. Might help if people didn't blindly defend it just because they like playing a given video game though.

Trevor Bond

<3

Thank you for covering this.

Uriel grey

Look, wherever there's money, all sorts of trash roll in for a piece of it.

A Patreon of the Ahts

It was good. This was good. Thank you.

Kaos

I'm going to say the things I normally say to my friends who deal with anxiety, trauma, and other mental health issues. As a professional, you are naturally going to self examine and look for improvements in your work. That's normal and healthy, but hanging onto past mistakes, real and perceived, can become obsessions. Self loathing would not help people who have grievances with you, it would only be an example of self harm. Doing what you have been doing, *working* to be more inclusive, really is the best medicine for everything from your own past. You already know how to deal with your feelings healthily. You have a therapist, you have friends and loved ones who want to help you. You already know and have the power to take healthy steps. You can. You have. You will continue to. God Bless

Iochannon

The Hearthstone player was allowed to compete again but only after his story started circulating and Blizzard was held accountable for their actions. It's a small victory, but a victory nonetheless for the people who have been wronged.

Dying Breed

Thanks for this. It was a powerful video. <3 Much love.

baron von carson

[Insert flamethrower-wielding Ripley]

Emil Johansen

Good shit. Thanks Jim.