Can Gamer Rage Be Used For Good?

Issue #235 | May 7, 2024

Good afternoon, folks! Today, my timeline is flooded by Kendrick/Drake diss track reactions. Kendrick seems to be winning the creator camp, with one FaZe creator saying the rapper lifted copyright claims from all his reaction videos. (Though no confirmation yet from Kendrick on if that story is true and applies to all creators, or just the ones in the FaZe gaming clan.)

Kendrick seemingly recognizes the power of harnessing the two most vocal groups on the internet: celebrity stans and angry gamers. Arguably, gamers are one of the online groups with the most unbridled rage. They frequently find ways to funnel their anger into collective actions, boycotts, and protests — sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally.

This week, journalist Steven Asarch reports on how creators in the “Helldivers 2” fandom stumbled into collective action, driving hundreds of thousands of bad reviews and resulting in the company backtracking a controversial policy change.

Love it or hate it, it’s always impressive when someone can channel their rage into something productive. It certainly beats giving up and using AI (ahem, Drake.)

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

CULTURE

‘Helldivers 2’ Community Bands Together to Ward Off Unwanted Update

Creators came together to stop an unwanted change from Sony.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

Helldivers 2 soldiers celebrate planting flag

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IN THE BIZ

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) began negotiations focusing on protections and guidelines for the use of AI in entertainment.
Workers at the Cannes Film Festival are on strike over pay issues and the exclusion of some staff from unemployment benefits due to short-term contracts.
Substack now allows creators to monetize their Chats by placing them behind a paywall, offering a new way to generate revenue through exclusive community conversations.
Despite TikTok being a title sponsor of the event, last night’s Met Gala had surprisingly few creators on the red carpet.

TIPS & TRICKS

Patreon Taxes For Creators: How To Track Your Income, Rewards, and Taxes

Beware the ides of March (or April, June, September, and January if you file quarterly)

By Rachel Kiley, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

Phone with patreon app and cash on the side

PERSONALITIES

MrBeast Ditches Talent Management Firm Night Media

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is parting ways with his long-time talent management firm.

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

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JOB BOARD

YouTuber Vince Vintage is looking for a script writer.
Writer and podcaster Peter Yang is looking for an operating partner.
Chef Nick DiGiovanni is looking for a social media editor.
Entertainment company Betches Media is looking for a video editor.

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

This week on the Reactorverse Podcast, we’re joined by Australian reactor and editor Puggapillar! Pugg shares his journey from editing Call of Duty compilation videos to co-hosting the Horror Hour and more. Be sure to subscribe to the Passionfruit YouTube channel so you don’t miss an episode.