Multiple Reports of Assault and Drink Spiking Reported at Major Game Industry Event
gamerant.comRecent reports of harassment, assault, and drugging at the 2023 Game Developers Conference have sparked concern and outrage within the gaming community. The incidents which took place at GDC 2023 raise questions about the safety and security procedures in place at in-person gaming events, particularly following the Me Too movement.
Sadly, this kind of despicable behavior is something that has plagued the gaming industry for years and even at the time of writing, multiple gaming industry giants are dealing with sexual harassment lawsuits and “conducting investigations” into these allegations within the respective companies. Activision Blizzard, Quantic Dream, Riot Games, and Ubisoft have all faced similar claims over the past few years, meaning that this GDC incident is just the latest in a shameful trend.
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The founder of Games Industry Gathering, Guy Blomberg, took to social media to report several incidents of drink-spiking with “roofies,” a common term for Rohypnol, a powerful sedative commonly associated with sexual assault. The incidents occurred during an after-hours karaoke event at the Pandora club in San Francisco, which was co-hosted by Blomberg. In the days following the event, reports of similar incidents at multiple parties during GDC have also surfaced. The majority of the online gaming community has responded with outrage and condemnation of such behavior. The Games and Online Harassment Hotline has since posted a tweet notifying victims how they can get help via text message.
According to a statement released by the GDC, the reported events took place outside its official premises, at different locations in San Francisco. The
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