Long-running and popular video game forum NeoGAF went down virtually overnight this weekend following allegations of sexual harassment against the site’s owner.
A series of posts accusing owner Tyler “Evilore” Malka of sexual assault set into motion a firestorm of controversy on the forum, leading to a walkout by the rest of the site’s moderators. After the forum filled with discussion, rants, and calls for Malka’s resignations over the accusations, it was taken offline on Sunday.
Film director Ima Leupp publicly named Malka last week in an account where she alleged that he harassed her in a hotel shower. Some of the other accusations span back years, including a series of crude remarks made over the whole GamerGate controversy back in 2014.
“Casual bulls*****ing about video games isn’t worth supporting Evilore,” one user posted. “Burn it all down.”
NeoGAF said that it will be preparing a public statement over the issue, but so far no statement has been forthcoming.
Leupp has countered by saying the rebuttal is “bullshit.”
“The only thing I gain from this is harassment,” she said. “I’m not trying to ruin his life. I wasn’t trying to call him out. I was responding to a fucking hashtag about sexual assault and sexual abuse, and that story fit really well. Who gets into a shower with a naked girl who’s puking?”
Waypoint chronicles an additional incident involving another woman and includes statements from moderators who suggested that this was just the final straw in a pile of past dramas mishandled by Malka, one including a NeoGAF mod arrested for child porn.
NeoGAF remains offline in “maintenance,” though Malka says the site will be back tonight with an impending restructure focusing on video games. “I’ll be at the helm as I always have,” he reportedly said. It is not clear whether the moderating team will be returning.
