Full disclosure: YouTube personality Smash JT is represented by Ron Coleman and the Dhillon Law Firm, whose lead attorney is nominated for Assistant Attorney General of the United States. That Park Place, WDW Pro and Valliant Renegade are likewise legally represented by Mr. Coleman.
The gaming industry has become a battleground for cultural and political ideologies, with a stark divide forming between the virtue signaling “woke” crowd and everyday gamers exhausted by constant political messaging and finger-wagging. The community’s response to two recent events—the crowd-funding campaign of Gaming While Black, a documentary featuring former Kotaku editor Alyssa Mercante, and Mercante’s contentious lawsuit against YouTuber SmashJT—illustrates the widening chasm between these groups in what’s become known as the gaming culture war.
And now, a quick look at production-in-progress for our film, Gaming While Black!
We’re still rolling along with production! Many more cities, stories, and perspectives to be heard from. pic.twitter.com/II88CwR8kh
— Jamal Page (@jmalpge) January 3, 2025
READ: Alyssa Mercante Sues Smash JT: YouTuber Alleges Doxing and Family Endangerment
Gaming While Black, a documentary featuring Alyssa Mercante that focuses on racial issues in the gaming industry, has failed to gain traction in its fan-funding campaign.
Its official description reads:
“While the working title of the documentary is GWB (Gaming While Black), the sentiment behind that is meant to convey how being Black or African American in the gaming space can often feel like existing within an opposing community.”
Mercante herself can be seen in the film’s trailer, giving the old classic “If you don’t like it don’t buy it,” slogan that her and her ilk often spout until gamers don’t support DEI-driven games. The rhetoric then often becomes “a hyper conservative backlash” or “bigotry” caused games like Concord or Dragon Age: The Veilguard to fail.
The project has raised a mere $370 out of its $5,000 GoFundMe goal as of this writing. Critics argue that the documentary alienates much of the gaming community by framing gamers as inherently racist and divisive. This narrative has worn thin for many middle-of-the-road gamers who feel exhausted by being repeatedly labeled and lectured by industry elites.
Alyssa backed documentary can only reach $370.
She must be very upset that @SmashJT has raised over $60,000 defending against her BS lawsuit.
She can’t move the meter, at all, and this is why she rages all the time. https://t.co/ABtMxYVYvK
— Grummz (@Grummz) January 5, 2025
READ: Alyssa Mercante Caught in Conflicts of Truth as Gaming Community Rallies Around YouTuber Smash JT
The inclusion of Mercante, already a polarizing figure, has only compounded the documentary’s troubles. Mercante’s remaining reputation took a significant hit following her controversial lawsuit against SmashJT, a popular gaming YouTuber. In her suit, she alleged stochastic behavior, defamation, bias-related violence or intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference.
Mercante disclosed SmashJT’s home address in the publicly released court documents (while hiding her own), leading to accusations of hypocrisy and doxing.
Alyssa Mercante via The Aristocratic Utensil YouTube
Perhaps most telling is how the gaming community responded to these events.
While the creators of Gaming While Black struggled to garner the slightest bit of financial support, SmashJT’s legal defense funding campaign was able to raise over $20,000 within 24 hours. The campaign has since surpassed $60,000.
This stark contrast shows the growing frustration many gamers feel toward those they perceive as divisive figures who use identity politics as a platform while alienating the broader community.
Your daily reminder not to give anyone who hates you your money.
Gamergate goes far beyond Sweet Baby Inc and Alyssa Mercante. It reflects a social awareness that the people in control of entertainment, education, and the media actively hate half the country. No more. pic.twitter.com/KGnL1zuudC
— Tebow (@MinEffortLive) January 6, 2025
READ: Former Kotaku Editor Alyssa Mercante’s Social Media Content Vanishing Ahead of Smash JT Lawsuit
It’s an ongoing trend that extends far beyond one former Kotaku editor. People like Obsidian art director Matt Hansen and CDPR lore designer Cian Maher have made contentious public remarks railing against political figures and the gaming community at large.
Gamers’ willingness to support SmashJT is emblematic of a shift in the community’s values. Many gamers have grown weary of messaging that prioritizes virtue signaling over quality content or storytelling and they’re tired of being told they’re bad people for it.
Instead, they value creators who focus on building engaging experiences and fostering camaraderie within the gaming world.
The failure of Gaming While Black to resonate highlights a key issue with the AAA gaming industry as a whole. When projects are built on a foundation of accusations and divisive rhetoric, they often alienate the very people they aim to reach. Conversely, SmashJT’s success in rallying support demonstrates the power of authenticity and shared values within the gaming community.
Smash JT via Smash JT YouTube
His case became a rallying cry for gamers tired of being labeled as racists or sexists simply for voicing dissent against industry trends they find disagreeable.
Projects like Gaming While Black may continue to find limited support among niche audiences who align with their ideology, but they are unlikely to resonate with the larger community of gamers who see such efforts as pandering and disingenuous. On the other hand, creators like Smash JT, who engage directly with their audience and respect differing opinions, will likely continue to thrive.
Alyssa Mercante on X
Ultimately, the gaming industry is at a crossroads. It must contend with the growing divide between those who want gaming to remain apolitical and those who seek to use it as a platform for cultural commentary. The response to Mercante’s lawsuit and the contrasting struggles of Gaming While Black suggest that gamers are sending a clear message. They value community, authenticity, and respect over division and ideological lecturing.
Whether the industry will listen remains to be seen.
Are you surprised that people didn’t rally to support Alyssa Mercante in a documentary about racism in gaming? What does SmashJT’s overwhelming community support say to you about the current status of the “gaming culture war?” Sound off and let us know!
