Games journalist Ryan Easby, who has freelanced for various outlets including NME, PCGamesN, The Escapist. TheGamer, Gayming Magazine, and others took to social media to call for violence against former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern.
Mark Kern via Sodapoppin YouTube
Easby posted to X, “Soft launching my campaign to kick Mark Kern in the balls.” He has since deleted the post, but Kern shared a screenshot to his timeline.
This is not okay. pic.twitter.com/MxZH87zY6s
— Grummz (@Grummz) April 10, 2024
Easby’s call for violence was echoed by another journalist, John Phipps, who hosts Super Deluxe GamesCast. Phipps posted to X, “It’s actually based, I’d donate.”
John Phipps on X
Former Riot Games Senior Concept Artist and current Art Director at Easy Games Michael Maurino also approved the call to assault Kern. He wrote, “agreed this is a-ok.”
Michael Maurino on X
Easby is no stranger to making unhinged comments on social media such as this call to violence. Back in March, he posted, “If there’s one thing to take away from this last week, it’s that gamers don’t deserve video games. Just send them to a construction yard or something instead.”
Ryan Easby on X
Easby has also made controversial and bizarre statements that seem to endorse discrimination based on skin color.
Ryan Easby on X
On March 26th he reiterated this sentiment.
Ryan Easby on X
In another post on the same day, he repeated it.
Ryan Easby on X
The refrain continued on April 5, this time in endorsement of Alyssa Mercante.
Ryan Easby on X
READ: Kotaku Senior Editor Alyssa Mercante Calls For Mass Reporting Of Mark Kern Over April Fool’s Joke
Easby also heavily insulted Kern throughout the month of March and into April.
On March 22nd, Easby described Kern as “a failed games developer turned reactionary” and accused him of using Sweet Baby Inc to “to reach popularity” with gamers, whom Easby maligned as well.
Ryan Easby on X
On the 28th of March he wrote, “Mark Kern is the stupidest person alive, that’s all I’m saying.”
Ryan Easby on X
On April 1st, Easby defamed Kern while accusing him of “harassing a journalist.” He then called for his followers to report Kern, which ironically might be considered targeted harassment.
Ryan Easby on X
On April 4th, Easby accused Kern of being directly responsible of an alleged DDOS attack on Compulsion Games. He wrote, “You can directly trace the current DDOS’ing of Compulsion Games back to Mark Kern and the Sweet Baby shit. They don’t deserve this at all, and I hope the full force is brought down on the people who caused this.”
Ryan Easby on X
This alleged DDOS attack on Compulsion Games is in doubt as whether it actually happened. Spawn On Me With Kahlief Adams host Khalief Adams made the initial accusations, but quickly backtracked and admitted to taking his initial post down.
He wrote on X, “I’m totally fine with being wrong and took the tweet down some hours later after taking a break on social to make sure the potential for misinformation was lessened. I hope there was no nefariousness happening that caused their site to go down but also wouldn’t be surprised if there was.”
Kahlief Adams on X
Finally, on April 9th, Easby wrote, “It’s very funny that Mark Kern is trying to be the face of an entire movement but in every single public appearance he’s made since starting it he’s refused to show his actual face.”
Ryan Easby on X
What do you make of Easby’s threat of violence against Kern? What do you make of his seeming obsession with Kern beginning in March?
