- All-Star Gaming Industry Panel Canceled at USC for Being All-Male
- USC has the top Gaming Industry Course in the Country
- Senior Executives Had Been Invited
- Companies included Blizzard ‘World of Warcraft’, Riot Games and Infinity Ward
- Students Also Lost Opportunity to Pitch Games to Superstars
- USC students are furious – social media reacted incredulously
- USC Director of Games Tracy Fullerton canceled event at the last minute
- Fullerton accused of Social Justice Warrior Activism
- Good-faith efforts by fellow faculty to add a woman to the panel allegedly ignored
America’s premier game-design program canceled an all-star industry panel last week for the sole reason that the lineup was all-male.
NEW: Read Reaction to Tracy Fullerton’s USC Gaming Censorship
The University of Southern California was able to attract some of the biggest talent in the industry to their April 20 event: head game designer at Blizzard, Jeffrey Kaplan; CEO of Riot Games, Brandon Beck; and head of Infinity Ward, David Stohl — among others.
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As reported by the Daily Trojan, not only would students have been able to hear from these titans of the game industry, they could have showcased their games to the panelists as well.
Again, look at this lineup:
What a cool, possibly life-changing event for the students at USC. It would be a shame if people’s feelings got in the way….
Well, just four hours prior to the event, the whole thing was cancelled. And the reason given was it had to be shut down because of the all-male panel — as explained on the Facebook page of the University of Southern California Interactive Media & Games Division.
The event’s organizers did not immediately respond to Heat Street’s requests for comment.
UPDATE: “Both males and females I talked to were really upset that they did not get to meet some of their idols,” said an anonymous USC student majoring in computer science for game design who planned to attend the event. “It would have been the biggest names they could have gotten at this school.”
The student did not wish to be named, fearing reprisal from the games department.
“There really is a notion of censorship, but in this department you have to get on team projects to succeed and don’t want to anger the wrong people.”
The student went on to say that it was Professor Anthony Borquez who organized the event, but was told that he must get a female panelist to use event space at the games department. Borquez obliged, but due to a scheduling conflict, the female panelist backed out.
Despite the good faith effort, the student explained, Director of USC Games Tracy Fullerton cancelled the event at the last minute.
“They claim they are rescheduling, but even if they are able to get the same talent, it is already too late for the graduating seniors.”
