First off, let me express that ensuring all voices are heard is super important, especially those who tend to be underrepresented.
Depending on the focus of a certain space, some topics can make more sense than others. For example, this might not be the best forum to discuss religion, but there are many dedicated to exactly that!
My thinking is that on Godot’s X account, the audience is made up of game developers here to create fun games. In this context, who anyone identifies as isn’t really the main focus. What matters more is the ideas we bring to the table, our talents in design/development/art/music, and our professionalism/teamwork/communication skills. Ultimately, what really counts is whether we’re pleasant, friendly people who help drive the team goals forward.
If someone’s identity brings an interesting perspective, that’s awesome! A game like Black Myth: Wukong could only come from Chinese developers passionate about sharing their culture with the world, and the gaming community is all the better for it. There are countless other examples that could fill a small novel. Games can help connect us and enhance our understanding of each other, and that’s amazing!
That said, I think a lot of people were concerned that the recent tweet, regardless of good intentions, was a bit of a divergence from the core focus on making great games. The tweet didn’t warrant hate or harassment, but people should be allowed to express their thoughts civilly.
To the community manager and Godot PR team: I understand discussions can get heated, and it might feel like “if you’re not 100% with me, you’re against me.” I totally empathize with folks who are passionate about their causes, especially those related to aspects of your (or your loved ones’) identity; any criticism can feel like a zero-sum game where disagreement feels like a personal attack. I’ve been on the receiving end of it myself, and it’s tough.
Having managed a community myself, I’ve made missteps that look a lot like what happened here. So, I’m going to share a bit that I wish my past self had known, hoping it resonates with the Godot team.
Blocking actual trolls is totally fine; that’s the point of the block feature. But when people suggest that Godot’s X account stick to its main focus (the engine and its development) and not engage with trolls, blocking them might not be the best path forward. I get that it’s hard not to take things personally in the heat of the moment, but as things cool down, it’s worth considering whether most people meant harm by their suggestions. I’m not speaking for all the replies, but I saw quite a few that were genuine advice to avoid stepping into a cultural minefield and to focus on Godot itself.
As a thought experiment, let’s say the tweet hadn’t been about promoting LGBTQ+ games but about a different aspect of identity, like religion. I’d expect a similar response, where many community members would ask the account to focus on Godot and not venture too far outside that area.
Constructive criticism is crucial for growth, and I really hope the community manager and Godot team see how valuable that feedback is and take it to heart. It could lead to solid improvements and strengthen our community.
Once things cool down, I hope we can reflect on this. With some maturity, responsibility, humility, and understanding, we could even turn this whole situation into a net positive and come out stronger than before. I really respect when people bury the hatchet, and I’d deeply respect Godot’s CM/PR folks (and the Godot community at large) if we could all extend olive branches here to work together on the best darn open-source game engine ever, for everyone, everywhere!
What do you say?
