This is why I still read Penny Arcade

Credit where credit is due. You’d think with all my complaining that I should just ditch my PA feeds in favor of greener pastures. I don’t. A cynic might say that I’m basically trolling, that I’m looking for opportunities to complain about an entity that neither cares for my existence nor is admonished by my criticism.

Looking for opportunities to complain isn’t why I still read PA. I read them for posts like the one made today. This is the PA I remember. Staunch critic of the stupidity within our subculture, capable of turning it’s hyperbolic and dangerous wit on any target within gaming’s sphere. Publishers, developers, retailers… and yes, homophobic fans.

I read PA because, for all the times they mock women and scoff at women’s issues, they still get it right from time to time. Maybe because the complaint is about homophobia? I wonder if we’d see a strong condemnation of bioware if a feminist were to point out sexisim in DA2 instead?

No. I won’t wonder that. One of the easiest mistakes to make in situations like this is to play the classic “Zero sum game”. The victories of one minority aren’t competing with the victories of others. We can all win here. We can all get better games if we keep advocating for entertainment that everyone can enjoy.

It pays to remind myself, I wouldn’t complain about PA half so much if  they weren’t half so clever. Well said Tycho.