Timeline of Events of the Pokémon Clover Saga
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Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in each section belong strictly to the individual(s) to which the opinions are attributed in the respective section and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other individual covered in this timeline.
A. September 14 Prologue: Developer ThatAmericanSlacker Quits
“Welcome to the Dark Age of RetroAchievements.”
B. October 3 Announcement: Policy Clarification: Code of Conduct Scope
“The presence of an achievement set on our platform does not constitute endorsement for a game’s content.”
https://retroachievements.org/forums/topic/32644
C. October 3 Reversal: An Apology to Our Community
“[The] edgy Pokémon hack … glorifies hate speech. … [W]e have no intention to ever be associated with hate speech.”
https://retroachievements.org/forums/topic/32648
D. October 3: Administrator televandalist Resigns
“[I]t is absolutely no one’s business what other people play and people who want to make it their business can just fuck off.”
E. October 4: FBernkastelKues Removed as Developer
“[Favorite video game?] Mine’s GTA Vice City for its nuanced take on trans people.”
F. October 8 Doubling Down: Clarifying RetroAchievements’ Goals
“RetroAchievements will not legitimize bigotry by hosting an achievement set for it. …. No direct threats [against RA staff] have been confirmed at this time….”
https://retroachievements.org/forums/topic/32727
Site founder proceeds to leave the following comment on an outsider’s recent blog post accusing Retro Achievements of platforming “hate speech.”
Hi – I want to first say “thank-you” because this is an extremely well-written post-mortem for the events at the weekend. I’ve asked the staff to read over this as a guide to help understand the impact what has happened so far and to appreciate the effect our choices are having.
I especially appreciate the “Nobody likes taking medicine” part above. This outlines really well how we ought to deal with this. I’m planning to out a statement asap that helps govern the next steps that fits the site and the community well.
I completely agree it shouldn’t remotely take this long to say “hate speech is bad, no thanks”.
G. October 8: Clover Achievement Developer tomojin Responds
“[T]he truth is we were both told that staff members were being threatened.”
H. October 9: Event Manager ladynadia Responds and Resigns
“[P]eople were harassed and threatened and … our highest level staff bowed and complied with what those people wanted and showed that hate will give them what they want.”
I. October 10: Moderator BahamutVoid Quits After Alleged Doxxing by a Fellow Moderator Whose Identity Remains Unknown
“RetroAchievements supports openness but only when it’s convenient.”
J. October 10: #3 Ranked Player HippopotamusRex Vows to Quit
“Remind me how many points or sets do the users who recently joined and are taking over this site as the morality police have?” [Editor’s note: answer: zero, apparently.]
K. October 10: Top-600 Ranked Player Alakatrore Vows to Quit
“Never Let Narcissists Obsessed with Being Victims Infiltrate the Community as They Won’t Stop Until the Whole Thing Gets [Shut Down.]”
L. October 11: Developer NeonPug Quits
“When the ‘leader’ of said community is also willing to instantly discard the thoughts and opinions of the people who have kept the place going in an instant if it benefits him, and also willing to outright lie to [its] users, how do you act?”
M. October 11: Top-500 Ranked Player Wimpyfox Banned
“You betrayed your own community for some randos on bluesky, you should resign[.]”
N. October 11: Developer ThatAmericanSlacker Clarifies His Recent Departure
“[T]he whole situation is a symptom of the leadership issues RA’s got right now.”
O. October 12: Former Developer Tayadaoc Quits
“To this site, which was my home for four and a half years, I say goodbye. I mourn your loss, which is now inevitable.”
P. October 14: Former Developer clymax Shadowbanned
“All Discord roles were removed with no communication or warning.”
Q. Achievement Graveyard After Clovergate
Pokémon Clover, Pokémon Periwinkle, and 177 are now gone… but what’s next?
R. Reactions on Social Media
“RetroAchievements Destroyed By 🏳️🌈 Mafia”
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