Play-Asia has criticized the games media for “SJWnonsense” that has created a “hostile climate for games with sex themes,” with the online retailer facing criticism on Twitter after publicly calling out one of its customers. The online retailer, which specializes in importing video games and game-related products, tweeted about the supposedly “puritanical climate” that has been created by the gaming media.
Play-Asia previously placed itself in the spotlight back in 2015, after the official Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Facebook page suggested that the game was not coming to the West as a result of “many issues happening in video game industry with regard to how to treat female in video game industry.” This then led to many decrying the “censorship” of Koei Tecmo, despite the game having been largely ignored by both consumers and critics up until that point. In the midst of all this Play-Asia started heavily advertising the game, branding the reasoning behind it not releasing in the US as “SJW nonsense” and racking up a whole bunch of sales from those looking to protest against the manufactured controversy.
Earlier today, the official Play-Asia account posted the following tweet, which promptly began doing the rounds online:
After Twitter user Liam Robertson replied that he would no longer give them his business due to them “spouting all kinds of gamergatey bullshit,” the Play-Asia account quote-tweeted Robertson and replied:
The response from Play-Asia was widely criticized, with the company being called out for publicly calling out a customer after they had made a complaint regarding their online conduct. “I must have spent hundreds on PlayAsia over the years on amiibo, soundtracks, games, and they send their vitriolic audience after one of their customers at even the slightest bit of criticism,” Robertson noted. “Very fucking professional.”
Play-Asia is one of the leading online video game importers, with it shipping out thousands of games from Asia to the West every day. While it’s not unusual for a corporate account to attempt to engage with its users on a more personable level online, it is certainly not standard practice for an online retailer to openly call out its customers.