There has been a lot of news in the last couple of months about GamerGate. It’s proponents say their “movement” is about ethics in journalism. However, there’s a large component of misogyny, bigotry, hate, and outright harassment of women gamers coming from nut job GamerGaters. One upshot of all of this, of course, is giving a bad name to people who play games, especially video or online games. I’ve always been of the firm belief that games and gamer communities can be and are a force for good and are of benefit to people. For example, the local game con I help organize and do the website for, FlatCon, donates all profits yearly to Relay For Life. We play games and we do some good.
So, I think it’s important you know about how a game and its fans are helping in another way and a Kickstarter documentary wanting to tell the story. WoW MoM is a film in production about Terry Bolt, a grandmother who is coping with cancer by playing World of Warcraft. Terry was diagnosed in 2010 with Neuroendocrine Tumors (NET)/Carcinoids, a rare and often misdiagnosed form of cancer that was responsible for the death of Steve Jobs. And, she was given 6 months to live. Four years on, she’s still with us. And WoW has helped.
Terry and Andie Bolt (via Kickstarter)
While undergoing treatments and dealing with all of the side effects and despair, Terry was turned on to playing World of Warcraft as a means to cope. What she found in the WoW community and the game itself was not just an escape, but a new “family” who supported her and gave her an outlet for her pain and frustrations. As she says in the video on the Kickstarter campaign for WoW Mom, she can tell things to the WoW community she does not dare tell her family due to the stress and worry it would cause. Her daughter, comedian and voice over actor Andie Bolt, felt they should make a movie showing all of the positive effects WoW has had on her mom. In the process of making the documentary, going to Blizzcon, and being on shows like The Nerdist, they discovered many other WoW players in similar situations who have found love and support in their community.
Over 150 hours of footage are shot. Now, they need funding to get the rough cut done. Lots of cool perks have been donated by WoW and geek luminaries. I am kicking in a few bucks. I hope you can too.
Games can be good for you.
Gamers also can be.
