Rust developer Facepunch Studios announced that they would be canceling a community meetup event that was originally planned to take place on March 21 during Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2023.
The announcement was made following death threats that the studio received, and in order to prioritize the safety of the game’s developers, the event was canceled.
This is not a statement we're happy to announce.
Due to an IRL threat we must take seriously, we're going to have to cancel the GDC meetup in San Fran next week. 😢
If you would like to show us portfolios, talk shop, or get feedback on your work reach out via email! (below)
— Rust (@playrust) March 15, 2023
The event was meant to be a gathering of individuals from the game industry, giving developers and professionals a chance at meeting with Facepunch. The studio even encouraged attendees to bring their portfolios to said meetup. While it may no longer be possible for any hopeful individuals to get in touch with Facepunch in-person, the developers did leave behind an email address for anyone interested in contacting them.
It's important to remember the developers are indeed humans. When threats arise we make their safety #1.
We'd love to see what you make!
gdc@facepunchstudios.com— Rust (@playrust) March 15, 2023
According to Rust producer Alistair McFarlane, threats such as the ones messaged at the devs in this incident are “commonplace.” Staff members have to deal with the threats on a daily basis, with some even having to “change personal details” due to doxxing. McFarlane cites the “cheat community” as one of the biggest offenders, with both cheat makers and users going to “great efforts” in order to harass staff members.
Despite the cancelation of the meetup, Facepunch is still set to attend GDC itself, and there’s always the dedicated email address for those who originally planned on attending the IRL event.
Source: PC Gamer