Update: There are two sides to every story, and a post made on the Tumblr account Bread Blog has put forth an argument as to why /v/ isn’t behind the alleged hacking of Polytron and Phil Fish’s Twitter account.
Here’s Bread Blog’s argument. You can read the full post here:
It is practically impossible for /v/ or anyone with outside access to Fish’s server to have hacked it and released the info.
How so? Look at how everything went down.
- The DOX file was 1.5GB and was available on the server at almost exactly the same time the website was hacked.
- Everything was posted on the website that was hacked.
- Quinn was targeted at the exact same time.
- All of this info was apparently pulled from the Polytron website.
There’s too many inconsistencies here.
- 1.5GB of information could not be gathered, compressed, and uploaded that quickly after the site was hacked. It’s not possible that this could happen within 15 seconds from an outside connection. This also suggests the file was ready to be uploaded before the supposed attack even happened.
- Judging from previous examples (e.g. Lulzsec), it’s incredibly unlikely an actual hacker would upload the files back to the hacked webserver. Why would anyone upload a file to a server when the owner can regain control and delete it soon after? It’s common practice to upload the file elsewhere, as this is much more sensible.
- Considering there were no threads on /v/ or /i/ or any known IRCs planning an attack, it’s incredibly unlikely that Quinn would have been attacked at the exact same time.
- There is absolutely zero reason for all this information to have been on the Polytron website server. The Polytron website is nothing more than a company website showcasing Fish’s works. Why would it contain personal information on Fish and actual Fez game files? Even if the Polytron server was being used to host the Fez game files (a huge security flaw), there’s still no reason for Fish’s personal info to be located on the server or anywhere else.
Make of that what you will. Given what’s happened over the course of the week, and the level of accusations (some wildly far-fetched) we remain very skeptical. But this is the information that is being circulated right now among those who are skeptical of the situation.
Related: Embarrassing Week in Gaming Concludes w/ #WeLoveGameDevs Twitter Campaign
Original story: Fez creator Phil Fish has “quit gaming” and put his company Polytron and the Fez brand up for sale, after 4Chan board /v/ hacked Polytron’s website and Twitter account, putting a number of Fish’s passwords, email addresses and information regarding Polytron’s Paypal into a pastebin account to make them easily accessible.
This “doxxing” of his company has now led to Phil Fish leaving Twitter once more, but not before leaving some parting words that really give an insight into what it’s like to be a vocal and active member of the so-called gaming “community.”
Fish wrote:
“this is videogames.
this is what i get
this is unacceptable
this is not okay
terrorist
never again, you hear me? never again.
this is videogames
this is your audience
to every aspiring game developer out there: don’t. give up. it’s not worth it.
nothing is worth this.
give up on your dreams. they are actually nightmares.
just don’t do it.
RUN AWAY”
The 4Chan users have stated that this is a “public execution” of Phil Fish, and “retaliation for his attempted coverup of five guys burgers and fries.” This is in reference to Phil Fish’s vocal support of Depression Quest developer Zoe Quinn, who was the target of similar attacks after her ex-boyfriend posted details of her alleged cheating on him with “five guys.”
This series of events has led to Fish announcing his retirement as a game developer, writing: “POLYTRON and the FEZ IP are now for sale. no reasonable offer will be turned down. i am done. i want out.” This was written on his Twitter account shortly before its deletion.
If Fish is indeed done for good, it’s a crying shame. Fez was a great game, and although he cancelled its planned sequel (also due to a controversy he became embroiled in), I was looking forward to seeing what else he had up his sleeve. Unfortunately, it seems that this is the last we’ll be hearing of him for a while.
