Rust Developer Has Canceled a Planned Meet-Up Due To an "IRL Threat"
While the community event has been halted, the studio will still attend GDC 2023.
The developer behind the iconic multiplayer survival game Rust Facepunch Studios has issued a statement announcing their decision to cancel a planned meet-up that was to take place at a small coffee shop in San Francisco during Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2023.
In a brief statement shared by Facepunch via Twitter, the studio cited an "IRL threat" as the reason for the event's cancelation, saying that it is "important to remember the developers are indeed humans" and noting that whenever such threats arise, they make the safety of the employees their main priority. While the community event has been halted, the studio will still attend GDC 2023, encouraging their fans to "show portfolios, talk shop, or get feedback" via an e-mail.
Unfortunately, it seems that such threats are nothing new for the studio. Speaking to PC Gamer, Facepunch Producer Alistair McFarlane noted that "community-facing staff see threats daily", primarily from displeased players and cheaters, whenever such individuals "lash out on social media".
"The overwhelming majority of fans are respectful and supportive," commented McFarlane. "But there is always going to be a small subset of individuals who engage in threatening and abusive behavior. These threats are very concerning and must be taken seriously."
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