David Gaider, known for his work on games like Baldur’s Gate 2 and Dragon Age, recently expressed concerns about a growing trend he refers to as “anti-fans.” In an interview with GamesRadar, he lamented the phenomenon where certain players take delight in the failures of games. Gaider noted the rise of gamers who make it their mission to publicly criticize games before they have even launched, eagerly celebrating any misstep as a personal triumph.

“The difficulty is if, suddenly, you end up with anti-fans. Then they turn from what you want, fans who would go out and spread word of your game and get people interested. But if you get anti-fans, they sort of do the opposite. They’re very determined, suddenly, to see your game fail.”

He lamented that this behavior seems increasingly prevalent across various fandoms, particularly in the RPG community.

The full interview sheds light on how developer engagement is becoming challenging, as they fear the backlash from these hostile groups will discourage them from communicating with genuine fans. He emphasized the transformation of fans who turn their passion for games into a core part of their identity, making any perceived offense feel like a personal attack.

The gaming community’s culture appears unlikely to change soon, with anticipation already building for future releases and accompanying scrutiny. David argues that this could lead to a reluctance among developers to share their projects with the public, thereby missing the opportunity for meaningful feedback from positive supporters.