Internet abuse has become ‘the new normal’

Former Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth has spoken of how a tirade of abuse from people on the internet affected his life and lost him his job.

Last year Adam Orth lost his job at Microsoftfollowing his outburst on the always-online rumourscirculating about Xbox One, which many people had already taken a dislike to.

"People began to distance themselves from me. I was dejected, ashamed and embarrassed,” he said. I destroyed my career and feared being blacklisted by the industry. I went from income to no income."

Orth also suggested that most developers don’t even raise an eyebrow” at internet threats and abuse, because it has become the new normal”.

As an industry we’ve become desensitised to this insane behaviour because it’s overwhelming, ubiquitous and unstoppable. Somehow we’ve devolved while moving forward, and there’s no going back,” he added.

Develop has more details.