Context:
This kind of bums me out. I have a place in my heart for old Nolan and the Atari of days gone by. It doesn’t seem that he’s been accused of any abusive activity, at least that I’ve read about yet, just basically being a horn dog and doing weird stuff like convening board meetings in a jacuzzi.
Which is not to say that I’m unsympathetic to the other point of view - I would imagine being a woman working in that environment would have been awkward and uncomfortable at minimum. But is it not possible to laud a person for their accomplishments while also recognizing they probably weren’t exemplars of good character?
Ugh. Nolan is a hero of mine. In his way.
Begging your employees to strip doesn’t make you employer of the year and certainly doesn’t entitle you to an award.
Edit: that sounded harsher than I meant it to. He did scummy shit from a position of power and the environment has changed dramatically since then. If it hadn’t been right after all the stuff in 2017, I doubt it would have registered.
Nolan Bushnell Tweeted a statement:
More people need to know how to take a punch like Nolan. That was well written imo.
Yeah, this seems like a good call. Given that Atari’s hookers and blow moneyhat years are common knowledge, it’s not like this is a surprise or really even a meaningful condemnation of who he is today. And it’s not like Bushnell needs more recognition.
Honestly, this seems like it could almost be a pre-negotiated publicity move between Bushnell and the GDC, which I would be totally on board with.
Yes, they have been planning this since the 70s/80s.
Kind of depressing that legend like him who did pioneering things for the industry (and frankly, world) cannot even get an award anymore because some people complain on twitter.
I think it’s fine to acknowledge what Nolan Bushnell did for the world of gaming without giving him awards.
That workplace and partially his behavior seem to represent the epitome of toxic behavior that is responsible for driving women out of the industry entirely. So how many women’s voices and talent did we not see because of this behavior?
That’s what makes me sad. Not that a proponent of the Boys Club doesn’t get a relatively meaningless award, but that the behavior of the potential recipient and many others like him denied women the opportunity to create potentially amazing things.
His response in his tweet is very classy and commendable.
Its not just “some people”. I’m a former IGDA member, and I approve of this decision, and I guarantee you that most of my former colleagues would as well.
That’s certainly the best apology in this context (and manner of dealing with this sort of situation) that I’ve seen.
It would have been better without the “if.” There’s no need for being conditional. He knows who he hurt.
I think that’s a lot of the problem, these people really don’t see themselves as bad guys, that’s just how it was back then, they were driving 75, but they were just keeping up with traffic. And they are genuinely surprised that women were hurt by it. That’s why it’s important to talk about these things.
Reading the posts by women who worked there, they don’t actually seem to have been hurt, and resent being made into victims
Loni Reeder: I have to leave for a meeting shortly, but I will be writing something extensive about this when I return. I’m a woman… and my working affiliation with Nolan is extensive - but to immediately address the comment from Evan Koblentz - in this regard pertaining to Nolan - there is ZERO sexual assault or abuse - and the alleged journalist did not do their due diligence.
Elaine Shirley: Curt, Adam posted above what I said to Replay but I will be happy to share a few of my comments again. I worked for Atari from 73-99. I was there during the Nolan era… It was the 70’s, we had fun. To my knowledge, no one ever did anything they did not want to do. At Atari, there was NO hostile work environment. The GDC should ask the women that actually worked there during that time. I support Nolan getting the award. Geez, next they will be pulling awards given to the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and the WHO… It was a different time.
#istandwithnolan
Loni Reeder: So… let’s take a step back and look at the overall situation:
It started with a 38 year old disgruntled ‘uber feminist’ woman/game designer from Massachusetts running for Congress who had a less than stellar experience in the predominantly male-dominated video game space, resulting in what came to be known as ‘GamerGate.’
Using the ‘MeToo’ movement and a moment in time for which she had no firsthand knowledge…
And with zero complaints lodged against Nolan or complaints about the work culture by employees working at Atari during that time…
And based on archival newspaper and magazine interviews with Nolan and others chatting about a work environment, time and culture that existed 40 years ago…
A work environment everyone - men and women - happily worked in TOGETHER… and partied in TOGETHER (or didn’t party in - there was no pressure and no judgement)… an environment that has resulted in decades-long friendships, marriages, ‘little Atarians,’ business partnerships and frequent reunions… providing us with amazing memories, and for most of us, spending the rest of our work careers attempting to replicate the MAGIC of the Camelot that we were lucky enough to work at.
By arming herself with a topical movement and being personally disgruntled and ‘offended’ by an environment existing 40 years ago which she played no part in - an environment she had ZERO first hand knowledge of… and ‘intimating’ those of us who worked with or around Nolan, Al (Alcorn), the Gene’s (Lipkin and Landrum), Joe (Keenan), Steve (Bristow) and the rest of ‘Mahogany Row’ had been sexually assaulted, abused and disrespected by (in her estimation) abominations to the male species…
Yes, based on her political aspirations, personal assumptions and libelous accusations against a man where no complaints have been raised or filed - she made a big, unfounded noise against Nolan - and the ‘Pioneer Award’ honor was withdrawn.
Atari was a large corporation with many facilities… but I worked in Corporate Headquarters, interfaced with every department in the company as a part of Communications, Security and Facilities groups… and in being ‘adopted’ by the Coin-op and Industrial Design groups, I also spent a great deal of time in the Engineering (‘hot tub’) building, which would be the two locations where most of the fun and craziness occurred.
From my vantage point and having a first-person perspective of this time and the Atari environment, what has been done to Nolan is falsely mischaracterizing him for a lifestyle that did no harm or wrong to anyone.
Nolan created a company environment which opened the doors to many women into a field where they were never included before: HI TECH. Nolan never discriminated on any level and gave everyone a chance to prove on their own merits that they could be a part of Atari. From soldering boards to building arcade cabinets, drawing schematics and artwork to working on the assembly line.
For me personally, Nolan was the final word in my being hired at Atari - my first full-time job after college… he continued his belief in me years later, when we cofounded uWink in Los Angeles where I became an ‘equally compensated’ Vice President.
Nolan never profiled a person by their gender as to whether or not they were a fit for the job. He based his decision on the person’s skill, ability and passion for the job - because of that belief, we always rose to the occasion! We were a bonded teamship… AND A FAMILY.
Atari also saw a woman - the amazing Carol Shaw - go on to fame!
For me, and I’m sure for other women who will weigh in… while this ‘feminazi congresswoman wanna-be’ may believe she is doing ‘Atari womankind’ a favor, in reality, she has done us a disservice by creating victims where there were none.
Personally, I am extremely angered by her words and conduct in this matter… not just for Nolan, but for the women of Atari - all of us!
We ALL were, and remain to this day extremely strong and intelligent women… and there isn’t any ‘man’ who would dare take advantage of us (not if they intended to procreate in the future!).
My other anger is the callous and unnecessary hurt I’m sure this matter has inflicted on Nancy and their kids and grandkids.
Finally… by not doing their due diligence before terminating the honor, the GDC did a disservice to Nolan, to my fellow Atarians - and to the truth.
Nolan was extremely gracious in this matter via his tweet… Hopefully the GDC will right this misstep on their part at some point in the future.
Carol Kantor I stand by my previous post… there was much that would be considered inappropriate today but at the time it was mostly laughable and in poor taste sometimes but not to be categorized as sexual harassment or abusive to women at the time. We were all encouraged to be social and have fun in our work.
Cecile Wood-Leguillon Loni, I couldn’t have said it better. I worked at Atari in the 1272 Engineering Bldg for almost 8 years in the 1970s and 1980s. I was the Engineering Services Manager under Ed Avila and Steve Bristow. I Managed 3 departments and traveled to off site locations for training. (19 employees in the Drafting, Design Checking and Document Control Departments half of them women.) Working closely with the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Software Engineers, Art Departments, Industrial Design and upper Management. I never felt threatened at any time during my career. I was encouraged and supported in every way. All the employees worked very hard to get the job done often with rigid time constraints. . Yes, there were well deserved courtyard parties, lots of pot, fun in the hot tub, invites to Nolans home for the most fabulous company parties. All the women who worked in Engineering were strong willed hard working determined women. It was a long time ago and yes a more relaxed time. I was and still am very proud to have worked with all the Atari staff, especially Nolan Bushnell.
He knows? I find this extremely dubious.
You can’t come here with your facts and evidence and then expect us to believe people who were actually there over one of the GDC/IGDA mob using identity politics to engage in a power play can you.
Bowdlerism is a particularly rancid concept, (and this is nothing more than a modern offshoot of that) and nothing good comes out of it.
They seem more upset about this than Bushnell is.
A couple notes:
Several of those comments note that “it was a different time.” However, I’m not sure that this is the defense that they think it is.
Some of those commenters seem upset that somebody else might be offended on their behalf. However, they don’t seem to have a problem speaking for everybody that they worked with.
Nolan Bushnell not getting a meaningless award is certainly an attack on our freedoms.