All right, gamers—we’re seeing a troubling trend in online discourse that needs to be addressed: the conversation surrounding the primary antagonist to the Kong family has tipped over from acceptable into offensive. Please keep in mind that you can criticize King K. Rool’s actions without resorting to insulting his weight.
Let’s all act like adults here. There’s no need to use ad hominem attacks about King K. Rool’s size or stature like kids on the school yard. This kind of puerile name-calling is not what the gaming community stands for, and we are asking you all to cut it out immediately.
Look, we understand that there’s a lot of justifiable anger at the head of the Kremling Krew for repeatedly attempting to steal the Kong’s Banana Hoard, but is it too much to ask that we keep our critiques to his heinous actions and not cheapen the discourse with demeaning slurs like “lard-ass” and “fatso”? These kinds of comments are not only hurtful, but are actually counterproductive, giving K.Rool’s apologists a chance to feign outrage and sidestep his history of kidnapping and violence.
Likewise, we share in your frustration that there is a double standard out there—denizens of Crocodile Isle frequently make comments about Cranky Kong’s age or Diddy Kong’s height without fear of suffering any blowback. Indeed, the media seems to expect this gross behavior from the Kremlings, and it can seem outrageous not to be able to fight them on their own terms. But while it may seem satisfying in the moment to let fly with a toxic insult, it’s important to remember that this is not who we are: we must not lower ourselves to the level of Kremlings.
By keeping our message positive and inclusive, we can continue to grow support amongst the gaming community, and someday maybe even knock King K. Rool off that pirate ship once and for all. Thanks for reading, and we hope you agree.
