#GamerGate Might Be Slowing Down Says Google Trends

Google Says We Are Past Peak #GamerGate

Gamergate has riven the world of video games in two for the past few weeks, after months of slowly building, nearly-inexplicable-from-the-outside rage and animosity exploded with disastrous results.

In fact if you follow the right Twitter circles it's been possible to think this is the biggest story in the world right now. And yes, it's certainly important from a cultural point of view - and raised lots of passions.

But regardless of where you stand, it looks like Gamergate might gradually be coming to a close - at least in terms of mainstream visibility.

We're not saying it's 'over' mind you. We're not that reckless.

Anyway, Google Trends reveals that the relative search weight of the term Gamergate has fallen by almost two-thirds since a peak on Thursday 16 October.

That's not to say it won't go shooting back up - stranger things have happened. Neither does it mean that supporters or critics of the discussion/movement/whatnot care any less than they did last week. The main forum for Gamergate discussion has been Twitter, and some have pointed out that there's no sign of a slowdown in mentions there.

But the point stands - while last week's New York Times front-page article on the topic, and the threats to feminist games blogger Anita Sarkeesian which resulted in a cancelled talk, sent the term rocketing to the top of Google, since then it's fallen back to a dull roar.

Meanwhile the same tool reveals that the controversy is still of less interest to the general Google user than... actual games:

Finally, let's keep this in perspective. Take the new iPad:

Or this little guy:

That's right - Crabzilla: bigger than Gamergate... for a bit.

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