Two huge and rather divisive gaming icons have joined TIME’s list of the 30 most influential people on the internet, a list that includes people such as Barack Obama. Time prefaced their list by saying “the rise of social networks has levelled the playing field, allowing unknowns to command audiences rivalling those of real-world leaders, even if by accident.”
Both of these icons are people that some gamers love to hate. PewDiePie Is the most subscribed host on YouTube. His business of making Let’s Play videos has made him a literal millionaire, but he has also become a hate icon for people who despise the passive nature of Let’s Plays.
Sarkeesian, on the other hand, is the creator of Feminist Frequency and Tropes vs. Women. You could argue that she single-handedly split the gaming community down political lines, and is routinely threatened and attacked.
However, for both of these icons it could be said that hate has only made them stronger. If anything, it has given them both more publicity. That’s just how things work in our current age of social media. Both of them will likely stick around for some time.
Source: Gamespot