Update from Nodwin Gaming:
In relation to the investigation by NODWIN involving one of its casters – Mannu ‘kRaT’ Karki; NODWIN has found that the conduct of Mannu in the game being played on SoStronk server is objectionable and unacceptable.
NODWIN has decided to terminate Mannu from employment with immediate effect, as a result. NODWIN expects high standards of conduct from all its employees – whether in their personal or professional time.
At Nodwin, our goal is to make gaming fun and enjoyable for all communities. Whether it is competitive or just a casual game, making the environment unsafe and uncomfortable for other gamers is something that we absolutely do not condone. Toxicity has no place in our world.
Original Story:
By now, you might have been definitely aware of the recent ongoings in the gaming industry. Long story short, one of India’s leading casters, Mannu ‘Krat’ Karki, along with his teammates abused his opponents in a CS:GO game. However, this time we are not just talking about the usual toxicity in video games. Not only did the person gang up with his teammates and abused the person, but his teammates also passed lewd remarks on his sister and gave rape threats.
If this hadn’t taken you aback already, there’s more. The person in question also exploited his position in Nodwin Gaming to get the person’s private information. The fact that the person behind the account was Mannu Karni himself is beyond reasonable doubt, so the good ol’ “someone else was using my account” defense failed to do damage control this time around. What followed up is a post from Krat, apologizing for his mistakes. Soon after, Nodwin Gaming released a statement saying that they have put the caster on probation, and are investigating the issue.
Investigation or Waiting for the Dust To Settle?
The most surprising of all in this debacle has been Nodwin Gaming’s stance. Numerous times in the past, the company and employees have been under the scanner for one thing or the other, ranging from toxicity to what not. However, things hadn’t escalated to this level in the past. In the statement, Nodwin Gaming revealed that they are “investigating the incident”. For a company which has been in the limelight as far as Indian eSports is concerned, such statements are outright disappointing. Insiders from the industry have revealed that Krat has been one of the prime employees of Nodwin. The caster has been hosting a weekly show about Indian esports called Esports Mania which is one of Nodwin’s most beneficial ventures. When the accused has himself accepted that he has made those statements, is Nodwin Gaming investigating the incident to find evidence to turn the tide in Krat’s favor?
That brings us to the point, is a public apology enough for someone with criminal intent? If the people supporting him think that way, it should be noted the law says something else. To quote section 506 of the Indian Penal Code “Punishment for criminal intimidation.—Whoever commits, the offense of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both”.
And that’s just the intent for a crime. The person can get booked for insulting the modesty of a woman as well. Section 509 of the IPC reads, “Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.—Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.”
Incidents of toxicity have happened in the industry in the past. However, they have been dealt with stern action. The most recent one has been Cloud9 immediately parting ways with Brandon “Sixless” Patterson, after he called the Indian community “toxic asses”. If an organization like Cloud 9 can take such stern action against something like that, Nodwin’s stance on this matter has been disappointing. The Indian Gaming scene is at a nascent stage. If criminal-minded people like these continue to hold such positions in the industry, it’s less likely people will support the brands and trust the people in these organizations. What Nodwin’s “strict action” comprises of remains to be seen.
2rs