A journalist for an embattled video games outlet who recently found herself at the center of the Sweet Baby Inc. controversy is in hot water again after she insinuated she was gearing up to write a hit piece on a Christian video game streamer who she says “leans hard … into homophobia.”
The streamer is leaning hard into fighting back, however — and said she turned down an interview with the journalist because she didn’t “think your intentions are in good faith” and that she wasn’t a bigot, she “just value[s] her freedom.”
In early March, Kotaku journalist Alyssa Mercante briefly became infamous on the internet for a fawning piece titled “Sweet Baby Inc. Doesn’t Do What Some Gamers Think It Does.” Written as the woke narrative consultancy firm was suffering from a growing boycott from gamers on Steam, Mercante’s piece essentially read as if it were written by SBI itself — and, indeed, large parts of it were simply block quotes from SBI’s principals.
At the very least, it came off sounding like a media release that made the boycotters sound like rabid incel wolves and SBI as angels of decency, all without proof of either claim — and certainly not as a piece of journalism.
However, a few weeks later, Mercante decided she wanted to give actual journalism a try, indicating she was working on an exposé involving a popular Twitch streamer.
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“There’s a story I’ve been simmering that I really want to pick back up again. If anyone has any connections to a prominent female Twitch streamer/gaming personality who leans very hard into Christianity and homophobia, DM me or email me at link in bio,” she posted on X on March 22.
“I’m particularly interested in people who knew this person *before* their sharp rise in popularity.”
I’m particularly interested in people who knew this person *before* their sharp rise in popularity.
— Alyssa Mercante (@alyssa_merc) March 22, 2024
Do you follow any streamers or content creators?
While no one was mentioned by name, it was clear to those involved in the gaming community that Mercante was referring to Melonie Mac, a Twitch streamer with over 134,000 subscribers who describes herself on her X profile as a “Gamer, Carnivore, Jesus freak.”
Two hours later, Melonie quote-posted Mercante, who has since blocked the streamer on X: “You know, you could always just talk to me if you want. But it looks like you’d rather find people who don’t like me to help you formulate some hate and lies to fit a narrative you’ve inevitably made up in your head for your witch hunt,” she wrote.
You know, you could always just talk to me if you want. But it looks like you’d rather find people who don’t like me to help you formulate some hate and lies to fit a narrative you’ve inevitably made up in your head for your witch hunt https://t.co/Nrt6AwYvz2
— Melonie Mac ✝️🎮🖤 (@MelonieMac) March 22, 2024
“Hi Melonie! I would love a chance to talk to you. My email is in my bio if you want to reach out, I planned on sending one your way early next week as it’s EOD for me. Thanks!” Mercante wrote back.
“Judging by your tweet and lack of tagging me in it, your intentions appear to be in bad faith,” Melonie responded. “But I sent an email, happy to chat!”
Judging by your tweet and lack of tagging me in it, your intentions appear to be in bad faith
But I sent an email, happy to chat!
— Melonie Mac ✝️🎮🖤 (@MelonieMac) March 22, 2024
Things did not turn out well, as a screenshotted letter posted by Melonie on March 25 indicated.
“Judging by you blocking me on twitter, and your past and current tweets about me, I do not think your intentions are in good faith and I will pass on talking with you,” she said.
However, she noted that there was no “meteoric rise to fame” based upon her rhetoric, noting that she’d built up a sponsorship and subscriber base over a period of years and through streaming numerous games.
“The only following that really grew beyond my previous growth rate was twitter [X], and even then only after Elon Musk bought it,” she said. “I was speaking out before that. And twitter does not bring me any significant revenue.”
She also noted in her post along with the screenshot that Mercante “seems to just want to clout chase off of YouTubers.”
Last thing I’m saying about the Kotaku editor for now. She seems to just want to clout chase off of YouTubers, so I will not waste my time talking with her.
But in full transparency, I will share what I wrote to her, in case she tries to take me out of context.
This all feels… pic.twitter.com/G6bybXCPRE
— Melonie Mac ✝️🎮🖤 (@MelonieMac) March 26, 2024
Or, it could just be desperation; according to a March 22 Bounding Into Comics report, the owners of Kotaku have backed down from a plan to shift the site from news to game guides after staff backlash, although the site’s future viability remains in doubt.
Whatever the case, it’s unclear where the Melonie Mac exposé stands, such as it is — although the streamer expressed gratitude to fans and supporters who took her side in the matter.
Each and every single one of you who have had my back in some way or another from this Kotaku hit piece fiasco, thank you so much. This all came out of left field, but the support has really helped lift my spirits. I just like to meme, talk about Jesus, and try to help take nerd…
— Melonie Mac ✝️🎮🖤 (@MelonieMac) March 24, 2024
“Each and every single one of you who have had my back in some way or another from this Kotaku hit piece fiasco, thank you so much,” she wrote on X.
“This all came out of left field, but the support has really helped lift my spirits. I just like to meme, talk about Jesus, and try to help take nerd culture back. The last thing I want is to fight with anyone. God bless you all.”
