Scandalous Games

Scandalous Games is a video game history podcast that takes a closer look at video game related controversies. Every episode, historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story about a scandalous event from gaming's past to his friends who offer commentary on moral panics, ill-advised advertising campaigns, unusual figures, and any and all topics related to video game scandals and how they shaped the medium. New episodes drop on the first and third Tuesdays of every month! Check out more info, including show notes and sources, at http://scandalousgamespodcast.wordpress.com.

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Scandalous Games

John DeCamp, Part 2: A journey from Oklahoma City to Columbine to Qanon

May 06, 2025 • Scandalous Games • Episode 64

Historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Kate Lynch and Andy Hunter. We bring you the thrilling conclusion of our look at John DeCamp, the disgraced former politician/conspiracy monger who sued the games industry following the Columbine shooting. We look at John's associations with some very fine people and how he tried to get to the bottom of a bunch of other conspiracies leading into his massive suit against violent video games.

Topics discussed include: John's nigh infinite supply of secret information on essentially every conspiracy, the surely gripping conversations between John DeCamp and Dave Grossman, and video games gain free speech protection thanks to an unlikely hero.

On the relationship of Qanon, the militia movement, and the January 6, 2021, insurrection, check out: Gia Kokotakis, "Into the Abyss: QAnon and the Militia Sphere in the 2020 Election," George Washington University's GW Program on Extremism, March 28, 2023, https://extremism.gwu.edu/into-the-abyss-QAnon-in-US.

Some resources on identifying conspiracy theories and what to do if you or someone you care about is falling into conspiracies:

"Conspiracy Theories and How to Help Family and Friends Who Believe Them," Anti Defamation League, August 23, 2022, https://www.adl.org/conspiracy-theories.

Stephen Lewandowsky and John Cook, The Conspiracy Theory Handbook, March 2020, https://skepticalscience.com/conspiracy-theory-handbook-downloads-translations.html.

We'd also be remiss if we didn't recommend Natalie Wynn's March 24, 2025, video, simply titled "CONSPIRACY" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teqkK0RLNkI.

Also, the two podcasts we mentioned today:

Knowledge Fight: https://knowledgefight.com/.

QAA Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qAmVJsQW0k51ZJ9bDZyZd.

More info, including show notes and sources at http://scandalousgamespodcast.wordpress.com.