Gamerbait
The logic of the internet is bait. Twitter serves us clickbait. TikTok serves us gaybait. And now, Spotify and Instagram serve us gamerbait. Unlike catfishing and trolling, bait isn’t malicious per se. It’s not explicitly a scam—it’s strategic ambiguity. Social media optimized headlines reframe content in the most salacious manner possible. Noah Beck isn’t queer, but his content is homoerotic. The brands and musicians cashing in on the gamerbait goldrush aren’t part of gaming culture proper, though they’re not not part of gaming culture. (At least at this point in time.) Gamerbait like everything online is not exactly true, but not exactly false.
Steve Monaghan