In a turn of events that can only be described as a morality play set in the modern internet age, the gaming community finds itself embroiled in a heated debate over leaked gameplay, theft, and the elusive notion of “doing the right thing.”
The epicenter of this digital spectacle is none other than Starfield, the much-anticipated open-world RPG from Bethesda Game Studios.
When Darin Harris, a 29-year-old, allegedly pilfered dozens of copies of Starfield from a warehouse and began peddling them online, it was like tossing a piece of meat into a piranha tank. The community on r/GamingLeaksAndRumours, one of Reddit’s most bustling forums for game speculation and leaked content, went into overdrive. Many screenshots were dissected, shaky footage analyzed, and Harris, despite the illegality of his actions, was baptized as a folk hero after his review of Starfield went viral.
However, the narrative took a twist when Jasper Adkins, another gamer awaiting Starfield, reported Harris’s leak and the alleged theft to Bethesda and the Memphis Police. Instead of kudos for civic responsibility, Adkins found himself banned from the r/GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, as per Kotaku.
The moderators of the subreddit made their stance clear, stating they were “not interested in having someone here who takes action against the community like that.”
Naturally, this opened up a whole can of worms: was Adkins a “narc” for calling the cops on Harris? Is the community in the right for championing a soon-to-be-convicted criminal? Did Adkins’ report even have an effect when Harris revealed all the evidence against him on the internet?
It’s a duality that paints a complex portrait of community standards in the digital age. Gaming leaks have always existed in a morally gray area. They offer players forbidden fruit: advanced peeks into much-anticipated worlds, a brief escape from the torturous wait for official releases. Yet, they carry ethical questions, especially when the leaks involve a stolen item, or in this case, a history of pilfering. Harris was arrested on felony theft charges and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. Adkins provided ample evidence to the authorities, linking Harris to the Mercari listings of the allegedly stolen games and Reddit conversations about the leak. But the tale highlights a larger question: Does doing the “right thing” hold the same meaning for everyone?
In an email to The Commercial Appeal, Adkins expressed a familiar sentiment: “I get it, hype and excitement are at an all-time high. I’m just as excited as the next person, but I draw the line at theft.” One could argue that the moral lines in this digital age are often pixelated, fluctuating between societal laws and community norms. Adkins was raised with a straightforward axiom that “crime doesn’t pay,” but he now finds himself ostracized from a community he thought shared his values, one that usually thrives on speculation and insider information but apparently blurs the lines when it comes to recognizing the illegality of such actions.
This fiasco exposes the dichotomy between the ideals of journalistic integrity and the internet’s wild culture of sharing information. While there are established avenues for sharing leaks – reputable gaming journalists who can double-check and judiciously disclose information – the reality is anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection can distribute leaks. That freedom comes with a cost, as standards are thrown to the wind, causing one to question what has become of accountability in the age of the internet.
Harris has bonded out of jail, and memes in his honor circulate among gamers who view him as an anti-hero. Adkins, on the other hand, is left grappling with the complexities of a community willing to glorify a criminal while shunning someone who took a moral stand.
In the end, it reveals an uncomfortable truth: in the digital realm, heroes and villains are often decided by who clicks the upvote button.
Starfield is currently available to play in Early Access all over the world ahead of its official launch on September 6. If you’d like to learn more about Starfield, be sure to check out our guide on how exploration works, if there’s fast-travel in the game, and how long it takes to beat it.
