Image Credit: Bethesda
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Alison Rapp is allegedly fired for holding a second job and not due to gamergate harassments.

Nintendo Employee Fired Over Moonlighting

Alison Rapp is allegedly fired for holding a second job and not due to gamergate harassments.
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

Update 4/16 10:48AM: Alison Rapp is receiving backlash for using a fake name for moonlighting to pay off her student loans. In her response she said she wasn’t doing it in secret. 

Recommended Videos

We received information that Rapp’s second job included her selling photos of herself. 

Nintendo employee, Alison Rapp, was fired today. While some believed that her severance was due to harassment she’s received via social media, Nintendo says it was because she was holding a second job. Her tweets reported she obtained a second job to  help pay off her student loans. She who had previously been a marketing officer, tweeted the announcement of her termination.

In Nintendo Of America’s response, they denied firing Rapp because of the harassment she’s received in the past. Fans on social media had lashed out at Rapp due to the desexualization of Xenoblade Chronicles and Fire Emblem Fates characters. Though she had nothing to do with Nintendo of America making the decision to alter the looks of the female characters, Rapp became the scapegoat because she has history of supporting feminism through her Twitter posts.

Nintendo went on to explain that Rapp’s termination was due to her maintaining a second job which “conflicts with Nintendo’s corporate culture.” Rapp says she was moonlighting (working a second job) under a fake name to pay off her student loans, and moonlighting is legal with Nintendo. 

Nintendo’s statement read:

“Though Ms. Rapp’s termination follows her being the subject of criticism from certain groups via social media several weeks ago, the two are absolutely not related. Nintendo is a company committed to fostering inclusion and diversity in both our company and the broader video game industry and we firmly reject the harassment of individuals based on gender, race or personal beliefs. We wish Ms. Rapp well in her future endeavors.”

The harassment mentioned in the statement has been going on for a while, but Nintendo of America never released any statements for or against Rapp. Rapp said Nintendo stripped her of spokesperson status and moved her away from product management on games. Among the criticisms are complaints about Rapp’s tweets. One reader even went so far as looking through her college essays from 2011, one of which explained how Japanese culture views the sexualization of teens (especially in games). That person made it seem as though Rapp was in support of pedophilia, which sparked a new line of attack from anti-sex trafficking group.

We can’t say for sure what the real reason was for Rapp’s termination — and it’s possible that she may not really know herself. Perhaps more information could illuminate the situation. 


GameSkinny is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of JunaeBenne
JunaeBenne
Natural hair, video game journalist, proud Jamaican blerd who loves all things geeky. Favorite shows include Adventure Time, The Simpsons. Bob's Burgers. Favorite longest running Anime, Naruto. Favorite food? Everything burrito. Social Media: Twitch.tv/JunaeBenne, Instagram, Periscope @JunaeBenne XBL: JunaeBenne PSN: Junae_Guapa