I also really wonder WTF is wrong with people. Even children should know to not harass someone for any reason, let alone that perhaps that person had conflict while working on a game they enjoy.
I cannot imagine ever going after someone like that, under any circumstance.
You know what the most disturbing thing is? "Normal" people do this.
We're picturing villains, hateful characters, people with severe mental shortcomings. Deeply traumatized personalities looking for some retaliation.
Nope. It's your neighbor. That kind middle-aged guy walking his dog. The one that is considerate and intelligent enough to know better.
Several years back a dutch TV show proved this point. They did detective work to track down people making online death threats and confronted them at their door. Every single episode ended in the same anti-climax: completely "normal" people.
When pressed for an answer as to why they launched these threats...none could give a meaningful answer. They didn't even actually care about the matter at all.
I think it's the same phenomenon that causes road rage. Collective pseudo-anonymity (and on the internet, literally pseudonymity) causes people to act in bizarre ways. The other people who are interacting with them via that mediated interface (internet, cars on road, phone, etc.) are at some level dehumanized.
Very few people would do the kinds of things they do behind the screen or wheel of a car when sitting face to face with someone IRL.
But stating the obvious, not always actual physical distance since working remotely for example I don't feel like empathy is lacking. However it is an interesting component and I'm sure comes into play even with WFH.
It’s being removed from consequences. WFH you can still be fired, in person you can be punched in the face, but in these other settings there are no immediate consequences.
I cannot imagine ever going after someone like that, under any circumstance.