Transphobic gamers seem to be getting stunned by facts again as one appears to have impersonated an Arc System Works representative and sent out a fake email to players, insisting that popular, returning Guilty Gear Strive character Bridget isn’t transgender.
The deception came to light when Arc System Works’ official Twitter account made a tweet indicating that someone impersonating a customer service representative had been spreading “fabricated images made to look like official responses.” While Arc System Works’ tweet was obtuse, and low on specifics as to what exactly the misinformation pertained to, Twitter user JohnXuandou tweeted that the imposter in question had sent out a spoofed email saying that Bridget wasn’t trans.
“A bunch of the replies to this are already going ‘MAKE AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT!’ They did, you fucking morons. It’s in the game,” JohnXaudou said in a reply to their original tweet. “You can go play it right now. Bridget’s arcade mode and the fucking character encyclopedia both state Bridget is a girl. You are dumb.”
Kotaku has reached out to Arc System Works for comment.
Read More: Fan Fave Bridget Joins Guilty Gear Strive, Comes Out As Trans
Alongside coming out as the latest legacy Guilty Gear character to join Strive’s fray of battle-tested heroes during EVO 2022, Bridget also came out as transgender. While most fans rallied in support for Bridget’s coming out through posting fanart, memes, and modding Strive so that she dons the trans pride flag, the news also brought out the usual chuds who gnash their teeth and hyperventilate whenever they’re reminded trans people exist.
Arc System Works’ tweet about the impersonator is littered with replies asking the company to make an “official” statement on Bridget’s gender history, despite the hard evidence the newly updated Guilty Gear Strive single-player mode has already given on the matter. Seeing as how Bridget’s outfit, official bio, and voice lines reaffirm that, yes, Bridget does in fact now identify as a girl, I think the folks online asking for Arc System Works to make an official statement on her gender are coping something fierce. In the words of Michael Jordan: “Stop it. Get some help.”