"They are needed": Esports players and more respond to criticism from Semmler, Thorin on Women's Leagues

Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat and Duncan "Thorin" Shields continue to be on the receiving end of criticism following their tweets on women's esports tournaments earlier this month.

The two esports analysts were called out by a plethora of Twitter users, including esports players, casters, followers, and even organization figureheads.

While some chose to dismantle their logic by voicing their thoughts, others offered a simple dunk to convey the frustrations of those who disagreed with the pair.

---

Macaiyla, HasanAbi, Brennan Hook, rain, and more react to comments by Semmler, Thorin

Following the spiral of arguments after ESL's announcement to set up a women's esports league for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2022, many in various gaming spheres have voiced their own opinions on the general idea of a women's league.

Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat's tweet caused a major spark regarding the debate, as the responses to his statement brought even more attention to the issue.

British esports caster Lauren "pansy" Scott and Fnatic player Jake "Boaster" Howlett replied directly to Semmler, stating their disagreement with his take.

Semmler ended up directly quoting Howlett, saying that the message received from the move was allegedly promoting "female players" because they "lose" when they "compete against men."

After a few more back-and-forths, Semmler's friend and industry peer Duncan "Thorin" Shields got involved in the situation, tweeting out a mass of statements and quoting others, hitting back at the criticism he and Semmler received.

Thorin's tweets about the situation spread like wildfire, with many directly replying to him or indirectly speaking about him and voicing their displeasure with his take. One tweet that especially caught fire was of Thorin claiming "he is ESPORTS," which many found bizarre in a comedic way.

A few creators sat down and attempted to explain their viewpoint, including Jake Lyon (a coach and player for Overwatch esports team Houston Outlaws), Aramori (a player for Overwatch team Mochi), and Leveret (former Overwatch Contenders player).

While Lyon penned down his thoughts on the current need for a women's esports circuit, Aramori and Leveret wrote threads filled with their personal experiences in the industry. Leveret detailed some of the horrors she went through during her time as a Contenders player, which shocked many.

Following a tweet Thorin made in defense of Semmler, VALORANT player Amanda "rain" Smith quoted him, saying the following:

After Thorin spotted the tweet, he immediately tagged the official Twitter handle of the organization that she is signed to, Dignitas. What Thorin didn't expect, however, was for the CEO himself, Michael Prindiville, to respond in support of rain's statement.

After an initial tweet directed towards Semmler explaining why she felt women's esport circuits are needed in the industry right now, Heather "sapphiRe" Garozzo (Vice President of Dignitas) posted several tweets to her account detailing how it was for her way back in the day when she started competing.

---

Tweets continue to pour in with the issue. While Semmler has slowed down his takes, Thorin continues to run at full speed, responding and quoting various people who have attempted to call him out for his statements on the matter.

The opinions of the pair are not isolated, with others coming out and voicing their agreement on the tournaments allegedly being set up disingenuously.

The conversation that has erupted since ESL's announcement has set the stage for women in the esports industry to speak out about their own experiences in competitive gaming, with many explaining how tough it was for them to break through owing to the prejudices and sexist behavior they faced.