What you need to know
- A Destiny 2 community manager was repeatedly harassed by Jesse James Comer.
- The individual left racist voicemails on the community manager's and his wife's phones and sent a pizza delivery to their home address.
- Bungie responded with swift legal action that resulted in punitive damages in the amount of $489,435.52.
The gaming community is filled with passionate individuals with intense opinions about their favorite video game franchises. Unfortunately, we've repeatedly witnessed those passions weaponized against other members of the community. In the case of Bungie vs. Jesse James Comer, a Destiny 2 community manager, and his wife were harassed and intimidated by an individual who took unreasonable offense to Bungie spotlighting a content creator.
The saga reportedly began when Bungie highlighted the black creator Uhmaayyze. Following this community spotlight, Comer tracked down the Destiny 2 community manager's phone number and started leaving horrifying voicemails filled with racist comments and profanity. From here, the situation only elevated, as the harasser obtained the community manager's wife's phone number and their home address.
The harassment culminated in Comer sending a Domino's Pizza delivery to their house, with special instructions for the driver to noisily bang on the front door. Unaware of the order and confused by the commotion, the couple discovered the pizza payment was set to cash on delivery. At this point, the pair was concerned the altercations would escalate to something far more dangerous. Bungie immediately issued "executive protection" for the community manager and his wife and notified local authorities.
The pizza incident, police report, and "executive protection" resulted in a swift investigation that ultimately uncovered Jesse James Comer as the culprit. While the community manager has since left Bungie, the gaming company won its lawsuit against Comer for $489, 435.52. The unique case even recognized a new tort (a wrongful act other than a breach of contract for which relief may be obtained in the form of damages or an injunction) based on the Washington criminal statutes of outlawing cyber and telephone harassment.
Thankfully, justice has been served for the former Destiny 2 community manager. Bungie vs. Jesse James Comer should stand as a prominent example of the legal and financial consequences of online harassment. The gaming community needs to be a safe place for everyone, and threatening forces like Comer deserve to be penalized for their actions.
