Sky News’ broadcast journalist, Jayne Secker has been criticized for her rude comments over the achievements of 13-year-old American competitive gamer, Willis “Blue Scuti” Gibson.
Last January 2nd, 2024, Gibson was recorded and praised for being the very first Human and the youngest person to beat Nintendo’s Tetris with the NES gaming console. Since its release, Gibson was the first person to clear 1,511 lines in just 38 minutes and reached level 157 in the game, attaining a “true Kill Screen” and subsequently crashing the game after.
He posted his achievement and reaction on his YouTube account, Blue Scuti, for the public to see, which British free-to-air television news channel and organization, Sky News picked up. After the report, Secker said her thoughts on the achievement of the Oklohoman young teen, saying that told the young man to “go outside” and “get some fresh air.”
She went on to say, “As a mother I would just say step away from the screen… Beating Tetris is not a life goal.”
Numerous gamers and social media users blasted Secker, and prominent Youtubers such as Cynical Reviews and Penguinz0 have also called her for her condescending comments to Gibson. With Cynical stating that her comments and dismissiveness were pathetic and Gibson’s accomplishments were still noteworthy.
The head of communications at the UK Games Industry Trade Body, Bhavina Bharkhada, also called Secker and Sky News out for their double standards, compared comments that might arise from other achievements of other child athletes.
🎮📰Sky News's Jayne Secker breaks script to tell 13yo who reached a WR Lvl. 157 in NES #Tetris
"Beating Tetris is not a life goal. Go outside and get some fresh air"
This priggish, ignorant belittlement of Willis Gibson's achievement shows gaming stigma is sadly alive & well pic.twitter.com/KRix9g6A32
— Nintendo South Wales (@Nintendo_SW) January 4, 2024
I have more respect for the kid than this horrible woman. This is a mega achievement, and amazing effort from the whole Tetris community over the years!
Imagine bullying a 13 year old, and criticising him about life goals 🤦♂️@SkyNews do better!! https://t.co/tRAhZMWVhU
— Andy (@AndyGNicholls) January 4, 2024
Beating Tetris is still a better life achievement than being a fucking Sky News reporter. https://t.co/l1BvNqEOWO
— Dimmeh Looming (@TheDimmeh) January 4, 2024
Sky News is honestly such a shite news source its almost as bad as the bustards that hacked peoples phones
I can't even get past 3 fucking levels in Tetris and even then I could beat this newsreader in a 1 on 1 the smug tosser
She's just jealous tetris didn't exist in 1941 https://t.co/4HFbEqxBbm— SlothHub (@SlothHubYT) January 5, 2024
13 year old makes history by being the first in the world to beat a game of Tetris. Sky News anchor takes it upon herself to belittle and embarrass him and his achievement on TV. Not cool. https://t.co/E8uFh506Ek
— Prakash Haridas (@prakashph) January 5, 2024
There's something so disappointingly smug about this. I bet that kid had so much boss battle style adrenaline from doing this – and it's so cool to see a 13 year old playing a game that's more than double the age he is. https://t.co/WiTpemZJTm
— Frankie Ward (@FrankieWard) January 4, 2024
In an interview, Gibson said that if anyone beats his record, he’ll be ready to claim it back straight away. He has been playing Tetris since the age of 11 and came in third in a competition last October 2023. He also mentioned that he dedicated the achievement to his father, who passed away last December 2023.
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