I think you misunderstand. There are actually 2 questions at play in defamation cases.
1) has defamation occurred
2) if defamation has occurred, what is a just compensation
It is entirely possible for a jury to decide that defamation has occurred, but there are no (or minor) damages.
Source:
https://www.minclaw.com/prove-damage...ation-lawsuit/
Awarding defamation damages can be very subjective and each jurisdiction has its own rules about what entitles a plaintiff to recovery. No two defamation cases are exactly alike, and courts undergo damage analysis on a case by case basis. This does not mean that defamers are not held accountable. A defamer can be liable for their statements, even if they aren’t ordered to pay the victim. This is because courts view liability and damages as two separate issues.
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Sounds like a confused mess. It's awfully dismissive to believe any gamers interest in social issues is related to this though.