Author Topic: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article  (Read 3567 times)

Offline max_cady

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What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« on: December 02, 2010, 08:36:06 am »
VGChartz had an interesting article about what's wrong with games journalism and I personally recommend reading it.

Quote
"Jim Sterling, review editor at Destructoid, says that calling game journalism a form of journalism at all is usually incorrect.

“I think calling it ‘journalism’ is wrong most of the time,” Sterling said. “Publishers have way too much power over outlets, the review scoring system is mired in backwards thinking that says anything below a 7/10 is unacceptable, and we have some websites writing purely for Google Trends and not for their readers.”

For those of you wanting to skip the full article, here's the gist of it:
-Too much editorial control from big name publishers;
-A huge tendecy to editorialize in news item, making them seem like opinion pieces rather than legit news articles;
-A tendency to publish content that's not entirely related to games, such as Japanese culture items;
-A consistent trend to make misleading headlines to generate hits;
-On the same page, the use of swear words to also generate hits, that also do not give the best impression to people outside the gaming world;
-Too much focus on coverage related to the big studios;

As far as I could tell, Kotaku seems to be the biggest offender from their research and everything wrong with them can be simply summed up in this particular article.

Again, very little focus on the actual game other than giving an opinion on it, in which the casual consumer will take it as fact and steer away from it.

This is the complete opposite of what's happening in the film industry.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline George

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2010, 10:06:33 am »
It is funny that Kotaku is the worse offender, yet they also publish more 'niche' articles compared to the other two. Regardless, VGchartz... "Z" come on.

I don't mind if someone takes a news piece and puts their opinion, it is a blog after all. Cursing doesn't bother me, we are all adults online and swearing a few times isn't going to hurt anyone. As long as its not constant.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Sega Uranus

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2010, 12:58:13 pm »
I am constantly getting very angry at videogame journalism because it all seems as if it is being run by teenagers who think they are funny and like to add jokes in every post. Most of the best known sites are like this, and it is especially frustrating because I think it is one of the biggest things holding games back from being as culturally acceptable as movies.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline George

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2010, 06:08:10 pm »
You haven't been to many movie sites...

I disagree that any form of 'entertainment' coverage should be covered in a boring fashion. Its like me making a vegetarian hunting show. Disagree? That is OK, that is what the great thing about the internet is. You get to view content the way you want to view it and if you don't like it, you can deliver it the way you want to yourself.
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Offline max_cady

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2010, 07:20:17 pm »
I was gonna go there with the movie industry.

Movie critics can be downright vicious and studios will still do anything to get on their good side. Rumors and leaks are the bread and butter of these type of news outlets, almost anything goes. And these outlets talk about any movie in existence being indie-made or mainstream

A different scenario than what we get in the games industry.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Sega Uranus

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2010, 11:00:13 am »
Quote from: "George"
You haven't been to many movie sites...

No, I have not. The closest I have seen to this are cartoon sites that complain in LITERALLY the same fashion as a lot of game sites do. "Remember when cartoons were good, back when I was little?"

Quote from: "George"
I disagree that any form of 'entertainment' coverage should be covered in a boring fashion. Its like me making a vegetarian hunting show. Disagree? That is OK, that is what the great thing about the internet is. You get to view content the way you want to view it and if you don't like it, you can deliver it the way you want to yourself.

Yeah, it is great indeed.

I am not sure though if you think I was insinuating the same about SEGAbits, and I am sorry if you did - I honestly did not mean it or think that way. You know I love you, buttermuffin. No homo.
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Offline George

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2010, 02:31:01 am »
I don't mind if someone disagrees with the way I do stuff. I don't agree with everyone all the time.

Though Kotaku gets bad, but not as bad as Gizmodo, I literally stopped going to that site because 75% of their content started to do LITTLE with gadgets. Engadget is a lot better.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Barry the Nomad

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Re: What is wrong with video game journalism?A must read article
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2010, 07:28:12 am »
I don't mind if humor and opinion is infused into news posts, as long as it isn't vicious or negative and that the news comes first. I am completely against nonsense like "here comes another failure from SEGA!" or "Sonic won't stay dead", those sorts of writers are just idiots. An ideal news story, in my opinion, would begin with giving all the information known about the game, and telling where the info came from. If all the info is said that can be said, then I have no problem with reading on to hear the writers opinion as well as a some witty remarks. Basically, news story followed by opinion. Then they throw a question to the readers for the comments section. I like that.

I mean, if I wanted all news and no opinion, I'd just follow the SEGA blogs and receive the SEGA PR emails. However, I also like a laugh and to hear thoughts from fans, which is why I read SEGAbits, Segashiro and SEGA Driven.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »