Video game journalism

Video game journalism is a branch of journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of video games. It is typically based on a core reveal/preview/review cycle. There has been a recent growth in online publications and blogs, and stylistic revolts in games journalism including New Games Journalism.

History of print based video gaming magazines

The credit for first magazine to cover the video game industry which is still in continuous publication has to go to the subscription only, trade periodical Play Meter magazine which began publication in 1974 and covered the entire coin-operated entertainment industry.

The first consumer oriented print magazine dedicated solely to video gaming was Computer and Video Games which premiered in the U.K. in November of 1981, two weeks ahead of the U.S. launch of the next oldest video gaming publication Electronic Games magazine.

The oldest video game publication still in continuous circulation (as of 2005) was Computer Gaming World(Now known as Games For Windows) (CGW), which also debuted in 1981 but does not get credit for being first all around as it began publication as a bi-weekly newsletter before becoming a full scale magazine.

History of web based video gaming magazines

The first video game magazine to be published regularly on the Web was Game Zero magazine which launched their site in November of 1994 followed next by Intelligent Gamer On-line in April of 1995. Game Zero Magazine ceased active publication at the end of 1996 and is maintained as an archive site. IGO was bought out by the publishers of EGM after which they dropped their website and became a print publication under the name of Intelligent Gamer's Fusion Magazine which was launched in February of 1996.

New Media and games journalism

The traditional video games press has perhaps suffered the most at the hands of New Media. Gaming is a technologically-oriented past-time, and a large proportion of gamers - defined here as those with enough interest to consider purchasing printed publications - are computer literate and more than capable of using the Internet for finding relevant information. This, coupled with the fast-moving nature of the games industry, has eroded the influence of print in computer game journalism, which with its typically monthly release cycle cannot keep up with the instant and sometimes even twenty-four hour nature of its online competition.

Future Publishing presents a potent example of old media's decline in the games sector. In 2003 the group saw multi-million GBP profits and strong growth, but by early 2006 were issuing profit warnings and closing unprofitable magazines (none related to gaming). Then, in late November 2006, the once-great publisher reported both a pre-tax loss of £49 million ($96 million USD) and the sale - in order to reduce its level of bank debt - of Italian subsidiary Future Media Italy.

In mid-2006 Eurogamer's business development manager Pat Garratt wrote a criticism of those in print games journalism who had not adapted to the web, drawing on his own prior experience in print to offer an explanation of both the challenges facing companies like Future Publishing and why he believed they had not overcome them.

Independent games journalism

While self-made print fanzines about games have been around since the advent of the first home consoles, it was the inclusion of the internet in the lives of most people in the world that gave independent writers a real voice in video game journalism. At first ignored by most major game publishers, it was not until the communities developed an influential and dedicated readership, and increasingly produced professional (or near-professional) writing that the sites gained the attention of these larger companies.

Independent video game websites are generally non-profit, with any revenue going back towards hosting costs and, occasionally, paying its writers. As their name suggests, they are not affiliated with any companies or studios, though bias is inherent in the unregulated model to which the subscribe. While many independent sites take the form of blogs (the vast majority in fact, depending on how low down the ladder you look), the 'user-submitted' model, where readers write stories that are moderated by an editorial team, is also popular.

In recent times some of the larger independent sites have begun to be bought up by larger media companies, most often Ziff Davis Media, who now own a string of independent sites.

Ethics

Main article: Journalism ethics and standards

The computer and video game media industry is criticised for holding lax journalistic standards. Reviews are the most controversial area, with issues in the following areas:

Conflicts of interest

A publication reviewing a game when it has received advertising revenue from the game's publishers, or for which lavish 'launch parties' have been held, is often held in suspicion. Reviews by 'official' console magazines such as Nintendo Power, Official Playstation Magazine or the Official Xbox Magazine, all of which have direct financial ties to their respective platform holders, usually find themselves in similar positions. Publishers have been known to withhold review/preview material from publications that do not adhere to their wishes (e.g. making the game in question the cover story) or do not show the game in a positive light.

Time spent on the game

Unlike linear media, getting a complete sense of a game can require far longer than the time it takes to play it from start to end. Further to this, games such as RPGs can last for hundreds of hours. Computer and video game reviewers therefore tread a fine line between producing timely copy and playing enough of a game to be able to reliably critique it.

A famous expose of underplaying was published by Penny Arcade's Mike Krahulik in September 2006: he dissected a review of Enchanted Arms and among other findings concluded that the reviewer had barely played three hours of the game's fifty before forming his opinion.

GameDaily's Chris Buffa produced a series of widely-read articles in July and August 2006 that criticize computer and video game journalism's standards and practices and made suggestions for improvement:

• "Why Videogame Journalism Sucks". 12 July 2006.
• "How to Fix Videogame Journalism". 20 July 2006.
• "How to Become a Better Videogame Journalist". 28 July 2006.
• "The Videogame Review: Problems and Solutions". 2 August 2006.

New Games Journalism

New Games Journalism (NGJ) is a video game journalism term, coined in 2004 by journalist Kieron Gillen, in which personal anecdotes, references to other media, and creative analyses are used to explore game design, play, and culture. It is a model of New Journalism applied to video game journalism. Gillen's NGJ manifesto was first published on the now defunct state forum/website, a community of videogame players often engaged in discussion and analysis of their hobby, from which an anecdotal piece, Bow Nigger, had appeared. Gillen cites the work as a major inspiration for and example of what NGJ should achieve and the piece was later republished in the UK edition of PC Gamer, a magazine with which Gillen has close professional ties.

Most New Games Journalism articles are not reviews of games in the traditional sense. They can instead be understood as being analogous to travel journalism, where the writer responds to subjective experiences presented to them by the game world, as well as interactions with other players online, real-world events surrounding gameplay, and other personal experiences and anecdotes which create a unique story. The story is not necessarily indicative of the experience any other player will have with the game and will be unlikely to offer any objective value-judgements regarding the game's merits or failings. Instead attention is focused on the subjective experience of the person playing the game.

Critics say that New Games Journalism is extremely pretentious whilst telling potential buyers almost nothing useful about the game in question (most critics consider NGJ pieces reviews despite the authors' claims to the contrary). They assert that NGJ is useful only in that it highlights the gulf between those jaded people paid to write for games publications and those who buy them.

Publications of note

See: Category:Video game websites

See: Category:Video game magazines

Consumer

Blogs - Joystiq, Kotaku, Destructoid

Three mass-appeal blogs, the first two of which rose to prominence at similar times. Often carrying the latest rumours and hype, they are viewed as being the primary tabloid games journalism sites.

Online - 1UP, IGN, GameSpot, GameSpy

The four stalwarts of online games journalism. All attempt to cater to a wide audience, contain enormous amounts of information on all the major platforms, offer paid subscriptions (with the exception of 1UP) and have extensive community features.

Online - Eurogamer

A relatively young online site, considerably more progressive and focused than its competitors. Primarily serves English-speaking, European gamers. As of April 2007 offers a similar level of community features as the four other major sites (see above), but still no paid subscriptions.

Community-driven - Evil Avatar

A site for which most content is user-generated. An on-staff editorial team across most time zones moderate submissions and post those that are considered worthy, leaving the site in a niche between the frenzy of Joystiq and Kotaku and the slow-moving larger sites. Subsists on a combination of donations and advertising.I Luv Me Forever and ever also blogging is very important and helps out a lot yea...

Online/Magazine - The Escapist

An analytical site that revolves around weekly issues of its core e-zine and has little concern for day-by-day news. It became established almost overnight, and often publishes writing by leading industry figures. A blog and lightweight portal were added to the site some time after its launch and frequently attract intelligent discussion.

Print

Computer Gaming World

Edge

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Famitsu

Game Informer

Nintendo Power

Official Playstation Magazine

Official Xbox Magazine

PC Gamer

Trade publications

Blog - GamePolitics.com

A recognized link to the world of politics, usually American. In contact with Jack Thompson and several other such political/legal figures. A one-man effort run by journalist Dennis McCauley that was purchased by the Entertainment Consumers Association.

Blog - Video Game Media Watch [1]

Online - Gamasutra

Online - GamesIndustry.biz

Online magazine, Print - Game Developer Magazine

Blog - Video Games [2]

References

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• "A Survey of Game Writing Online". Online Journalism Review. April 4, 2003. Retrieved 2006-10-08. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Video Game Journalists Share Insider Insights at The Art Institute of California". Denver Westword. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
• "Game On - Video-game journalists look for a little respect". About.com. January 6, 2003. Retrieved 2006-10-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "The Lester Bangs of Video Games". Esquire. July 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
• "The Pointlessness of Current Videogame Journalism". TG Daily. January 7, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "The 5 Problems with Videogame Journalism". FiringSquad. January 27, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Video Game Journalism Needs An Overhaul". Blogcritics.org. August 21, 2005. Retrieved 2006-10-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Gaming's Top 50 Journalists". Next Generation. October 17, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Game Journalists on Game Journalism". The Escapist. November 14, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Game News and Reviews". Tech News. November 14, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

• International Game Journalists Association
• Video Game Media Watch
• So You Want to Be a Games Journalist: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
• The New Games Journalism
• Ten Unmissable Examples of New Games Journalism
• The Gamer's Quarter A regularly published collaborative NGJ publication and related forums.
• GameDaily BIZ's Media Watch column