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[Boo Who?]

How much time would be gained for these "journalists" if it was just spent on gaming and not virtue signaling? Seems like they wouldn't be overworked anymore.

 

[TastyPastry]

why won't people pay me for telling them the game they like is racist?
games journalism was never great but i still loved collecting magazines in the 90s and early 2000s: seeing the first screenshots of some game you were waiting for, reading interviews, collecting those beautiful edge covers. it went complete shit when game journos decided to become political acticists.

 

[Z O N E]

I'd rather read a Steam review than read any reviews by these biased game reviewers.

 

[Topher]

"Where did all the video game journalists go?"
~no one

 

[Kerotan]

They signed their own death warrants by going all political and woke. Their loss our gain.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Gaming media doesn’t add any value except parroting the bullet points of publishers such as gaming outlets telling people Veilguard is a “return to form” which was obviously a media coverage guideline sent by EA in exchange for coverage.

When was the last time gaming media made “The Last Hours of…” or something on the level of 10 pages The Cradle feature from PC Gamer?

 

[Kilau]

There’s between 5 and 6 HUNDRED outlets giving out GOTY awards every year. Of course Creier only counts 2 dozen of his fellow travelers as legitimate.

 

[StereoVsn]

I’m a huge proponent of the free market, but this is a pretty unique situation. Google almost anything gaming related, and most of not all of the results of the first few pages will all be AI-generated garbage, likely built from scraping one another, with whoever the original source was being buried beneath pages of instantly generated “articles”.

There was a job with an “AI writing manager” I saw last year. They claimed the “managers needed to produce several thousand “articles” Per. Fucking. WEEK!

We can’t treat this as “business as usual”, because were quickly entering a total hellscape where nothing you see will have been touched by human hands.

And yeah, people want to poke fun at it because it’s affecting media outlets that are pushing agendas, but we’ve already started seeing official digital marketplaces being inundated with AI-generated “games”. The only realistic solution IS to have real gaming journalists and reviewers we can rely on — but if those people don’t exist, then you won’t be able to sort the good from the bad. And then only the biggest publishers WILL be able to be discovered, because they can just buy exposure.

Things have been bad with gaming journalists pushing real world agendas, which has only exacerbated the issue by alienating their audience further. But I think it’s still a role that frankly NEEDS to exist.

That is, if we actually want there to be more games than just COD and other “safe” franchises devoid of any personality.

The issue at the end is that the way very few large tech companies control online advertising just doesn’t work for journalistic type endeavors. Which is why most “newspaper” organizations don’t make money anymore. Places like Wall Street Journal, New Your Times, Financial Times and Bloomberg are an exception. And most are geared toward Finance (except for NYT).

And vast majority of people don’t do subs. So yeah, “quality“ of most gaming journalism aside, it’s a Sisyphean task to try to fight against that.

 

[BlueLyria]

Because we truly need more people tweeting that veilguard was topping the charts right Schreier?

 

[Lions Gate]

Henrique Olifiers on LinkedIn: Games industry media nowadays: Dev: Hey, here's our new game, would you… | 90 comments

Games industry media nowadays: Dev: Hey, here's our new game, would you want to talk about it? Journo: Nah, sorry, we're too busy covering CoD, Monster… | 90 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

[ByWatterson]

That's because independent YouTubers are providing all of the traditional functions of the gaming press in a higher quality, less compromised form.

This is obviously true of reviews, news, and commentary, but it's also true of industry analysis and even investigative journalism. It was Karl Jobst who broke the retro game market manipulation story, which is probably the single best piece of actual investigative gaming reporting of the last few years. Meanwhile, all people like Schreier can do is get "scoops" from their "sources" (read: friends) in the industry about studio closures and delays a few hours or days before they're publicly announced or get them to bitch off the record about crunch or how unfairly treated they are in their six figure jobs.

The gaming press isn't going extinct. It's been replaced by a superior alternative.

I love how "journalist" to Schreier means only "people who write text for an outdated masthead."

There are thousands of full-time game journalists. They just don't meet his narrow definition.

 

[Three]

I love how "journalist" to Schreier means only "people who write text for an outdated masthead."

There are thousands of full-time game journalists. They just don't meet his narrow definition.

I think this is his point though. He's saying those people are not going to get paid covering some small indie games since it's not going to get any traffic and there are too few people who do it as a salary job to cover the smaller games without relying on traffic to pay their bills. It was in response to the complaint that todays media response to indie devs is "sorry we're too busy covering CoD, Monster Hunter, etc".

 

[Fake]

No simpathy fro me. I said long ago to not put politics and bias into your news.

Now consumers are watching streamers for news. Told you so.

 

[Saber]

They can dissapear and be jobless, I doubt people would care.
When you spend years doing disservice work, spamming propaganda and attack gamers (which are your viewers), what do you expect? Not even Pikachu face is enough reaction to that turn of events.

 

[Paasei]

Bunch of video game writers wondering if Jason Schreiererer considers them in his elite group of "two dozen".

Meanwhile, Jez Corden....

 

[Tajaz2426]

The folks who constantly called most of their readers and the majority of gamers racists, bigots, phobes of every color of the rainbow are now wondering why there are barely any jobs? Injecting every weird issue of their own onto their audience and telling them that this is the new normal in gaming. Then without any question in the mirror thought if they got together and canceled folks and just called folks names, they would just be another brick in the wall. We all know you cannot have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat.

Can people really be this retarded? That would be like a salesman at a store telling you that you are a racist for not liking a certain TV and then actually questioning why you didn’t purchase it, nor why you didn’t return for further purchases.

We have become “Idiocracy”.

 

[ByWatterson]

I think this is his point though. He's saying those people are not going to get paid covering some small indie games since it's not going to get any traffic and there are too few people who do it as a salary job to cover the smaller games without relying on traffic to pay their bills. It was in response to the complaint that todays media response to indie devs is "sorry we're too busy covering CoD, Monster Hunter, etc".

Traffic drives all for-profit media jobs. There is no version of this where masthead journalists survive while sacrificing traffic for virtuous indie coverage.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

We have become “Idiocracy”.

Considering these years are now in the dole queue I’d say quite the opposite.

Still, they won’t change until the Blackrock money stops.

 

[AJUMP23]

They made the bed. Time to lie in it.

 

[blacktout]

Youtubers are the superior alternative? Less compromised form?

Dude youtubers get invited to event and receive gifts and shit, they are as compromised as the official media

This is going to be a problem with literally all media, but it's actually really easy to tell which youtubers are influencers who have sold their souls for access and which are willing to openly criticize developers and publishers. Come on now.

 

[Begleiter]

We can get that to zero, and I'm sure we will in the fullness of time. Guides can return to GameFAQs or YouTube.

 

[Three]

Traffic drives all for-profit media jobs. There is no version of this where masthead journalists survive while sacrificing traffic for virtuous indie coverage.

That's true and he even says what they normally rely on to keep their jobs but I think the salaried journalist who has a column or segment is less reliant on it than some youtube personality whose sole income is views.

 

[Arachnid]

Good. Video game journalists aren't real journalists. The more underpaid they are the better. Hope the entire industry goes under, and I hope Ryan McCaffery is the first to go. The North remembers.

 

[Humdinger]

I'm surprised to hear it's been whittled down to only a couple dozen (traditional type, full time). I'm also pleased to hear it, because they rarely do a good job, and they've gotten worse over time.

 

[ReBurn]

It should be a message to them that their services are no longer valued or needed.

 

[FF:Enhanced_Reality]

Oh no.... Where am I going to go for all my articles on diversity?

 

[Horseganador]

Years of manipulation and many acting as fanboys for hire for some brand has its consequences.

 

[diffusionx]

there were a lot more than two dozen people working in the games press ten years ago when GamerGate started and the video game press went after their own audience, just saying.

 

[Northeastmonk]

Maybe this is a hot take, but aren’t influencers modern day games journalists? They get early review copies, publishers want them to promote their game, and they’re constantly in your face with something to say. I see more and more brands invite some social media influencer to their special events.

The worst part was and still is dealing with their fallout. Years ago you didn’t name drop a journalist on a review. That’s like late 90’s and early 00’s. Places like GameFAQs didn’t name drop a particular journalist in their boards.

A lot of them got a big ego. Adam Sessler turned out to be the complete opposite of what we was known for and he was on TV. Giant Bomb is nothing like it use to be. Polygon use to have great in depth articles, but they’ve cycled their staff to the point where it’s not even special anymore. Everyone else went on Twitter and basically ended their career. Game Informer was only good for their cover art and their head guy left and went to EA. He defended the crappy Battlefield on social media as his first order of business.

I’m kinda glad it all went to . Who wants to read something by someone who will on you in the comment section. I don’t like the way influencers go, but most of the time they’re tolerable. I’d rather have a bunch of gamers talking about actual games than boosting someone else’s ego. Half of the drama from game developers isn’t even about playing actual video games.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Victory is near

 

[K' Dash]

The gaming press has always been shit and continues to be shit, nobody considers their work real journalism.

Get a real job would be my advice.

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

24 full timers, industry wide? Consider me exceedingly doubtful of such a claim.

Regardless, to the history bin with all legacy media.

America only... obviously!

This mofo doesn't even know the rest of the world exists. He can't conceive of any reality outside of his little ideological echo chamber.

 

[6502]

The quality of the likes of ign vs print in the early 2000s was poor imo, they were good to get the latest news but forums and gamers opinion was superior for game reviews / opinions.

Now, print is dead - magazines were often glorified fanzines and catered to a specific fanbase, online has spectacularly failed to occupy that space.

Latest news is posted or broadcast direct, and with aaa games being so similar with large dev times and shorter announcement to release windows.. there just isn't enough business to just be the latest with news.

Reviews have the same old issues as it did back for magazines, upset a publisher at your peril.

There are many balls ups we can point to, but even if they were perfect I wouldn't expect the trajectory to be that different to what we see today.

 

[Valonquar]

 

[CLW]

There are HUNDREDS of people covering gaming via podcasts YouTube etc it’s just cukboys crew getting canned

 

[GymWolf]

This is going to be a problem with literally all media, but it's actually really easy to tell which youtubers are influencers who have sold their souls for access and which are willing to openly criticize developers and publishers. Come on now.

Well i ignore all of them to be sure

Also, nah you can't never be sure about who is gonna sell their soul next, mortismal was kinda respected as a youtiber but lost all his credibility when he had veilguard as his game of the year.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Seems high. We can get that down to 5 soon, right?

 

[BigBeauford]

These idiots have seen the writing in the wall for years, and would rather go out kicking, screaming, and unemployed than actually adjusting to their audience.

 

[Euler007]

I hear the horse carriage industry is also struggling.

 

[diffusionx]

Good. Video game journalists aren't real journalists. The more underpaid they are the better. Hope the entire industry goes under, and I hope Ryan McCaffery is the first to go. The North remembers.

Terrible take. A review isn't journalism, it's an opinion.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Not really sure what FT press means. But I guess it means similar jobs to his Bloomberg role. I dont think he's including all the game site workers and streamers working FT doing their own low key or low budget thing.

Doesnt really matter though.

If there's a rock bottom number of FT gaming press from bonafide corporations that's their problem. If they cant hack it against random nobodies doing articles after dinner or talking news on small game sites or YT videos it means the role is worthless in the eyes of the gamer.

If he's truthful there's only a couple dozen FT workers in solid roles, it's a sad state of worth. At my regional office alone, there's probably two dozen FT account managers alone (sales people) that spans from junior account manager to VP of Sales. And they make good money, get a giant bonus, car allowance and gas card.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

The folks who constantly called most of their readers and the majority of gamers racists, bigots, phobes of every color of the rainbow are now wondering why there are barely any jobs? Injecting every weird issue of their own onto their audience and telling them that this is the new normal in gaming. Then without any question in the mirror thought if they got together and canceled folks and just called folks names, they would just be another brick in the wall. We all know you cannot have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat.

Can people really be this retarded? That would be like a salesman at a store telling you that you are a racist for not liking a certain TV and then actually questioning why you didn’t purchase it, nor why you didn’t return for further purchases.

We have become “Idiocracy”.

A lot of it was because they had a lot of clout a decade ago and consider themselves untouchable, so they would use their influence to herd and shape public opinion. But nowadays, people are more aware of the "journalists' " tactics and have found better alternatives for video gaming news. It's why the mainstream gaming media has frequently tried to cancel Asmongold, love him or hate him. His Youtube videos get lot of traction and those are partial re-uploads of his Twitch streams, so he has quite a bit of 'normie' reach.

 

[captainnapalm]

That whole gamergate thing around 2014 killed my interest in a lot of the gaming sites back then.

Didn’t help that at the same time I bought and Android TV with a YouTube button on the remote.

The sad thing for them is print journalism has definitely gotten less woke in recent times - but it's too late. People have already moved on.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

Not surprised with the state of video game “journalism” these days.

Here’s hoping Kotaku and Polygon get flushed down the drain.

I used to go to a lot of these sites back in the day but the only one I really use a lot these days is Gematsu and sometimes Push Square.

 

[NickFire]

In my opinion gaming media’s downfall was 100% self inflicted due to the dopamine hits associated with how they talked about and treated others while basking in the glow of lunatics.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

You mean they might have to get a real job or actually be good enough for a YouTube following?!?! Oh the horror!!!

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Overworked? Covering video games? Please.

 

[Plague Doctor]

For over a decade they created a culture of outrage clicks, vanity politics, demonizing consumers, and hit pieces against devs that didn't toe the line. They reviewed not on gameplay but messaging in many cases.


Fuck them. You do not hate gaming journo's enough.

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

Good. Nothing of value will be lost when they are gone. They are nothing but clickbaiters, shills, and astroturfers anyway.

Real gaming journalism died more than a decade ago.

 

[FewRope]

Good. Video game journalists aren't real journalists. The more underpaid they are the better. Hope the entire industry goes under, and I hope Ryan McCaffery is the first to go. The North remembers.

This guy profile pic looks AI for real