Joystiq and the fate of video-game journalism

EnenDaveyBoy · Feb 5, 2015

@Tzar, journalists have never been needed however people want information so they will always be wanted in some more, the traditional type IMO is a little tainted, however the whole subject has become more divers, but there is still a place for it, just
maybe not as it has been.

I still buy a few computer mags, but they are £2, I refuse to pay for the glossy stuff that charge me £6 for adverts and paid for reviews.

People have choice and thats a good thing, but people consume and respect information differently so there will always be a place.

Dwoop33 · Oct 31, 2018

I still subscribe to Game informer and OXM just because it's something to look at in the bathroom, lol

Tzar of kaos

Are game journalists still needed when we can get news directly from devs/publishers,feedback/reviews from gamers on forums,gameplay videos on Twitch/You Tube,ect ?...

My answer is no,not anymore.

20 years ago,i needed to buy a magazine to know what did happen at E3 (usually 1-2 months after,today i can watch it live...

SigmaTheDJ

I don't put too much emphasis on reviews from major sites, because of Randver's point about advertising as well as several other reasons. There have been many cases where reviewers are given sweeteners - free gifts, meals and what have you. There have been
cases where publishers have said "you can publish a review early, but only if it's positive". There have been cases where people have reviewed games made by their friends, or made by people whose Kickstarter projects they've donated money to.

I think it's hard to be objective unless you've bought the game with your own money and you're not benefiting in any way from the company that made or published the game. If you are, then at least disclose that stuff so readers know.

I think a good business model may be to use something like Patreon, so you have no ads, you sign no NDAs, you don't take any games/gifts from any companies, but you ask your readership to support you. Obviously there's pitfalls there too, as people may question
who some of the Patreon backers are, but an independent "by gamers, for gamers, funded by gamers" site would be more trustworthy to many people IMO.

LoneStoneWolf

I agree with Randver 100%. Most of these sites rush through games just to get a review out anyway.

RippenHarra

I agree @rand most of these sites have been garbage for years I like Chemist use Ausgamers and my sub to gameinformer for the ins an outs of games and rarely touch this resolution console wars garbage.

Randver

Good riddance. It's hard for most of the big gaming sites to be objective when they are getting paid big bucks to advertise the same games they are reviewing.

In the PC world the Steam Curator program has made it so I can get objective reviews from individuals that share my same interest and aren't being bought by developers and publishers.

It's individuals or small groups of people that you actually get to know by their reviews. I take a review much more seriously from a person reviewing a racing game that I actually know plays racing games. It brings some integrity back to the art of reviewing
video games.

All it would take is an app to get something similar to the consoles.

Joystiq and the fate of video-game journalism