There's some disappointing comments in this thread worth weighing in on. Specifically, those who have dismissed the controversy because it's just "games journalism" and not worth further consideration because it's about toys.
Film was once looked on in this way. It was juvenile. Made for the poor masses and below any serious study. Then people started seeing the impact moving images could have and movies started
invoking new emotions in their audiences. Do we not see the same in breath of
themes in video games? And at a faster
pace than in film?
Of course, if we choose to regard video games as mere
toys then we'll likely repeat the same mistakes as those who disregarded the impact of early
film.
The film industry eventually got thoughtful critics like
Pauline Kael who pioneered film journalism. There are already some excellent writers like
Tom Bissel who are doing this. There needs to be more.
Eventually, film critics did begin winning
Pulizter prizes. For writing about movies. Even sports journalists — who are possibly the closest to video game reporters in that they're typically enthusiasts — are honored with the
same award won by those who covered the Gulf War and life in Haiti. Should we not too demand the same level of thoughtfulness in the industry we enjoy?
There are strong stories out there worth telling. From the often deplorable working conditions of those who make the games we love possible to how a
studio's vision can be too ambitious and come crashing down — and taking taxpayers with it. We need well-trained journalists to deliver these deserving stories.
Not demanding that kind of quality has enabled the kind of thing that has gone down during the past two days. Boiled down, video games may just be toys, but they're also a growing medium that continue to become more and more important to our cultural identity. That makes them worth writing about and giving serious consideration. This buddy-buddy club that has journalists in bed with PR and publishers undermines that, and it should be rooted out. So cheers to guys and gals like Rab Florence who see the state of things and do not so easily except them — and let all us readers do the same.
