Wait, are you saying that individuals should have the same complaints about mainstream sites, or that publishers should disable monetization for everyone?
Publishers aren't going after the mainstream sites because they've already negotiated with them about what media they're allowed to show certain content with the knowledge that it'll be on the same page as advertisements. It's a problem on YouTube because it's much more difficult to work out something like that to an individual, which is why they fall back on the default policy of not allowing people to monetize their content.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When press outlets get pre-release stuff, sure. However, what about Retrospectives? Top Tens? Special features on old games? Gameplay recuts?
I'm saying that *all* of this is a house of cards, and perhaps it's about time that it all crumbles anyway.
I've worked in the gaming "press" for years, had my own site at the beginning of the game journalism thing, and even worked during the days of the magazine. I'm a freelancer, and have my gripes with this industry anyway, so not a single _ _ _ _ is given because I've got no bones in this game. The ride is over.
Here's the reality, folks.
There's very little difference, ultimately, between the youtubber and the gaming press. Frankly, the gaming sites have been SCARED SHITLESS off what's been happening these past few years because it invalidates them. Why go to a 'pro' when you can see the footage and get perspective from the fans themselves on youtube?
I've argued for years for press outlets that I've worked with to include more fan integration (well before the youtube thing), but all the press has continued to do is create an elitist chasm between themselves and their base.
The press is afforded the luxury of early access and special content because they're a glorified PR extension. They're controllable. Release of information is trickled out. They're part of the marketing cycle. Everyone on GAF knows this. The PRESS knows this. Legitimacy is like knighthood. It's granted, not earned.
This bullshit relationship wasn't always this way. Here's the narrative:
When the audience was smaller and there was a whole lot less money going around, reviews in magazines, and special content, actually mattered. Getting the word out about more obscure games was difficult. Access to information was pretty much limited to magazines, a chosen few outlets, and word of mouth.
Video changed everything.
Sites like GT started off, as many of you know, by simply re-uploading HD versions of press-provided trailers and stamping it with a GT watermark. They also recut game play footage to library music.
...just like youtubbers.
GT started creating retrospectives and featured content from retail games in their library or personal collections which was, essentially, researched video with voice over, either using game music or library music.
...just like youtubbers.
The industry began to move away from written content as demand for video features prevailed. Again, this wasn't a big deal yet because only a few people had access to the equipment necessary to create this type of content. This was controllable.
What put sites like GT ahead of the pack was it's now, newly acquired by Viacom, access to pro equipment allowing them to make 'pro' features at press events, E3, etc. Eventually, other sites caught up with either the workflow or the technical barrier to entry, but, again, the club only had a few controllable people in it.
Glorious outliers interested in making real content (god bless 1up.com) were left behind. They didn't have the traffic of the mainstream sites, and frankly (imo) weren't making the shill content. They died.
The exclusive club was pretty secure until Youtube came around. Now, suddenly, ANYBODY could make pretty damn high-quality video content THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO GO UNDER the watchful eye of the publishers and PR folk.
I'm not saying that Youtubbers are evangelists or fighting the good fight. I'm saying that youtube was the first time that THE PEOPLE get the chance to speak, in their own voices. This is something different. At first, it was kind of cute. Games get exposure. Free press. It's looking like a win-win...
But then these AAA games start costing a lot of money to make and employees are worked like slaves at these developers. Studios are sinking faster than you can keep up with them. Jobs are lost. Big wins are BIG, financially, and big losses end careers.
And PewDiePie makes HOW much money yapping over MY blood sweat and tears while I'm dealing with this divorce for working too damn much on this IP?
Screw. That.
The reason that I'm trying to point out to people that the ban hammer needs to be universal is because what the youtubbers are doing is really the same as what the media outlets have always done - except the youtubbers aren't shilling. More, they've found an audience and they're making money from ad revenue.
JUST LIKE THE PRO SITES USING THE SAME MEDIA.
If you have an issue with the fact that people can make money from the media and assets of a developer, okay. I'll go there with you as long as your indictment and discipline is universal.
I don't know where people get this idea that there are secret contracts that allow the media outlets to use their assets. Again, other than embargoes on pre-release media, we're just like you. We get our retail copies or have them sent to us, we choose what we want to capture, we make content, we throw that stuff up in hopes that it gets a lot of hits. When stuff gets a lot of hits, we can appeal to advertisers to jump on our site. In an ideal world, those advertisers have NOTHING to do with the gaming industry.
Depending on what is successful, we make more of it. Rinse. Repeat.
Sometimes, companies get funny when you use their licensed music in your gameplay. Most of the time it's cool.
That, folks, is the end of our special relationship. As long as you don't throw developers and publishers under the bus with irresponsible content, everybody loves everybody. You're not a journalist site. You're another freaking PR tentpole.
So yeah, when I say that this whole Youtube thing will have wider repercussions, I mean that this whole party probably SHOULD end and start over again.
Like the Joker, I just want to see the world burn.
