Man, this assumption is a load of nonsense and I really wish this wasn't so commonplace.
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Brian Crecente leaving Polygon [Joined Glixel NY (not the SF branch that closed)]
- Thread starter backflip10019
- Start date
Man, this assumption is a load of nonsense and I really wish this wasn't so commonplace.
What? Kotaku changing ownership is when it actually started posting stuff that was readable.
Came here for this.
backflip10019
Member
Glixel, eh? Congrats!
I'll take the L this time since he confirmed that it isn't the case but let's not pretend it isn't a valid assumption.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-10-21-game-journalism-stepping-stone-to-pr
SlipperyFishes
Banned
Yeah, I was about to say didn't they just close an office?
Kotaku is a million times better under Totilo than it was under Crecente.
I'm not saying it isn't done, but claiming that every game journalist secretly wants to work for a publisher and is only using games journalism as a stepping stone is just silly.
They closed the SF office but they're still operating in Wenner's main offices in NYC. Crecente is based in NYC.
From from of the tweets that came from the staff it sounded like RS just couldn't make sense of running an office in SF specifically for Glixel. My guess is that will be reforming in New York where they already have real estate space.
It's a very fair assumption ((just not for me -- I've been in journalism since I left college and probably will stay in it until I die.). It's also a real bummer. I hope that as more sites (like Waypoint, Kotaku and Polygon) begin to reaffirm that journalism is important in video games, more people will opt to stay in this business.
While it is heartless and sucks, the idea of closing an office in the most expensive city in the world and laying off the full-time staff, while replacing it with a team that works remotely is not the worst idea in the world, but I don't know if that's whats going on here, obviously.
I think people forget that absolutely terrible reputation Kotaku used to have for the awful clickbait nature of its bullshit articles. The website is a heck of a lot better now than it was back then. I think the word Kotaku was even banned from here for a while, but it may have just been Joystiq.
Back then you couldn't tell the difference anyway to be honest.Kotaku is now pretty reputable and breaks a lot of inside stories.
Calling someone "the father" is waaaay different then saying they are a big influence.
Gotcha. For me, the whole "leaving to be a community manager" thing is just a running joke.
entremet
Member
I think people forget that absolutely terrible reputation Kotaku used to have for the awful clickbait nature of its bullshit articles. The website is a heck of a lot better now than it was back then. I think the word Kotaku was even banned from here for a while, but it may have just been Joystiq.
Kotaku is now pretty reputable and breaks a lot of inside stories.
Never banned, but posters always wanted it to be banned lol.
I was about to post this.
Polygon has been a raging dumpster fire. What started as a new form of game journalism slowly ballooned with the filler of clickbait articles, movie previews and other non gaming news.
It's amazing to think how much better Kotaku got after he left, we can hope the same for Polygon.
While I never cared for your style or the types of stories you ran at Kotaku or Polygon I appreciate your candor here and now. Many would be defensive in the face of people ripping on you so I just want to wish you good luck. More specialized game journalism sites like Glixel and Waypoint will probably have a harder time than ever at attracting attention as people get their news and opinions from personality-based sources.
This right here. There's a stark increase in quality after he left kotaku. It's palpable. The site is way better now. It went from trash I actively sought to avoid from a site I check semi regularly.
The first thing Polygon put out was a video series about how great they were and how they were going to change the world, also, we are sponsered by Microsoft, and here is Arthur getting a tattoo"
If Wenner Media are smart I imagine they will be making some other veteran hires to retool their strategy and actually make people know who Glixel are and what they're about. Waypoint will probably go through the same thing eventually since they are also abysmal in terms of visibility.
PepsimanVsJoe
Member
Personally, I wouldn't be able to stand working for a publisher. I'd rather stick to playing and writing about games.
Then again, it's hard to deny the appeal of a steady paycheck.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Would actually start reading Polygon if this happened.
Interesting to find out that this guy seems to be the reason why I left the website back then. The quality just reached a point where it became unbearable. Nice to see they've improved since he left!
Bananastand
Member
I knew it was this video before I clicked on it
backflip10019
Member
Yeah, bringing on a vet like Crecente signals to me that Glixel is serious about becoming a contender in the space. Will be interesting to see how he shapes the site and how Polygon changes without him there.
I've met him a couple times at events and he seemed like a nice dude. Kicked his ass at Hearthstone, journalists suck at video games remember
I don't know if I'd leave Polygon to go to Glixel considering they shut down the SF offices, I'm sure NY is next on the chopping block. Unless he can magically produce tons of traffic and in this gaming media landscape that seems very unlikely.
Wish him the best regardless of the general sentiment here. How'd you feel if people wished for your failure and hardship at life? Be better people, it's not like he spread hate or hurt anyone.
I don't know if I'd leave Polygon to go to Glixel considering they shut down the SF offices, I'm sure NY is next on the chopping block. Unless he can magically produce tons of traffic and in this gaming media landscape that seems very unlikely.
Wish him the best regardless of the general sentiment here. How'd you feel if people wished for your failure and hardship at life? Be better people, it's not like he spread hate or hurt anyone.
Glixel is nigh 100% focused on games whereas Polygon, at least on the website, feels more like a television and film website, so I think the move makes sense.
I'm not sure if it's his reason for making the move, but he did the same thing around the same time Kotaku stopped being a games site, and instead became a general nerd culture site.
In general, it feels like game websites are struggling significantly in the face of streamers, YouTubers, and direct publisher marketing. Most have either shut down, focused on a very niche topic, or transitioned toward covering nerd culture more broadly, often to the point of gaming making up 50% or less of the site.
I'm not sure if it's his reason for making the move, but he did the same thing around the same time Kotaku stopped being a games site, and instead became a general nerd culture site.
In general, it feels like game websites are struggling significantly in the face of streamers, YouTubers, and direct publisher marketing. Most have either shut down, focused on a very niche topic, or transitioned toward covering nerd culture more broadly, often to the point of gaming making up 50% or less of the site.
It was literally webaboo: the site.
I don't like the way Crecente does his business but there's no denying he's a known player in game journalism and will bring a level of experience to an organization that probably needs some. The key for most of these struggling game journalism arms will be cranking out compelling video content that actually gets exposure. For example, everyone should look at Waypoint's Youtube channel to see what not getting the right attention on content looks like.
Before I leave you all to it: I can't say enough how much I respect the work Davison and crew did at Glixel before I came on. They set a very high bar that I'll strive to meet. Hope you all give it the runway it needs before completely dismissing it.
Take care and see you online.
Take care and see you online.
May your work speak for your intentions. Surely people will give it a chance. Quality journalism is something we're really, really, really lacking.
I think the thing to remember is that merit and quality journalism doesn't necessarily keep the lights on. There has to be widely appealing content, traffic and a large community to support the writing of those really good stories. That's a tough fight when you're caught between both personality-based organizations like Giant Bomb and general male-catering nerd culture websites like IGN.
That too. That was such an embarrassment for the medium.
Came to post this.
Sure, but I felt it was the EIC role not to let it get egregious despite the network policy. To protect the sites reputation before writers cannabilize it for (probably still shitty) money. I don't put all the blame on him, but it seemed like something changed about 12-18 months before he left. Like he had mentally checked out.
The steel balls or whatever thing with Sony also seemed over the top but eh...
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
Took 14 posts to see this posted. Step yo game up, GAF.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Polygon is a weird place. Great long articles and garbage everywhere else. I guess that half a million dollars from Microsoft didn't teach them shit other than making clickbait articles.
Monty Mole
Member
So, the podcast is definitely dead then? And John Davidson no longer at Glixel?
entremet
Member
Davison is gone. Podcast may be continue, idk, but not with Davison and his crew, who were based in SF.
WrenchNinja
Member
I think people forget that absolutely terrible reputation Kotaku used to have for the awful clickbait nature of its bullshit articles. The website is a heck of a lot better now than it was back then. I think the word Kotaku was even banned from here for a while, but it may have just been Joystiq.
Kotaku is now pretty reputable and breaks a lot of inside stories.
Came here to say this. Kotaku was a pretty strange mix of click-bait, reporting, and reviews back then. As of right now it's one of the best gaming news outlets available imo.
They recently brought in some new hires and the quality and diversity of the content of the site has really improved. It's a fantastic mix of gameplay videos, reviews, opinion pieces, entertainment, culture pieces, and super solid reporting.